Tibet After 1951 Peaceful Liberation

Dalai Lama does not represent all Tibetan or Tibetan Buddhism and he has lots of enemies, even within Tibetan Buddhism. Enclosed photo showing a demonstration against Dalai Lama by Tibetan Buddhism Monks in Germany. In this photo many Germans(like many of us) were very much surprised.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-06/23/content_8424644.htm

"Nonviolence" in the mouth of "Dalai Lama"

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Video: Documentary: The Dalai Lama .

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Facts and Figures of Tibetan development

www.chinaview.cn 2008-03-27 13:44:50

Special report: Dalai clique's separatist activities condemned

LHASA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Tibet Autonomous Region, covering one-eighth of China's territory with a population of 2.8 million, has developed rapidly in recent years. Here are a group of key facts and figures about Tibet:

Economy: The economy of Tibet has been growing at an annual rate of 12 percent or more over the past seven years. In 2007, the region's gross domestic product (GDP) was 34.2 billion yuan (about4.88 billion U.S. dollars), which was 12,000 yuan per capita -- double the 2002 figure. The per capita net income of farmers and herdsmen posted double-digit growth for a fifth consecutive year and reached 2,788 yuan in 2007.

Education: Over the past five years, 8.22 billion yuan in government funding has been invested in education to improve school facilities and raise literacy rates and the quality of education. The special annual educational subsidies for the children of Tibetan farmers and herders have been increased from 353 yuan 22 years ago to an average of 1,450 yuan in 2007.

Housing: In 2006, the Tibetan regional government launched a program to build homes for 220,000 local farming and herding households by 2010. More than 570,000 people have since moved into new residences and regional government spending has totaled 1.3 billion yuan. The per capita housing area for Tibetan herders has reached 36.4 square meters, 16.8 sq m more than before the project.

Environment: During the 10th five-year plan (2001-2005), more than 120 million yuan was spent to protect wetlands and grasslands in Tibet. The regional authorities have restricted the mining of gold and other minerals to preserve resources and protect the environment. Thirty-eight nature reserves have been established, covering 408,300 square kilometers, which represents 34 percent of the region's land area. Sources with the Tibetan regional environmental protection bureau said that another 10 billion yuan would be used to implement 14 environment-related projects before 2030.

Health: According to the provincial health department, 100 percent of farmers and herders, who account for 80 percent of the region's population, are covered by the medicare system and receive free medical care. The average life expectancy has risen from 35.5 years in the 1950s to 67.

Ethnicity and religion: According to the last census in 2000, the population of Tibetans has surged from 1.2 million in 1964 to more than 2.41 million in 2000, 92 percent of the region's total population. Among the newly elected deputies to local people's congresses in 2008, more than 80 percent are Tibetans or from other ethnic minorities at the regional, prefectural and city levels and 90 percent at the county and village levels. The central government has allocated more than 700 million yuan since 1980 to maintain 1,400 monasteries and cultural relics. Tibet has more than 1,700 religious sites for Tibetan Buddhism that accommodate 460,000 monks and nuns, four mosques with 3,000 Muslims, as well as a Catholic church for 700 believers.

Tibet to expend 17 bl to boost economy

2008-11-18 11:19:00

In order to boost the local economy and improve people's life, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) will add its fiscal expenditure of 17 billion yuan, sources from the TAR Government Executive Meeting on November 17.

According to officials from TAR Finance Department, the 17 billion yuan will be mostly used for housing projects in urban and rural areas to insure people's life. Some of the expenditure will be used to develop education, science, culture, medicine and etc. Environment protection and food inspection are in consideration as well.

Besides, TAR government will pay special attention to areas suffering from earthquake in Damxung county of Lhasa or snowstorm in Lhoka Prefecture.

(1 USD equals about 6.83 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081118_438684.htm

Dalai Lama's utter distortion of Tibet history

www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-11 00:18:32

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- On March 10, 1959, the Dalai Lama and his supporters started an armed rebellion in a desperate attempt to preserve Tibet's feudal serfdom and split the region from China.

On Tuesday, exactly 50 years later, the Dalai Lama claimed that Tibetans have been living in "hell on earth," as if the Tibet under the former feudal serfdom ruled by him were a heaven.

The Dalai Lama also alleged at a gathering in India's Dharamsala to mark his 50 years in exile that "these 50 years have brought untold suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet."

Unfortunately, the Dalai Lama has not only been on the wrong side of history, but also has got the history upside down. Miseries of "hell on earth" and "untold suffering" occurred nowhere but in the slavery Tibet symbolized by the Dalai Lama.

Even from historical books written by Western scholars, people can draw the conclusion that Tibet under the rule of the Dalai Lama clique was a society of feudal serfdom that trampled human rights and easily reminded visitors of the dark age of medieval Europe.

The feudal serfdom had truly brought "untold suffering and destruction" to the serfs and slaves who accounted for 90 percent of the then population.

The slavery Tibet was just "hell on earth" as Carles Bell, who lived in Lhasa as a British trade representative in the 1920s, observed that the Dalai Lama's theocratic position enabled him to administer rewards and punishments as he wished. That was because he held absolute sway over both this life and the next of the serfs and coerced them with that power.

In 1959, after the failed rebellion by the Dalai Lama and his followers, the central government of China carried out the long-delayed emancipation of millions of serfs and slaves in Tibet.

Great achievements have been made in Tibet since then in various fields such as politics, economy and culture. The following are just a few examples of those achievements:

-- The central government has adopted a policy of "political unity, freedom of religious belief and separation of politics and religion" in Tibet to ensure locals' political rights and that all religious beliefs are politically equal.

-- Tibet has seen its gross domestic product soar from 174 million yuan (25.4 million U.S. dollars) in 1959 to 39.591 billion Yuan (5.78 billion dollars) in 2008, with an annual growth rate of8.9 percent.

-- Tibet's roads totaled 51,300 km in 2008, a sharp increase from the 7,300 km in 1959.

-- The average life expectancy in Tibet has increased from 35.5years in 1959 to 67 years at present.

Anyone without prejudice will recognize the remarkable progress in Tibet.

"Tibet has achieved remarkable economic progress and undergone profound changes since 1959 when its democratic reform began," Argemiro Procopio, a professor of international relations at the University of Brasilia, said after a trip to Tibet.

Louise T. Blouin Macbain, a well-known publisher and philanthropist, said after traveling to Tibet that "what I have seen is positive and I am especially thankful to the great efforts made by China over the years in preserving Tibetan cultural independence and its monasteries."

When the Dalai Lama claimed there is "cultural genocide " in Tibet, "I don't know which Tibet is he actually describing," she said. "As for me, it's not the one that I have seen with my own eyes."

Why then such a distortion of historical facts by the so-called Nobel Peace Prize winner? Because it is only through the distortion of history could he deceive Western audiences and disguise his true intentions.

Since their exile, the Dalai Lama and his followers have never stopped pursuing activities to split Tibet from China and restore their theocratic rule despite his claims to the opposite.

But just as the rebellion by the Dalai Lama clique failed disgracefully 50 years ago, its fantasy of "Tibet Independence" is also doomed to failure, because of the firm opposition from the Chinese people, including the Tibetans in Tibet.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/11/content_10987232.htm

Spanish Tibetologist: "What I see and hear in Tibet differs from Dalai Lama's propaganda"

10:42, March 08, 2009

"What I have seen and heard in Tibet completely differed from the distorted propaganda by the Dalai Lama," a renowned Spanish Tibetologist has said.

The March 14 riot in Lhasa in 2008, involving violent crimes against people and property, was premeditated and masterminded by followers of the Dalai Lama, Inaki Preciado Idoeta told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"But the Dalai Lama neither made an apology for the riot nor condemned those who perpetrated the violence," said Precidao Idoeta, one of the first Spanish diplomats to China and also a famous sinologist in Spain.

He has visited Tibet several times since the 1990s and also temporarily lived there for his research.

"I can speak Chinese and the Tibetan language and communicate well with the local people, so I can get first-hand materials about the region," he said.

Commenting on Dalai Lama's accusation that the Chinese government has destroyed the Tibetan culture and language and the Tibetan people have no freedom of religion, he said that was an excuse used by the Dalai Lama to split the country.

"Under the current education system in the autonomous region, all the Tibetan students are required to learn the Tibetan language during the nine-year period of compulsory education," he said.

File photo shows Inaki Precidao Idoeta, one of the first Spanish diplomats to China and a famous Sinologist and Tibetologist in Spain, posing with lamas at the Waqiu Temple in Xinlong County of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 16, 2005. What he has seen and heard in areas where people of China's Tibetan ethnic group are living "completely differed from the distorted propaganda by the Dalai Lama," Inaki Precidao Idoeta said in a recent interview with Xinhua. (Xinhua Photo)

"Many books and magazines in Tibet are also compiled in the Tibetan language. All these show that the Tibetan culture has been well protected and inherited," the scholar said.

Talking about the plan of the so called "Tibet government-in-exile" to hold "a series of commemorative events" from this March to the next, Preciado Idoeta said the Dalai clique needed to do something after receiving large amounts of money from western anti-China forces.

They will not stop making trouble because the clique has an entire network of international anti-China forces and the support from some western media, he added.

Some western media have been playing a shameful role in the past years by distorting truth on Tibet, deceiving readers and spreading those malicious rumors last year, the Spanish expert said.

An article will be published without hesitation if it criticizes the Chinese government and supports the Dalai Lama, however, the objective reports written by people who know the truth about Tibet are hard to appear in those media, he said.

The western people are blindfolded owing to those biased reports and China should try to get them shake off those wrong ideas. China should take measures to boost its overseas reports and introductions on Tibet, as to make people know the current situation in Tibet in a better and comprehensive way, Preciado Idoeta said.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6608883.html

For whom is Tibet a "hell on earth"?

www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-10 22:28:56

By Xinhua Writer Zhou Yan

LHASA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Tuesday is a special date for Tibetans. For the 2.8 million residents in the southwest China autonomous region, it marks 50 years since feudal serfdom was abolished; but for the 14th Dalai Lama and his "government-in-exile," it marks five decades of futile attempts at independence.

Fifty years after he fled China and having failed time and again to foment widespread unrest in Tibet and other Tibetan communities in western China, the Dalai Lama is apparently at his wit's end.

Tibetan pilgrims turn the pray wheels in front of the Potala Palace during the Grand Summons Ceremony in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 10, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

In a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of his exile, the Dalai Lama abruptly shook off his pacifist outlook and smiles to give some gibberish far below the intelligence of the "spiritual leader" himself, and poles apart from truth.

In this speech, delivered in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama denigrated Tibet's 50 years of democratic reform, sustained economic growth and improved human rights as "untold suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet."

He also slandered the Chinese government as having killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and transformed the plateau region into a "hell on earth.

"The Tibetan people are regarded like criminals, deserving to be put to death," the spiritual leader said.

The Dalai Lama might have staged some fanfare in front of the "Tibet independence" forces overseas, and bewitched some Westerners with his assumptions that though groundless, sometimes sell well internationally -- the "nearing extinction" of the Tibetan culture and identity, for instance.

An elderly Tibetan holding a prayer wheel walks on the famous market street, Pogor near the Jokhang Temple in central Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

The Dalai Lama calls Tibet a "hell on earth." But many Tibetans I know, particularly the elderly people who still remember the past, say Tibet is at its best stage of development . Why do the opinions vary so much?

With no exception, the 14th Dalai Lama and all his predecessors represent the aristocrats and serf owners in old Tibet. So when the democratic reform took place and all the serfs stood up to own land and become men with dignity, Tibet became "hell on earth" for the Dalai Lama and his likes.

This "hell on earth" is precisely "paradise on earth" for the ordinary Tibetans. Under no circumstances would these people allow the Dalai Lama to restore the old social strata in their homeland, under the name of the "middle way" or "meaningful autonomy."

Anyone with the least knowledge of Tibet knows clearly, under the ruling Communist Party of China, how schools, hospitals, quake-resistant homes and other facilities have been built to improve the quality of Tibetans' lives; how roads, airports and a railway have been constructed to bring in some of the most-needed supplies and how modern technologies have enabled farmers to build vegetables and fruits on former infertile land.

Anyone who has been to Tibet cannot help exclaiming at its well-preserved culture: the centuries-old treasures housed in the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple and more than 1,000 other monasteries; the traditional artwork and opera; the elegant, Tibetan-style homes; the eating habits, featuring yak butter, highland barley and other cuisine, and the unique language, one of the few Chinese dialects that are still widely used in both written and spoken forms.

An ethnic Tibetan monk walks in front of a giant "thangka", a sacred painting on cloth, to be displayed on a hill outside a monastery in Tongren, northwest China's Qinghai province Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. (Photo: China Daily)

Ask Loga, 85, if the Tibetans are living in a "hell on earth." The Lhasa resident, who speaks only Tibetan dialect, has been a pilgrim to Sera Monastery nearly every day since he was 13. Thanks to the improved quality of life, the average life expectancy of Tibetans has nearly doubled since the democratic reform, to about 67.

With the interpretation of a Tibetan colleague, Loga told me he was "in good shape except that he was blind in one eye." The hearty smile on his weathered face tell me he is happy and content.

Fifty years after the Dalai Lama's flight from China, some Tibetans still revere him as their "spiritual leader." They do this because as devout Buddhists, they worship him as the reincarnation of all previous Dalai Lamas. It's this status, rather than his words or deeds, that earned the 14th Dalai Lama some awe.

For the Dalai Lama, 50 years is a long time. Tibet is no more the former land of poverty from which he fled. Its people are no more living under the serf owners' whips, totally ignorant to what is going on in the wide world.

If the Dalai Lama really wants to do something beneficial for his fellow Tibetans, he should stop lying, abandon his separatism mentality and show some sincerity in settling the Tibet issue properly.

(Xinhua correspondents Niu Qi, Pempa Tsering and Soinam Norbu contributed to this story)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/10/content_10987109.htm

What a hell of Dalai Lama's crisis management?

www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-10 22:29:41

by Xinhua Writer Cheng Zhiliang

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Enjoying celebrity like a Hollywood star, the Dalai Lama can by no means be too patient for only one day to the negligence of world media which are occupied by economic concerns since the global financial crisis.

His time to shine comes in March, an eventful month in Tibetan history. The aura around him captured limelight again when on Tuesday he, with his supernatural power as a divine monk, turned a happy land into "hell on earth."

The trick lies in his mouth.

In a speech in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala to mark his abortive rebellion 50 years ago, the lama said the Chinese government has transformed the plateau region into a "hell on earth."

He must have lost his supernatural power of clairvoyance, if he has, when he, ignorant of the scenes of prostrating believers in front of the Potala Palace and dancing farmers in their own fields, alleged in the speech that "Tibetan people are regarded like criminals, deserving to be put to death."

He also forgot in the speech what a "paradise" in Tibet was like during his rule when about 95 percent of the population were serfs and slaves before 1959.

The "gentle", "smiling" monk has never stopped speaking ill of the Chinese central government, but pathetically this time he made false accusations at a wrong time.

The Dalai Lama had been in the spotlight since last March through the Beijing Olympics, but he has not been at the center of the stage since the economic downturn grabbed the attention of politicians and media.

In a way like a kid trying to draw attention from other people by crying, the marginalized old monk started a round of false accusations which were rhetorically flaring and demagogic but untenable in fact.

In contrast to the imagination that more than 1 million Tibetans had been killed in the past 50 years, the fact is that the population of Tibet increased from 1.2 million in 1959 to 2.87 million in 2008, with more than 95 percent of them from Tibetan and other ethnic minorities.

Luckily, more and more lay people now can see what is really happening in Tibet through their own eyes.

There is also people who have a record of history in their heart. Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, once a Galoin (cabinet minister) of the former local government of Tibet, pointed out that if Tibet's cruel serfdom and theocratic regime continued, the serfs would all died and the aristocrats would not be able to live either. "The whole Tibet would be destroyed," he said.

Of course, the "spiritual leader" also has his own earthy concerns amid the financial turmoil. As the global downturn is taking its toll throughout the world, the Dalai Lama may have to face reduced financial support from his western patrons.

The monk is never short of sycophants, who may harbor various sentiments.

But before he wins the whole world, he has to convince those millions of Tibetans first, telling them what a Shangri-la Tibet meant when they or their fathers were serfs and slaves.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/10/content_10987110.htm

Dalai Lama group's sabotage will not block Tibet's development

14:14, March 09, 2009

By Li Hongmei People' Daily Online

Although sabotage from the Dalai Lama group remains the biggest menace to Tibet's development, it will by no means block the progress of the Tibetan society at large. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the region's Democratic reform, and March 28 will be the Serfs' Emancipation Day agreed upon unanimously by the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress to commemorate annually the day in 1959, when Tibetan surfs and slaves, then accounting for more than 90 percent of the region's population, were freed after the central government foiled an armed rebellion staged by the Dalai Lama and his supporters.

But for all these years, the Dalai Lama group has never showed any signs of ceasing to promote the notorious 'Tibet Independence.' They tried to collude with their agents in Tibet and even sent people to the region; the so-called 'Tibetan government in-exile' masterminded and fomented the destructive March 14 Lhasa riots last year. A handful of exiled Tibetans went to such extremes that they explicitly and repeatedly expressed their attempts to separate Tibet from the Chinese territory, their defeated attempts ranging from harassing and disturbing the international tour of Beijing Olympic torch relay to dogging and making trouble to the Chinese leaders' international visits.

Additionally, through creating chaos that harm the region's stability, they intend to internationalize the so-called 'Tibet issue'; through fabricating stories about the 'Chinese suppression' on Tibetan culture and religion, they attempt to rally the international support; and through lobbying around by mixing up black and white, they try to confuse the public opinion and convince the world, by manipulating evidence, that the temporary security measures, taken by the government to deter the possible disturbances form the pro-'Tibet Independence' forces, are 'tightened clampdown upon Tibetans.'

When most parts of Tibet were celebrating their traditional Tibetan New Year, or Losar, the 'Tibetan government in-exile' launched the so-called 'somber protests' trying desperately to fuel the anti-Chinese sentiments among the Tibetans. But in actuality, most Tibetans live a life as normal as usual. Their New Year's celebrations, religious activities, including major rituals, have all along going on as usual. 'They (the Dalai Lama and his supporters) are not willing to see the stability and development in Tibet,' said Legqog, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress on the sidelines of the ongoing sessions of NPC and CPPCC. 'This year they have intensified their secessionist activities,' he added.

By the way, if his memory does not decay, the Dalai Lama should remember that he used to so readily accept the appointment from the central government as Vice-Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee before his fleeing Tibet. And if he would like to relate Tibet in history, he should have the knowledge that the title of 'Dalai Lama' came into being in Emperor Wanli's reign of the Ming Dynasty, and Tibet became an Administrative Region of China even as far back as the Yuan Dynasty. But "His Holiness' the Dalai Lama seems to have been suffering amnesia or playing ignorant when he has devoted himself all these years to globe-trotting as a political monk clad in saffron in a bid to win the support for his 'noble cause' of 'Tibet independence.'

Unfortunately, the Dalai Lama group's attempt to split China is doomed to a complete failure, as Tibet was, is and will always be an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. Facts will never be bent by any plot and intrigue. As a living Buddha was quoted as saying, 'separatists will find no room to replay a scenario they plotted in the riots in Tibet last March.' In today's Tibet, people cherish a peaceful and harmonious life, which is not easily come by. Hence a small group of secessionists who attempt to make troubles have already lost social and public support.

The State Council Information Office published on Mar.2 a white paper on the situation in Tibet before and since 1959. And currently, an exhibition on the same topic is also held in Beijing. Both of them will display the true Tibet and the historic changes that Tibet has ever seen since the Democratic Reform in 1959.

It is no point the Dalai Lama group making all this bluff and bluster, as the fact in itself is the most eloquent proof to show what a real Tibet is now like and what the majority of Tibetans truly feel. Tibet will progress, whatever happens, and people will sooner or later discern the truth out of facts, even if the Dalai Lama group has been acting in a way beyond redemption, and no matter how much they have deliberately distorted both history and reality.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90002/96417/6609811.html

Tibet official: March Lhasa riots won't repeat

09:53, March 07, 2009

A senior Tibet official said here Friday that the violent riots, which resulted in the death of at least 18 civilians in Lhasa last March, won't repeat.

Although the riots have caused tremendous damage to the social and economic development and people's life in Tibet, it did not change the fundamentals of the steady development in Tibet," Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region government, said.

"The overall situation Tibet is stable," he said on the sidelines of the ongoing parliament session.

Qiangba Puncog said he cannot rule out possibilities that some individuals might make reckless moves next week, but he believed that "riots like those in last March won't happen again."

His view was echoed by Chubakang Tubdain Kaizhub, a living Buddha and chairman of the Tibet Branch of the Buddhist Association of China.

There will be "no problems" of stability in Tibet this year, as" a small group of secessionists who attempt to make troubles have lost social support," said Chubakang Tubdain Kaizhub, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, the country's top political advisory body.

"A handful of separatists can by no means win the people's heart, and their disturbance would only result in the collapse of the social foundation for their existence," said he.

MARCH 28 CELEBRATIONS

In response to questions on securities measures on March 28, Qiangba Puncog said necessary measures will be taken in Lhasa on day, when celebrations will be held to mark the democratic reform that emancipated millions of serfs and slaves 50 years ago.

But no extraordinary measures like martial law will be enforced, said Qiangba Puncog at a panel discussion open to media.

The regional legislature in January endorsed a bill to set March 28 as Serfs Emancipation Day for annual observation in the region. Celebrations will be held in Lhasa and Beijing to mark the occasion this month.

Legqog, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress, said the approval of Serfs Emancipation Day is an important move to wage a "tit-for-tat struggle" against the Dalai Lama group.

"We'll, for a long period of time, face austere test in maintaining unification of the motherland, fighting ethnic splittism, and maintaining social stability," said Legqog.

"Since the Dalai Lama and his supporters failed in an armed rebellion and fled abroad 50 years ago, they have been dreaming of restoring the reactionary, dark, barbarian and backward feudal serfdom in Tibet, and they have never stopped activities to split the motherland and undermine ethnic unity," he said.

In 1959, the central government foiled an armed rebellion staged by the Dalai Lama and his supporters.

"The younger generation in Tibet may know little about this history," Legqog said, adding the Serfs Emancipation Day would help "remind the younger generation of the bitter past so that they would cherish today's development, changes and new life."

CHALLENGE REMAINS

Despite efforts to maintain stability in Tibet, officials said disturbance and sabotage from the Dalai Lama group still remains and hinders Tibet's development.

Citing tourism as an example, Lhasa Mayor Doje Cezhug said Tibet economy enjoyed a fast growth in 2007 and early 2008. But the violent riots on March 14 last year denied the autonomous region a good chance of development.

Local economy, mainly driven by tourism, was "severely hurt" by the March riots last year, said Doje Cezhug.

Lhasa received 1.35 million tourists in 2008, down half from the previous year, and the tourism income dropped by 58.66 percent to 1.17 billion yuan (about 172 million U.S. dollars).

"We were also faced with other difficulties such as halt of factory production and investment outflow and shrink because of investors' panic after the riots," said the mayor.

He noted that the city has taken a series of measures to restore normal economical and social order, including reinforcing social public security and promoting tourism by tax cut and tax exemption policies.

"We will strive to ensure economic growth, people's well-being and social stability this year," said the mayor.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/6608382.html

"The day that changed my life" -- Tibet sets "Serfs Emancipation Day"

www.chinaview.cn 2009-01-19 10:09:04

by Xinhua writers Bai Xu, Gama Doje and Laba Cering

LHASA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tibetan legislators endorsed a bill Monday to designate March 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day, to mark the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed 50 years ago.

The bill was submitted last week to the second annual session of the ninth regional People's Congress (legislature) for review.

"The 382 legislators attending the session unanimously voted for the proposal," said Legqog, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress, Jan. 19, 2009. Tibetan legislators endorsed a bill Monday to designate March 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day, to mark the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed 50 years ago. (Xinhua Photo)

"The 382 legislators attending the session unanimously voted for the proposal," said Legqog, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress.

"Serfs Emancipation Day" will take place every year on March 28.

On March 28, 1959, the central government announced it would dissolve the aristocratic local government of Tibet and replace it with a preparatory committee for establishing the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The move came after the central government foiled an armed rebellion staged by the Dalai Lama and his supporters, most of whom were slave owners attempting to maintain serfdom.

That meant the end of serfdom and the abolition of the hierarchic social system characterized by theocracy, with the Dalai Lama as the core of the leadership. About 1 million serfs and slaves, accounting for 90 percent of Tibetan population in the1950s, were thus freed.

Among the lawmakers who reviewed the bill was Gaisang, 62, chief executive officer of the Yamei Ethnic Handicraft Ltd. Corp.

"The day should have been established earlier," he said, beaming. "It is necessary to have the day remembered to comfort the old, who were once serfs, and teach the young who have little idea of that part of history."

"My parents, who were both serfs, didn't live to see the day. They died several years ago." he said.

The entrepreneur was born to the family of Tralpa (a kind of Tibetan serf) in Bailang County, Xigaze. His childhood memories were bare feet, patched clothes and a leather whip as thick as a finger.

"If you dared to offend the lord, what was in store for you was at least 50 lashes," he said.

The low point for him came in 1954, when the nearby Nianchu River flooded, inundating crops.

"Thousands of kilograms of grain rotted in the warehouses of the aristocrats, while serfs died from starvation," he recalled.

According to Gaisang, serfs then were bought and sold like animals.

His aunt, Canggyoi, was sold from Xigaze to Lhasa in her teens, and his parents didn't even know.

Gaisang's parents found his aunt, whose name had been changed by her new owner, after a week-long search in Lhasa and they cried for joy.

Now Canggyoi has a daughter and two grandchildren. Like other people above 80, she gets a pension of 300 yuan (about 44 U.S. dollars) a year. Her family's annual net income is about 5,000 yuan.

NPC delegate, former serf Gaisang votes with other delegates to endorse a bill Monday to designate Mar. 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day, to mark the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed 50 years ago.(Xinhua Photo)

DARK ERA

Gaisang's story is hardly exceptional.

According to Gaisang Yeshes, former head of the Tibetan Press of Ancient Books and a sociologist with the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences, serfdom developed before the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271-1368).

Serfdom was formalized after the hierarchic social system characterized by theocracy was established in the 13th century, when the Yuan Dynasty delegated Tibetan religious leaders to administer the region. The system was further developed after the Dalai Lama became the paramount leader of Tibet.

Serfs, who accounted for more than 90 percent of the population of old Tibet, were treated as private property by their owners, including the family of the Dalai Lama. The latter owned some 80 percent of production materials -- farm land, pastures and livestock.

Serfs were classified into three categories in accordance with their possessions -- Tralpa, Duchung and Nangsan, with the third one being the most miserable who could be sold by his owner as cattle.

Landowners included aristocrats, monasteries and government officials. An exhibition by the Museum of Tibet showed that they owned 24 percent, 36.8 percent and 28.9 percent, respectively, of the arable land in the plateau region before 1959.

Landowners were entitled to legally insult, punish, buy and sell, give away, whip and even kill their serfs.

In 1733, the 7th Dalai Lama controlled 3,150 monasteries and 121,440 households, and serfs had to work for the monasteries despite lack of enough food and proper clothing.

Saixim Village, Doilungdeqen County, 50 km northwest of Lhasa, was a manor of the 14th Dalai Lama's family before 1959. Older villagers can still recall that five people were beaten to death and 11 injured in the service of the Dalai Lama's family during a 10-year period.

In the museum there are about a score of black-and-white photos to show the brutality of landowners: slaves' eyes gouged out, fingers chopped off, noses cut and the tendons of their feet removed.

In the late 1940s, when the Dalai Lama was to celebrate his birthday, the Tibetan local government issued an order that people should prepare human skulls, blood, skin and guts for the religious ceremony.

Celebration for establishment of the Serfs' Emancipation Day was held in Gyangze, Xigaze, where the aristocratic Parlha Manor has been preserved. There, Migmar Dondrup, now 75, served for 11 years as a Nangsan, the lowest of all serfs.

Squeezed into a dark, 7 sq m adobe house with his wife and daughter, Migmar was once so starved that he stole some 10 kg of barley.

"The landlord got angry after hearing that and had two men whip me in turn," recalled the old man. His legs were tied together and he was struck more than 100 times on the hips.

"I couldn't sit. While in bed, I could only lie on my side," he said. It took more than 20 days for the wounds to heal.

He was lucky compared with one of his relatives, a groom, who was beaten to death because the landlord believed he wasted fodder when feeding the horses.

But the 14th Dalai Lama seemed to have been "ignorant" of these kinds of events.

On March 10, 1983, he said in India: "In the past, we Tibetans lived in peace and contentment under the Buddhist light shinning over our snow land." He also said: "Our serf system is different from any other serf system, because Tibet is sparsely populated, and Buddhism, which is for the happiness and benefit of the people, advises people to love each other."

NPC delaget Gesang Zhuoga, offspring of a former serf, attends the meeting to vote for a bill Monday to designate Mar. 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day, to mark the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed 50 years ago. (Xinhua Photo)

THE EMANCIPATION

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the central government originally planned to launch democratic reform and set up a preparatory committee for the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1955, acting on the appeal of local residents to abolish the thousand-year-old serf system.

However, on Aug. 18, 1956, Mao Zedong wrote a letter to the 14th Dalai Lama, saying that it was not the right time for Tibet to undertake reform.

Rabgy, an 83-year-old veteran, remembered that time well.

A native Tibetan from the northwestern Gansu Province who joined the army in 1951, he moved to Gangba County, Xigaze, in 1956, when it was named a pioneer site for democratic reform.

In March 1957, he was notified that the trial of democracy had stopped, and he was sent to study in Shaanxi Province.

"I was told that the reform would only be launched when the nobles would really support it in addition to the public appeal," the old man said over a cup of ghee (tea) made by his wife, also a native Tibetan.

He was among the many taken by surprise in March 1959, when the Dalai Lama and some of the serf owners instigated an armed rebellion. Chinese historians believe that the rebellion was intended not just to postpone the reform, but to continue the feudal serf system forever.

Rabgy returned Lhasa the next month, only to see ruins everywhere: craters in the streets, holes left by bullets on the roof of the Ramoche Temple and water in the Jokhang Temple.

The People's Liberation Army soon quelled the rebellion and the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he established a "government in exile". Later, democratic reform was introduced to free the serfs and end their misery.

Possessions of participants in the rebellion were confiscated and given to serfs for free.

Migmar Dondrup, who now lives in a two-story house of about 400sq m, remembers when the landowners' assets were distributed.

He got 1.4 ha of land and quilts the family had never used, having slept under a piece of goat furs before the reform.

Xinza Danzengquzha, 68, a living Buddha in Nagarze, Xigaze, said: "People brought out the contracts and burned them, dancing and singing around the fire."

Also a lawmaker, the former aristocrat said he learned a lot in his work after reform, including carpentry and painting.

He later worked as an editor and translator of Tibetan books and documents. He studied for three years in Beijing and went abroad several times for research. "My horizons were broadened by reform," he said.

Meanwhile, as a living Buddha, he still performs Buddhist rites.

DAY TO REMEMBER

The reform didn't mean the abolition of the traditional religion in the Himalayan region. After 50 years have passed, there are 1,700 monasteries open in Tibet, which draw tens of thousands of pilgrims every year. Strolling in the streets of Lhasa, tourists can easily find crowds of lamas and believers chanting Buddhist mantras and praying at monasteries and Buddhist statues.

March 28, 1959 was a big day to Gaisang, when the central government announced that it was dismissing the Gaxag government (the former Tibetan local government).

"Nobody who experienced those dark days would want to go back," he said.

"However, that part of history is largely unknown to young people," he added, noting that among participants in the March 14 riot last year, many were young.

"Had they known the bitterness of the old days, they would cherish their current lives more," he added. "That's why we need to commemorate Serfs' Emancipation Day."

Xinza said: "China's battle against separatists reached its climax in 2008. It is necessary to establish the day so as to have our descendants remember it forever."

FOREIGN VIEWS VARY

This year was the first time that Indian journalist Prerna Suri visited Tibet. The correspondent from New Delhi TV, who traveled to Tibet to cover the legislative session, said her five-day visit was a good opportunity to learn more about Tibet.

"If [establishing Serfs' Emancipation Day] can increase people's belief in the government, it is a good thing," she said.

Naindra P. Upadhaya, Consul-General of Nepal to Lhasa, praised the decision to create the holiday.

He has been in Tibet for 15 months. "Life is getting better here every year," he said, adding that this proved the benefits of democratic reform.

Not everyone sees it the same way.

Thomas Mann, a member of the Brussels-based European Parliament, said having such a day was "unequalled humiliation of Tibetans," according to a report on the Deutsche Welle website. And Dhondup Dorjee, vice president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, called the decision as a "hype". The organization is among the most active advocates of "Tibet independence."

Gaisang Yeshes showed understanding of these criticisms. "The day was a festival to most Tibetan people, but doomsday to a few others," he said.

The professor compared the day to Sept. 22, 1862, when slaves were freed in the United States by the milestone "Emancipation Proclamation" signed by then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

"But the difference is, Tibetan people soon gained the right to vote, while black people still struggled for voting rights 100 years later," he said.

Gaisang from Xigaze said he was proud to have become a lawmaker when he started life as the son of a serf. "Now I can vote, with a say in the decision-making of the government," he said. "This was unimaginable half a century ago. People were then praying all day not to be beaten."

"I didn't dare to dream about this when I was young, in patched clothes and shivering at the sight of the leather whip," he said. March 28, 1959 was "the day that changed my life." ¡¡

(Xinhua writers Soinam Norbu, Hu Xing, Yi Ling and Li Huizi contributed to this story.)

Lhakang Losangdoje (L Front), delegate to Tibetan Autonomous Region People's Congress (legislature), raises his hand to vote for the approval of setting the Serfs Emancipation Day during the second session of the Ninth People's Congress of the region, in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 19, 2009.(Xinhua/Gesang Dawa)

Ninth People's Congress (legislature) of Tibet Autonomous Region holds its annual, second session in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 19, 2009. (Xinhua/Gesang Dawa)

Delegates to the People's Congress (legislature) of Tibet Autonomous Region applaud after the approval of setting the Serfs Emancipation Day by the second session of the Ninth People's Congress of the region, in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 19, 2009. (Xinhua/Chogo)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/19/content_10681877.htm

Commentary: A day to remember, for Tibetans and all

by Xinhua writers Zhou Yan and Bai Xu

BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tibet's regional legislature decided on Monday to commemorate the end of feudal serfdom every year on March 28 -- the day the Chinese central government dissolved the aristocratic local government of Tibet and freed more than 1 million serfs.

Herdsman Nuri (R) of the Tibetan ethnic group talks with Briton Fredi at home at Jiaga Village in Damxung County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 12, 2008. The People's Congress (legislature) of Tibet Autonomous Region endorsed a bill on Jan. 19, 2009 to designate March 28 as the Serfs Emancipation Day to mark the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed 50 years ago. On March 28, 1959, China's central government announced it would dissolve the aristocratic local government of Tibet and replace it with a preparatory committee for establishing Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Does the "Serfs Emancipation Day" go down in history as a milestone for social progress and human rights improvement in Tibet, or, as some people claimed, a "mockery of history" and "unequalled humiliation of Tibetans"?

These are some of the distinct voices heard since the proposal for the commemorative day was put on the table last week.

Former Tibetan serfs danced traditional dances to heartily applaud the legislature's decision on Monday. They applauded the annual celebration as "a big event" and a move "in line with the common aspiration of the Tibetans". Nearly all of them were starved, tortured, traded and lived in constant fear of death before that landmark day in 1959.

Yet Thomas Mann, of the Brussels-based European Parliament, purportedly said having such a day was an "unequalled humiliation of Tibetans", according to a report on the Deutsche Welle website.

File photo taken on April 30, 2008 in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region shows Tibetan undergraduates. There are six junior colleges with about 30,000 students in Tibet. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Mary Beth Markey, of the "International Campaign for Tibet", lambasted the proposal as having reflected an approach the Chinese government has taken in Tibet, which "ignores Tibet's history and identity", the News Blaze reported on its website.

Representatives of the Tibetan Youth Congress, one of the most active advocates of "Tibet independence", said the decision was "hype" by the Chinese government.

It is noteworthy that the opposite points of view came, without exception, from outside Tibet, and none of them represented the masses of people who actually sat through those miserable old days and who celebrate the date marking a turning point in their lives.

When Markey claimed the Serfs Emancipation Day "will not be taken seriously by the international community", how does she think the international community has taken her country's emancipation of slaves.

Memories of Abraham Lincoln and the emancipation proclamation he endorsed in 1863 keep coming back as Barack Obama nears inauguration as the first black U.S. president.

Obama himself has followed Lincoln's train route to the U.S. capital ahead of his inauguration scheduled for Tuesday.

Today, the emancipation of black slaves is apparently upheld by the Americans, as well as many others in the world. But the lesson was learned in a very hard way: it took many lives -- including the lives of Lincoln himself and Martin Luther King.

File photo taken on Jan. 4, 2009 shows a lama speaks at a ceremony held in the suburb of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. There are over 1,700 temples with more than 40,000 lamas in Tibet. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Some people in the world are yet to find out how much the emancipation of Tibetan serfs resembles that of American slaves. Like the two sides of one coin, both events represented human rights improvement and social progress, and both lifted multitudes out of their plight.

But one big difference between the two is that slave owners are extinct in the United States, but advocates of Tibet's serfdom are not. The 14th Dalai Lama and his "government-in-exile" still cling to the medieval social system and advocate its comeback.

In 1983, the Dalai Lama described the Tibetans under serfdom as living in "peace and contentment under the Buddhist light shining over our snow land". "Our serf system is different from any other serf system, because Tibet is sparsely populated, and Buddhism, which is for the happiness and benefit of the people, advises people to love each other," he said in India.

The "peace and contentment" the Dalai Lama described never belonged to Migmar Dondrup, a humble serf at Parlha Manor. At 75, he considered himself "lucky" for being whipped instead of butchered for stealing barley when starving.

"Peace and contentment" are the last words anyone in today's civilized society can think of when they look at those gruesome historical photos showing how Tibetan serfs were tortured and butchered by their owners, and how their remains were made into musical instruments or used as sacrifices on the Dalai Lama's birthdays.

Fifty years after the serfs became free, the Dalai Lama still hasn't wavered in his claim to reverse Tibet's development and separate the plateau region from China.

The Dalai Lama said he accepts Tibet is part of China, but demands "true autonomy" over "Greater Tibet", a region extending to Tibetan-inhabited areas in the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. This is tantamount to an eradication of Chinese sovereignty over these areas.

His preaching for a return to the "good old Tibet" is similar to calling for a restoration of slavery in the United States and to undo the civil rights development achieved over the years.

File photo taken on Jan. 14, 2009 shows Awang, once a serf, enjoys his life in a welfare institution in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Chogo)

File photo taken on April 26, 2008 shows Tibetan Tourism ambassador talks with her friend through cell phone in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Chogo)

File photo taken on Jan. 4, 2009 shows a couple Zhaxi and Baema Zhoigar get married in a traditional ceremony in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Chogo)

File photo taken on May 30, 2008 shows a student of a primary school perform traditional dance in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. In Tibet, the primary schools and high school enrollment rates reached 98.5 and 92.2 percent separately in 2008.(Xinhua/Chogo)

File photo taken on Jan. 7, 2009 shows seventy-three year old Tibetan man Yixi Lozhoi, once a serf, poses for a picture in front of the Potala Palace Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The average life expectancy of Tibetans has increased from 35.5 to 67 years. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/19/content_10684784.htm

Tibet's revenue rises 10.55%

2008-11-20 13:06:00

From January to October this year, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) has achieved 2,041.8 million yuan, rising 10.55% (194,91 million yuan) than that of last year, sources from the 2008 TAR Financial Accounts Conference.

Since May, the life in Lhasa, capital of TAR has returned to normal step by step and the revenue of the ciy has increased to a normal level, which boost TAR's economy. The amplitude of TAR's budget revenue has kept 10%-11% and the autonomous region has fulfilled the whole year's mission four months ahead of time.

(1 USD equals about 6.83 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081120_439064.htm

Tibet's GDP to maintain stable growth

2008-12-25 09:36:00

The gross domestic product (GDP) of China's Tibet Autonomous Region is estimated to reach RMB 39.2 billion this year, up 10.1% from a year earlier, sources reported, citing QiangbaPuncog, chairman of the regional government.

Despite the difficulties and hindrances happened this year, such as earth quake, snow disaster and financial turmoil, the economy of Tibet also keeps double-digit economic growth in 16 years, said the chairman.

The fixed-assets investment in the region is expected to reach RMB 31 billion, up 14.3% year-on-year.

So far, 76 of the 180 projects in the country's 11th five-year plan have been completed.

The per capita net income of farmers and herds people in the region will increase to RMB 3,170, representing a year-on-year increment of 13.7%.

Tibet will receive 2.2 million tourists in 2008, according to QiangbaPuncog, without providing any estimated revenue for the whole year.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081225_445008.htm

Spanish Tibetologist: "What I see and hear in Tibet differs from Dalai Lama's propaganda"

10:42, March 08, 2009

"What I have seen and heard in Tibet completely differed from the distorted propaganda by the Dalai Lama," a renowned Spanish Tibetologist has said.

He has visited Tibet several times since the 1990s and also temporarily lived there for his research.

"I can speak Chinese and the Tibetan language and communicate well with the local people, so I can get first-hand materials about the region," he said.

"Under the current education system in the autonomous region, all the Tibetan students are required to learn the Tibetan language during the nine-year period of compulsory education," he said.

"Many books and magazines in Tibet are also compiled in the Tibetan language. All these show that the Tibetan culture has been well protected and inherited," the scholar said.

They will not stop making trouble because the clique has an entire network of international anti-China forces and the support from some western media, he added.

Some western media have been playing a shameful role in the past years by distorting truth on Tibet, deceiving readers and spreading those malicious rumors last year, the Spanish expert said.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6608883.html

Tibet remains stable despite repeated secessionist attempts

13:06, March 08, 2009

A senior Tibetan official said in Beijing Sunday that the Tibet Autonomous Region remains stable and some foreign media's reports about increasing tension in Tibet are not true.

Legqog, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress, confirmed that armed police have enhanced their service in some parts of Tibet but stressed that they are temporary security measures.

"They are defensive against possible disturbance from the Dalai Lama's group and some Western groups of 'Tibet independence'," said Legqog, who is in Beijing attending the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

"Most parts of Tibet are stable. People live a life as normal as usual. Religious activities, including major rituals, are also going on as usual," he said.

But, the Dalai Lama's group has never stopped promoting "Tibet independence", masterminding and creating chaos in Tibet since the March 14 violence last year, he said.

"They are not willing to see the stability and development in Tibet," he said. "This year they have intensified their secessionist activities."

They tried to collude with their agents in Tibet and even sent people into the region, Legqog said. "Through creating incidents that harm the region's stability, they want to internationalize the so-called 'Tibet issue'."

"We can not rule out that the Dalai Lama's group will continue their secessionist activities but their attempts will not succeed," Legqog said.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the region's Democratic Reform. In 1959, Tibetan serfs and slaves, who accounted for more than 90 percent of the region's population, were freed after the central government foiled an armed rebellion staged by the Dalai Lama and his supporters.

On March 2, the State Council Information Office published a white paper on the situation in Tibet before and since 1959. An exhibition on the same topic is held in Beijing.

"They (the white paper and exhibition) show the historic changes that have happened since the Democratic Reform, displayed the true new Tibet and told what we really think," Legqog said.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/6609023.html

Tibet official: March Lhasa riots won't repeat

09:53, March 07, 2009

A senior Tibet official said here Friday that the violent riots, which resulted in the death of at least 18 civilians in Lhasa last March, won't repeat.

"The overall situation Tibet is stable," he said on the sidelines of the ongoing parliament session.

Qiangba Puncog said he cannot rule out possibilities that some individuals might make reckless moves next week, but he believed that "riots like those in last March won't happen again."

His view was echoed by Chubakang Tubdain Kaizhub, a living Buddha and chairman of the Tibet Branch of the Buddhist Association of China.

"A handful of separatists can by no means win the people's heart, and their disturbance would only result in the collapse of the social foundation for their existence," said he.

MARCH 28 CELEBRATIONS

But no extraordinary measures like martial law will be enforced, said Qiangba Puncog at a panel discussion open to media.

"We'll, for a long period of time, face austere test in maintaining unification of the motherland, fighting ethnic splittism, and maintaining social stability," said Legqog.

In 1959, the central government foiled an armed rebellion staged by the Dalai Lama and his supporters.

CHALLENGE REMAINS

Despite efforts to maintain stability in Tibet, officials said disturbance and sabotage from the Dalai Lama group still remains and hinders Tibet's development.

Local economy, mainly driven by tourism, was "severely hurt" by the March riots last year, said Doje Cezhug.

Lhasa received 1.35 million tourists in 2008, down half from the previous year, and the tourism income dropped by 58.66 percent to 1.17 billion yuan (about 172 million U.S. dollars).

"We were also faced with other difficulties such as halt of factory production and investment outflow and shrink because of investors' panic after the riots," said the mayor.

"We will strive to ensure economic growth, people's well-being and social stability this year," said the mayor.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/6608382.html

The changed and unchanged 'Shangri-La'

2008-12-02 10:54:00

Quite a lot of people care about China's "Tibet issues", there is always a "Shangri-La" with oriental mystery, shadowiness and idealism flashing in their minds.

Tibet indeed has such mystery: spectacular scene of snow land plateau, unique language culture, long aged Tibetan Buddhism¡&endash;however, sometimes it's easy to ignore a basic fact if let the imagination spread freely beyond the practice, that is, the story of "Shangri-La" still took place in the earth, and it happens following basic axiom.

A Canadian historian A. Tom Grunfeld wrote in his book "The making of modern Tibet" that Tibet is "a land so wrapped in obscurity that almost any fantastic tales about it, or allegedly from it, are received with awe and believed, unquestioningly, by countless individuals the world over. A land whose society and history have been so romantically homogenized that many call themselves "experts" after reading a mere handful of texts, assuming that the uniformity of these accounts indicates their accuracy".

However, history records the old Tibet with irrefutable facts that it was not the "Shangri-La" as people imagined. There were one million people living in Lhasa in 1950s, 900,000 of whom were homeless. There were only 20,000 people living in urban areas in Lhasa. More than 1,000 needy people and baggers were seen on streets. An elder Tibetan told "At that time, there were many people fighting with dogs for food on streets in Lugu in the southwest of Jokhang Temple". Nowadays, Tibetan people have much longer life expectancy with current 67 years old from 35.5 years old in the old Tibet. The economy keeps fast development for the past 7 years with double digits increase rate above 12%.

Compared the old Tibet with the one after peaceful liberation, which is the truly "Shangri-La", it is not so hard to make the conclusion.

Protecting the unique culture of "Shangri-La" never means to protect wildness and backwardness. The culture protection in Tibet must adapt to the development, progress, union and happiness of the whole Tibetan people. Only the Tibetan culture can be better protected at the same time of economic development and life improvement, not going back to the darkness of caesaropapism and feudal serfdom system.

As a matter of fact, to better protect Tibetan culture, Chinese central government has put significant fund on the maintenance of the Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka and Sagya Monastery. A more than ever maintenance project for 22 monasteries and ancient culture constructions will be implemented from this year. China also sets up department specifically for correction and publication of different versions of Tibetan Tripitaka... For protecting the blue sky and clean water in Tibet, Chinese government will allocate 22 billion yuan from now to build more than 160 ecological environmental protection project.

Today's Tibet takes much care on its invaluable culture features, which is the unchanged "Shangri-La". Today's Tibet also puts great efforts on moving forward and getting rid of backwards and unwisdom, which is the changed "Shangri-La".

"Change" is a well sounded slogan in today's world, no matter in America or in Europe, people often hear the words: We need change. For Tibet, "Shangri-La" is inheriting the traditions in the unchanged, embracing the future in the change.

*Based on article written by Ye Xiaowen, director of State Administration for Religious Affairs of China.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081202_440976.htm

The Dalai Lama, killer of Tibetans' dream of Shangri-La

2008-12-09 09:26:00

A glimpse into the Dalai Lama's final years in Tibet, before his fleeing China in 1959, will allow people to form a clear mind picture of what Tibet was like under the rein of "His Holiness"- In 1956, the Dalai Lama, with the pretext that the central government "would soon move on Lhasa," issued an appeal for gold and jewels to construct another throne for himself. This, he argued, would help rid Tibet of "bad omens." One hundred and twenty tons were collected. When the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, he was preceded by more than 60 tons of treasure.

Till 1959, Tibet's Buddhist monastic nobility represented by the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan elites had long controlled all land in the Himalaya region on behalf of the "gods." In a then society of feudal serfdom and slavery, much the way as the medieval Catholic Church exploited peasants in feudal Europe, they monopolized Tibet's wealth by exacting tribute and labor services from serfs and herders. Tibetan serfs and herders had little personal freedom. Without the permission of the priests, or lamas, they could not do anything, and were considered appendages to the monastery.

The Dalai Lama was the most supreme and powerful serf owner, and any subordinate acting against the supreme was considered rebel and could be brutally mutilated or killed immediately. Shrouded in the darkness of theocracy, old Tibet was backward in both economy and culture, and the Tibetan people lived in dire poverty while enormous wealth accumulated in the monasteries and in the Dalai Lama's palace in Lhasa.

Shangri-La, "the paradise on the earth," as a fanciful land to many and an eternal myth which can always conjure up people's imagination about all beauty and serenity, was in those days literally a "lost paradise" to ordinary Tibetans, where they were deprived of even the basic living conditions. The Dalai Lama, however, did nothing for the general good of the Tibetan society, instead, he and the leading few tried desperately to solidify the exploitative system in the name of defending Tibetan culture and religion. Once they felt their privileges threatened, they would forgo the disguise of deity and even turn to violence.

Throughout these years, the words "democracy" and "human rights" have found their way in the vocabulary of the "government-in-exile," operating out of Dharamsala in India. But the Dalai Lama's commitment to democracy seems brittle, as he has yet to recognize the separation of church and state as a "modern democratic principle". Even worse, as a political figure clad in saffron, the Dalai Lama has for years ceaselessly lobbied around to rally the international support for his so-called 'Greater Tibet autonomy,' but in actually, "Tibetan independence" in a disguised form. The hypocritical nature of the Dalai Lama and the "government-in-exile" was further exposed by its relationship with the U.S CIA, and its wicked plots within the Chinese territory to seed and incite the ethnic feud among the Tibetans, which is doomed to a failure, as more and more Tibetan people begin to realize only through stability and common prosperity, can a real Shangri-La descend upon the snow-capped plateau.

In recent days, the poor shows staged by the "government-in-exile" and its affiliate "Tibetan Youth Congress" have gone far beyond redemption, and their secessionist nature is discerning to anyone with the rational thinking, Tibetan people inclusive. In the ordinary Tibetans' mind, the dreamy land, Shangri-La, means a common blessing shared by all, not a sort of paradise accommodating merely the happy few. But a place of common happiness in Tibetans' dream is by no means the thing that the Dalai Lama would and could bring to them.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081209_442002.htm

Rights for development in Tibet respected

16:42, January 22, 2009

The year 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the democratic reform in Tibet. During the annual NPC and CPPCC sessions of Tibet Autonomous Region, international media were invited to cover the live events for the first time. The snow-covered plateau presented to the world with all the earth-shaking changes in the past 50 years.

It took 50 years for Tibet to undergo the democratic reform and to shift from a reclusive feudal serf society to a civilized society. Throughout this period, it was 50 years of amazing development: the highway system, which has a total mileage of 48,600 km, has taken shape; the total output value has hit 39.2 billion yuan in 2008... No reform could boost to achieve so much in such a short span of time, and this laid solid foundation for the modernization drive in the region.

The development of Tibet has been greatly affected by its geographical location on the roof of the world with harsh natural conditions. Tibet is still one of the underdeveloped regions in China also due to the historical limits emerged from its feudal serf society.

But the development and reform did bring changes to the region: per capita gross domestic product in Tibet in 2007 totaled 12,000 yuan or some 1,700 US dollars, while it was 400 US dollars in neighboring Nepal, 965 US dollars in India and 1,450 US dollars in Bhutan. Tibet has the most dynamic economy in Himalayan regions, and Lhasa is one of the largest and most modern cities in the Himalayans.

Modernization is the tide of world history and the law of development of human society. Realizing modernization is a common task for all countries and regions, an inner demand of social development in Tibet as well as a strong desire for all Tibetans. The 13th Dalai Lama issued new policies to modernize Tibet during his reign. However, the new policy ended in failure largely due to the interference and sabotage of the feudal serf system that integrated religion with politics and imperialism. The peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951 opened a new page for the modernization drive and served as a prelude for the democratic process in the region in 1959.

Declaration on the Right to Development confirms that the right to development is an inalienable human right. It is universal truth that development means modernization. Many people care about the continuing and reviving of Tibetan culture, which need to be in accordance to the development of modern civilization and adaptable to the growth and happiness of all Tibetan people. The Tibetan culture can only be preserved and carried forward when economy is growing and people's life is improved. The charges that accused the modernization of annihilating ethnic identity in Tibet, fast economic development of inflicting damage on environment in the region and promotion of traditional Tibetan culture of destroying ethnic culture have ulterior motives.

The efforts to democratize and modernize Tibetan culture utterly changed the culture and social distribution system in the region, which helped to preserve and carry out the traditional ethnic culture. Tibetan is the first written language of ethnic minorities to have international standard. The enrollment rate of school-age children in Tibet has climbed to 98.2 percent from previous 2 percent 50 years ago. All these achievements have helped the preservation and development of Tibetan culture, bringing new vitality to the future development of Tibet.

As the development of Tibet became more and more eye-catching, no one could hinder the development of Tibet and the road to modernization will be wider and wider.

By People's Daily Online

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90780/91342/6579627.html

March 28, a turning point for Tibet

Serf's Emancipation Day

16:28, January 20, 2009

March 28, 1959 mattered a great deal to Tibet as serfs celebrated Tibetan emancipation. It is a turning point that the region has ushered into a new society.

The democratic reform was carried out in the snow-covered plateau that day. The movement overthrew the feudal serf system and freed millions of serfs and slaves. From then on, they took their destiny in their own hands and became the masters of the country.

50 years later, Tibetan NPC decided that March 28 will be celebrated every year in Tibet as Serf's Emancipation Day. It can help Tibetan remember the historic event of democratic reform in the region and also reveal the truth of "Tibet issue" from another angle.

Before 1959, Tibet had long been a feudal serf society that integrated religion with politics, in which monks and the nobles practiced dictatorship. Sir Charles Bell, probably the most influential British officer to serve in Tibet, wrote in his book "Portrait of the Dalai Lama: The Life and Times of the Great Thirteenth": "When you come from Europe or America to Tibet, you are carried back several hundred years. You see a region still in the feudal age."

Old Tibet was still under a feudal serf system that was crueler than that of Western Europe in the middle ages - 500 years after Europe had abandoned it. This was the root cause of poverty and backwardness and the obstacle for making civilized progress in Tibet.

Given the complexity of ethnic and religious issues in Tibet, the Agreement between the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on the Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet in May 1951 stipulated that the central authorities would not alter the existing political system in Tibet, and stated that the reform should be carried out by local government.

CPC Central Committee made endeavor for eight years for the cause of peaceful reform in Tibet, and millions of serfs also waited for eight years. However, some people from the upper ruling strata of Tibet staged an armed rebellion in 1959 in an attempt to separate Tibet from China, in order to preserve feudal serfdom. On March 28, 1959, the Central Government announced the dismissal of the original local government of Tibet and led the Tibetan people in quelling the rebellion, implemented the democratic reform, overthrew the feudal serfdom under theocracy and abolished all savage punishments.

From darkness to brightness, from poverty to wealth, from dictatorship to democracy, from seclusion to opening up, the democratic reform has fundamentally changed the lives of millions of serfs in Tibet, a turning point in Tibetan history. Serf owners in Tibet were composed of local officials, aristocrats and high-level monks. They made up five percent of the total Tibetan population but possessed all the farmland, pastures, forests, mountains, rivers and most of the livestock. Millions of serfs were their owners' property and could be freely sold and bought. After New China was founded, the serfs shook off their chains and started a new life, with the average life expectancy being at 67 from the previous 35.5 in the 1950s.

Victor Hugo, the premier writer of the 19th century once said that activities to commemorate major events in history served as a torch, which could light up past and future. By reviewing Tibet's past, Serf's Emancipation Day will make people feel the earth-shaking changes that have taken place since the democratic reform in Tibet.

Millions of Tibetans have witnessed unprecedented changes in the past fifty years, the brilliant achievement of democratic reform that has deeply transformed Tibetan society. It was the dividing line between savagery and civilization, backwardness and progress.

By People's Daily Online

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90780/91342/6577858.html

Maternal and infant mortality rate dropping in TAR

2008-12-15 16:46:00

The maternal and infant mortality rate dropped in TAR with medical and health conditions improving and the hospitalized delivery rate increasing fast.

The maternal mortality rate had fallen 159.2 percent after the Democratic Reform in Tibet and the hospitalized delivery rate increaed 43.26 percent.

Phurbu Drolma from TAR Health Statistics Office, said in old Tibet giving birth was viewed as a filthy act. The pregnant women had to labor in the dirty cattle pens. So the death of both mother and infants is very common without health protection. 5,000 pregnant women per 100,000 would die from deliverying.

With the help from government, more and more medical and health institutions with Lhasa as the center established in TAR after reform and opening up.

TAR has built 7 city-level maternal and child health hospitals and 51 county-level maternal and child health care stations with 472 professionals and to provide care services.

Besides, there are some preferential policies for those herdsmen who give birth in hospitals, such as to reimburse medical expenses, to give 30 yuan and 20 yuan reward for each mother and to hand out free baby supplies.

Tibetan medicine industry is developing rapidly these years. At present, there are more than 360 kinds of Tibetan medicine produced by 18 Tibetan medicine manufacturers.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081215_443436.htm

Tibet: Medical and health care

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Dina Village of the Xigaze Prefecture is only a remote area

Rural Tibetans' life: Traditional and modern

2008-12-15 10:29:00

Tashi's new home, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The sitting room in Tibetan style, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Happy smile, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Tashi's courtyard, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Brand-new TV and refrigerator, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Tashi, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

People's life has been improved in recent years in Dina Village of the Xigaze Prefecture, the Tibet Autonomous Region. The average capita of the village reached 10,160 yuan in 2008 and the gross income of the village in 2007 hit 4,173,862 yuan.

As head of Dina Village, Tashi told the reporter that his village had become rich by developing transportation industry with the support from the government.

"Take my family for example, the government invested 150,000 yuan for us to buy a truck in 2003 and after that we could earn 150,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan, or even 300,000 yuan every year," said Tashi, "This year we have built a 95-square-meter house with 950,000 yuan."

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081215_443235.htm

Tourism in Xigaze develops

2008-12-15 10:31:00

Tourists from Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Posing in front of Tashilhunpo Monastery, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

In recent years, tourism in Xigaze Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region has developed, which has added more income to the local people.

According to statistics from Xigaze Tourism Bureau, up to now 13,650 from 6,452 families of the prefecture have been involved in tourism industry. In 2008, the tourism income of rural people hit 634 million yuan and 354 million yuan of which was achieved by selling rural tourist souvenirs.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081215_443269.htm

Herdsmen benefit from reform and opening up

2008-12-15 10:30:00

The standard of living of herdsmen is improving year by year with reform and opening up in 30 years.

Medok, as a cattle herder with 30,000 yuan average annual income of Gangtod village, Nachen township is milking, photo from chinetibetnews.

Losang Dondrup from Comai county is selling Tibetan butter and cheese made by himself on Lhasa markets, photo from chinetibetnews.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081215_443268.htm

Rural Tibetan's smile

2008-12-25 14:40:00

Yudron, a Tibetan woman from Xigaze Prfecture who sells butter in Lhasa, smiles when talking about her income, photo from Tibet Daily.

Yudron, a Tibetan woman from Tongmen County of Xigaze Prfecture, sells butter in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Before, my family was in poverty with few livestock. But the county offered us sheep and cattle free of charge according to special policies," Yudron told the reporter, "Nowadays my family's butter, beef and mutton not only can feed the family but also have surplus for sale."

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081225_445009.htm

Female herdsmen benefiting from skills training courses

2008-12-26 10:22:00

Herdsmen are having the training lessons, photo from CTIC.

All the participants are from 7 counties of TAR, photo from CTIC.

Herdsmen are taking notes, photo from CTIC.

Herdsmen are listening to the lesson carefully, photo from CTIC.

Training courses of practical handicrafts, farming skills were held by TAR Women's Federation with female herdsmen from 7 counties attending on Dec 23.

In recent years, TAR Women's Federation has holden 4,594 practical skills training courses for 376,000 female herdsmen and helped Tibetan women attend handicraft training increase income 380,000 yuan.

Tibetan women can not only learn the knowledge from books but also know the practical skills about planting garlic, watermelons, and breeding livestock in the 9 demonstration bases from the training courses.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081226_445108.htm

Abundant consumer goods in Tibet

2009-01-03 11:26:00

A cook is showing a lobster imported from Australia during the New Year festival, photo from Chinatibetnews.com

A culturist is showing a "Yadon fish", which is unique in Yadong County of Tibet, photo from Chinatibetnews.com

Consumer goods in Tibet Autonomous Region, southwestern China, are increasing in number, quality and variety with the rapid development of economy. Nowadays, not only fresh vegetable and fruit are available in Tibet, but also delicacies of every kind.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200901/t20090103_446149.htm

Lhasa free market meets demand during festival

2009-01-03 10:53:00

Free market in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, provides a great variety of vegetables with stable price during the New Year festival, being able to meet the demands of consumers.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200901/t20090103_446157.htm

For more info of Tibetan Living Standard

click here

Reform and opening-up improve Tibetans' life

2008-12-19 15:58:00

Introduction: Journalists from China Tibet Information Center have recently visited many places of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and they have published a series of first-hand materials. The reports show that in the past 30 years since china's reform and opening up, great changes have taken place in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

In 2007, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in Tibet was 11,131 yuan, an increase of almost 20 times compared to 1978 which was only 565 yuan, according to the relevant departments of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Having saying farewell to miserable life in the old Tibet, nowadays people living there enjoy their peaceful life happily.

I Food: Former luxury, now common food

In TAR, former luxury goods have become common people's daily food.

"lala", a kind of special product made of yak milk, was a kind of luxury food before because 10 kilogramme of yak milk can only make one kilogramme "lala". In Nyainrong county, Nagqu Prefecture, there is a tradition of making "lala". Dekyi, a Tibetan woman of the county, told the reporter about the story between "lala" and her.

According to Dekyi, when she was a little girl, she was always eager to have "lala" when seeing other children from wealthy families eating in holidays. On her wedding day, her husband said to her: "I will work hard to make you have 'lala' every day!"

Now all her dreams have come true. She makes this kind of food for sale and her children can enjoy "lala" whenever they want.

Fruits and vegetable are another example. When TAR was established in 1965, few kinds of fruits were planted in the region. It was difficult for common people even pregnant women to have fresh fruits at that time. However, with the help of advanced technology, nowadays TAR can plant various fruits such as watermelons and peaches. And having fruits has become Tibetan people's daily habit. In addition, the Tibet Autonomous Region has invested on vegetable planting in recent years and nowadays local people can enjoy fresh vegetables in cold winter. Statistics show that in 1981, each person could only have 0.04 kg vegetable every day. However, in 2007, each person can have 0.4 kg vegetable per day.

Besides having better food, Tibetan people enjoy drinking tea as well.

In Lhasa, capital of TAR, you will never miss sweet tea caffs, which embody Tibetan folk-custom mostly. Scattered around Lhasa, sweet tea caffs provide their customers with not only the sweet tea but also the Tibetan culture. The process of making sweet tea is not complicated at all: adding milk powder and white sugar into boiling Tibetan tea. However, you will get "drunk" after having the sweet tea as you will be indulged in the sweet tea caffs, which are dubbed as "business cards" of Lhasa.

II Housing: Windows' change reflects life's change

Journalists from China Tibet Information Center have visited Lhasa and Xigaze Prefecture to know about people's living conditions.

Xigaze:

Dawa, a Tibetan villager of De'gyiling Village, Rinbung County, Xigaze Prefecture, lives in a spacious two-storey house covering 400 square meters. Built in 2005, the house has big and clean windows, which make Dawa's family enjoy the sunshine in winter.

Before, Dawa's old house, which is still kept, has small windows. "Because of lack of materials such as glass and wood, the windows were built small," said Dawa, "In addition, at that time it was cold in winter. If the windows were too large the house wasn't warm enough. Nowadays, the environment has become better and we make use of solar energy to keep warm. Besides, we needn't make small windows to guard against thieves now. So the windows are much larger than before."

Dingba Jigme, vice chairman of Xigaze People's Political Consultative Conference, is a local Tibetan in the Xigaze Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, who has lived in Xigaze city since his childhood. When mentioning Xigaze's changes since China's reform and opening up, Dingba Jigme said: "Great changes have taken place in last 30 years since China's reform and opening up."

According to Dingba Jigme, before 1978 there were no high buildings or asphalt roads in Xigaze city, saying nothing of high buildings and wide roads can be seen everywhere in the city.

"Not only the urban areas have changed, rural areas have been improved as well," said Dingba Jigme, "The rural people live in clean houses with two or three storeys."

Tashi, head of Dina Village of the Xigaze Prefecture, told the reporter: "This year we have built a 95-square-meter house with 950,000 yuan."

Lhasa:

Tobgye, a 63-year-old Tibetan man from Gaba Village, Ngaqen Town, Chengguan District of Lhasa, where the housing project for rural people has just been completed in 2007.

According to Tobgye, the housing project for Gaba Village has benefited 23 households with 640,000 yuan from the government, 970,000 yuan from the local people and 560,000 for the loan.

As for the house of Tobgye's 6-member family, they spent 250,000 yuan on it and received the government's subsidy of 25,000 yuan while enjoying a loan from the bank without interest. Since his son is in architecture business, their house was designed by Tobgye's son.

Tobgye showed the journalists around. Covering more than 40 square meters, the living room is equipped with comfortable sofas, pretty Tibetan cabinets, on which there is a color TV and video equipment. The Tobgye couple's bedroom, beside which is their hall for worshipping Buddha, is in complete Tibetan style while their grandsons' bedroom on the second floor is very modern.

"Our house is not the best one," said Tobgye, "there are some that are better than ours."

The following is from Wang Yiming, a common retired Tibetan man in Lhasa.

My family lives in the Barkor street of Lhasa, near the Potala Palace, which is listed as a place of the World Cultural Heritage. I am 71 years old this year and have witnessed the differences between the old Tibet and the new one. And China's reform and opening up policy has helped a great deal in the past 30 years.

In the old Tibet, all family members of mine served Xuekang laird and lived miserably. After Tibet's Peaceful Liberation in 1951, we moved into a 10-sq.m Tibetan-style house on the ground floor.

At that time, the conditions were very poor. In the house we were not able to see sunlight all year round and the Barkor street had no drainages or latrines. Sweet tea houses were scattered around rubbish such as dog-ends, wastepaper and leftovers. Rubbish was even thrown from upstairs. There were no trash cans or spittoons around the Lhasa Hotel, which was the most comfortable and beautiful building along Barkor street at that time.

If it rained in the evening, the whole street was so dark that some people were hurt or even died when they rode because there was no electricity at that time. Crime and accidents sometimes happened in places of public entertainment. And my children and their classmates read by the candle light or kerosene lamps.

In the 30 years since China's reform and opening up, the Barkor street has changed so rapidly that it seems like a dream!

Take my four-member family for example. Since the Lhasa People's Government rebuilt Barkor street in 1991, we moved into a new house of more than 50 sq.m on the second floor as many courtyards with traditional Tibetan features have been built. And the house has been equipped with a color TV, new mats, new furniture and an electromotor for making butter tea.

Not only my family but also the whole of Barkor street has changed greatly. Narrow lanes have been replaced by wide streets and low houses have become bright Tibetan buildings with colorful street lamps around. Decorated with white ceramic tiles, latrines in the street are clean with automatic controllers that deal with sewage. The Barkor street has been equipped with so many drainages that the street will keep clean even when it rains heavily.

III Environment: Ancient city, modern looks

"In recent years, Lhasa has changed so greatly that even I often feel surprised. I had been to aother city some days before and after I came back I even can't recognize some places because they had changed so much," said 66-year-old Phuntsok, who lives in Lhasa and has fallen in love with photography after retirement.

Since China's reform and opening up in 1978, great changes have taken place in Lhasa. In the past few years, the economy in Lhasa has developed with great speed and the gross national product (GNP) has reached 3.6 billion yuan.

Architectures such as Lhasa Hotel, Tibet People's Hall, Tibet University, Tibet Museum, Lhasa Cinema, and etc. have combined both ethnic and modern features.

Modern traffic systems havebeen built in Lhasa. 12 trunk roads started operation in 2000, and 3 ones are in construction, the total investment of which exceeds 300 million yuan. Together with 1st Road and 2nd Ring Road, Beijing Road, Jiangsu Road, Lingkor Road, Nyangri Road, Sera Road and Damrad Road have formed the modern traffic truss.

The residents' living conditions in the old district of Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, also have been improving around better environment.

Data show that 90% houses of the old district of Lhasa are dangerous, 20% of which are especially dangerous. Many dwellers suffered from arthritis because of bad living conditions. Qunzong, an elder Tibetan mom, is one who has experienced arthritis because of the bad living conditions

When we visited Qunzong family, she had just returned from hospital.

Qunzong said:"Before alteration, we lived in the second floor and at that time, the house was damp in summer and chilly in winter. With dim light, the courtyard was dirty and messy. Streets of the old district were narrow and uneven and rubbish could be seen everywhere. Narrow lanes were filled with a terrible odor, which made the living environment worse."

According to Lhasa Construction Bureau, houses in this city's old district are built with stones, wood, and earth. Granite and earth billets are the main materials for those architectures. Low, obscure and wet, these houses have no municipal appliances or fire protection facilities.

Since China's reform and opening-up, the government has taken measures to reconstruct the old district of Lhasa. From 2001 to 2004, 68 courtyards had been restored. 56 of them were invested by the government and 12 of them (9 courtyards are culture relics and 3 courtyards are ancient architectures.) were invested by Lhasa Construction Bureau. The whole project covers 39,536 square meters.

Nowadays, houses in Tibetan style have risen up in Lhasa with clean and orderly streets extending far and wide. Former dirty courtyards have become clean and civilized ones.

Just as Qunzong said:"The streets now are so plain that even blind people don't need to worry that they will fall into wallows or be stumbled upon rubbish. People live in houses that look as beautiful as gardens. Even though some families still have not acquired their own houses, we believe that the government will help them."

In Murong Neighbourhood which the Qunzong family is under jurisdiction of, Langzong family also enjoy their pretty houses with modern equipments. Drinking butter tea, Luozhu, an elder from Xiasasu Neighbourhood, enjoys the beautiful scenery with his wife in front of his sitting room: water in Lhasa river is flowing while the snow mountain keeps silent.

It is reported that in the past years, departments concerned required that Tibetan culture and Tibetan customs should be kept when rebuilding the architecture. In addition, complimenting with the environment around is demanded as well.

In addition, since 1979, the government invested a large amount of money in reconstructing appliances in the old district of Lhasa without destroying the former style. Up to the end of last year, 430,000 square meters of old architecture have been restored.

IV Articles for use: Hada on the water faucet

In TAR, Hada represents good wishes, and nowadays it can be seen on water faucets of rural families.

On November 28, the journalists from China Tibet Information Center visited Paggarxoi Village of Dagze County, Lhasa to know about the implementation of the "Mother Water Celler" project. When journalists visited Losang Drolkar's house, they saw white hada on a water faucet. The 66-year-old Tibetan woman told the reporter:"It was very convenient for us to take water before the water celler was built. And nowadays we are so happy because we can enjoy clean water without much efforts."

Launched by China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) of All-China Women's Federation since 2001, the project has benefited more than 50,000 people with over 108 million yuan. Up to the end of 2006, 28 Solar Thermal wells, 14 wide wells and 405 hand pressure wells have been completed.

The project has improved the local people's life a lot. Taking Gaiyi Village of Xigaze Prefecture for example, before villagers had to take water from a hill 3 kilometers away and the per capita income was only about 1,400 yuan with only 60 people working outside. After the water celler of the village has been built, the per capita income has reached more than 2,000 yuan with over 100 villagers working outside.

Besides enjoying cleaner water, people in TAR have made best use of solar energy in people's daily life, which has both saved energy and protected the environment. When journalists visited Bana Village in Sangri Town of Lhoka Prefecture, Kanglang, a villager from the village, was cooking with methane gas. And solar photovoltaic panels can be seen in many places of Payang Town.

Modern articles such as mobiles, cars, tractors can be seen commonly in TAR, not to mention TVs, refrigerators or computers.

V Business: Former serf, now hotel boss

As a serf in old Tibet, Tashi, a 68-year-old Tibetan man in Lhoka Prefecture of TAR, has now become the boss of Tashi Hotel.

Located in the south of Kangdese Mountain and near Yamzhou Yumco Lake, Tashi Hotel in Arza Town always welcomes many tourists who come here for its fame from home and abroad, from April to September every year. Among them some are from America, Japan and etc. Tourists with travel guide in hand and posters from different countries can often be seen in the hotel.

Tashi looked very happy when talking about his hotel. "My hotel has received the support of the local government as many preferential policies have been put forward since China' reform and opening-up. Income of the hotel is pretty good because it has an advantage of a good location." Tashi Hotel has over 20 rooms with the capital of about 80,000 yuan and Tashi can be listed as the richest man in Arza Town.

"I had never expected that in the past because I had lived a dog's life as a serf," said Tashi, "I did everything at that time but still couldn't see hope. I thought maybe I would live like that for my whole life."

"However, after the democratic reform in the Tibet Autonomous Region, I began my new life by opening a clothing store, which ended my miserable life. And later I opened my hotel, which is the 1st hotel in my town," Tashi told the reporter.

Besides enjoying the sunset and stars, tourists can see mountains covered with snow in the clean Tashi Hotel though it is a bit simple because it has no TVs or lavatorys.

Living in a Tibetan-style house, Tashi has a happy family: his son is an official in the local finance bureau and his two grandsons study in Hunan. Tashi wishes that they study hard to work for their hometown in the future.

"My hotel runs well and I feel satisfied with my present life," Tashi said.

When the journalists left Tashi's house, a row of new houses were found to finish construction in front of Tashi Hotel. That was a secret of elder Tashi: He wants to enlarge the hotel.

"30 years ago, we led a miserable life. However, nowadays, we live well with our hard work and the support from the government," said Phur Tshe, a 42-year-old villager from Tongmen Town, Xietongmen County, Xigaze Prefecture.

Phur Tshe's family can earn 40,000 yuan every year by making leather goods in Tibetan style. His products attracted many people on the Xigaze Trade Fair for their practicality and beauty.

In Phur Tshe's factory, several workers were working on leather boots. "The government invested more than 80,000 yuan to build the factory for us," said Phur Tshe.

Having living well himself, Phur Tshe tries to help his villagers by teaching them his ancestral skills. "I feel happiest when my neighbours get rich by the craftmanship I teach them," said Phur Tshe.

In Dina Village of the Xigaze Prefecture, the Tibet Autonomous Region, the average capita of the village reached 10,160 yuan in 2008 and the gross income of the village in 2007 hit 4,173,862 yuan. The village had become rich by developing transportation industry with the support from the government.

Duoluo, a knifesmith of Kaga Village, Xietongmen County, Xigaze Prefecture, has become the No. 1 rich man in his village by making Tibetan knives. He earns more than 70,000 yuan every year by this skill and his two sons who make knives with him can get 50,000 yuan and 30,000 annually.

Originated from Bhutan, the technique of making Kaga Tibetan Knife was transferred to Tibet by border trade. As one of the most famous kinds of Tibetan knife, the Kaga Tibetan Knife boasts tenacity with fine imagery. Invested by the government, "Tibetan Knife Processing Cooperation" is going to be set up with Duoluo as the head of the organization. As the knife sells well, Duoluo has not only made himself rich but also helped his villagers live better by teaching them such skill.

Nowadays, in Xietongmen County, 52 people of 28 households make Kaga Tibetan Knife and 10 families have exquisite skills. Each household can earn more than 100,000 annually.

Rural people in Rinbung county of Xigaze Prefecture have also become rich by doing other jobs such as painting, building houses and etc. besides doing traditional rural work.

Dawa, a local villager who works in the Education Bureau of Rinbung County, told the reporter: "My family have earned about 200,000 yuan this year, a bit less than previous years." Dawa's wife weaves pulu in slack time and his 3 brothers sell Tibetan furniture, driving trucks and painting on houses separately. Their family live better now. And their 400-sq.m. house cost them more than 400,000 yuan in 2005.

Phurbu, a neighbour of Dawa, is decorating his new house, which is at the value of 120,000 yuan. Most of the money was earned by working outside.

Trupgyi, a rural man from Tajie Town, Dagze County of Lhasa, had never expected that he could become so rich. This year he had sold more than 40 pigs for more than 16,000 yuan and he will sell 11 more pigs more before the Spring Festival. In addition, the pig introduced from the mainland city just gave birth to 10 baby pigs and another two pigs of his will give birth soon. According to the market price, each baby pig will bring him about 500 yuan.

When talking about this to the Women's Federation of TAR, who helps the Tajie Town, Trupgyi said happily: "Thanks for the support from the government."

According to Trupgyi, his family lived in poverty just a few years ago. Hovever, the TAR Women's Federation invited agriculture experts to teach them techniques and the government lent them more than 10,000 yuan without interest to help them build the green house. Nowadays, his daughter-in-law plants vegetables in greenhouses and vegetables that are left over can be used to feed the pigs while the pigs' dejecta can be used as fertilizer for planting.

Trupgyi is not an exception in Dagze County. Zhasang, president of Women's Federation of Tajie Town, said: "In the town, 292 households raise pigs, and 100 of them have more than 10 pigs. These rural people have improved their life rapidly."

Conclusion: Practice proves that the past 30 years were a period in which China's national strength rose a big margin and the past 30 years have benefited local Tibetans a lot and reform and opening-up are the fundamental causes of all the achievements and progress China has made. As life has changed greatly, Tibetan people do cherish the current situation which was earned by their great efforts and no one or no organizations are allowed to disturb local people's happiness as development is the highlight of the whole Tibet Autonomous Region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081219_444146.htm

Tibet economy grows 9% in first three quarters

2008-10-24 09:05:00

Tibet's economy grew 9 percent in the first three quarters compared to the same period last year, totaling 27.5 billion yuan (about 4 billion U.S. dollars) in gross domestic product, regional government statistics show.

According to an official statement released on Thursday, Tibet economy overcame the negative effects brought about by the March 14 violence incident in Lhasa and sustained a high level of growth with the continued government investment in housing, agriculture and infrastructure development.

This southwest China autonomous region took in 1.6 billion yuan in revenue, up 11.6 percent year on year. The per capita income met an initial government target and grew about 14 percent from a year ago to reach 2,001 yuan.

Fixed-asset investment increased 12.9 percent to 20.67 billion yuan through September.

Tourism, which suffered a 69-percent decline in first six months, returned to normal in the third quarter, it said.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200810/t20081024_434299.htm

Farmers' markets in Lhasa boom in winter

2008-12-26 15:43:00

A farmer's market in Lhasa, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Crabs are available, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Fresh fishes, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Tibetan eggs, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Fresh pork, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Ready to sell, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Although it is very cold in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the farmers' markets are still booming.They can provide customers with fresh vegetables and meat.

Just as a tourist from Macao said:"I had worried about food here before I came. When I arrived I realized that the can I brought from Macao became excess baggage."

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081226_445236.htm

Tibet plans huge industrial investment

16:42, September 05, 2008

China's southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region plans to invest heavily in 22 industrial projects to stimulate comprehensive economic development, according to the local authority.

The government will pool 21.17 billion yuan (about 3 billion U.S. dollars) for 10 mining projects, four construction and building material enterprises, three medicine and food plants, and five industrial development zones in five years, Li Xia, the autonomous regional economic commission director, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Among the selected projects, the mining sector will absorb 15.9billion yuan and the industrial zones will take 3.45 billion yuan,according to Li, citing a government decision released at a local economic meeting held here late last month.

The projects are expected to earn 18.28 billion yuan with an estimated profit of 5.11 billion yuan after they start operation before 2013. They will bring job opportunities for nearly 15,600 people.

According to the schedule, investment in the projects will reach 5.9 billion this year.

Industrial development in Tibet had remained inactive for a long time and the sector only accounted for 7.5 percent of the region's overall gross domestic product last year, official statistics showed.

The 22 projects are expected to speed up development of other industrial fields and the comprehensive economic growth, according to Li.

The launch of the Qinghai-Tibet railway in 2006, the first raillink between Tibet and the rest of China, has been a big step to greatly facilitating transport and communication in the landlocked region.

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90884/6493955.html

Signed article: A breach of constitution under pretext of religion

17:44, December 04, 2008

Following is a signed article by Liu Hongji, a researcher with the China Tibetology Research Center, on the Dalai Lama side's recent claim of "genuine autonomy."

A breach of constitution under pretext of religion

by Liu Hongji

In the "Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People", the Dalai side, by claiming that "the Tibetan government in exile represents the interests of the Tibetan people and speaks on their behalf", listed several "basic needs" (including religion) of "genuine autonomy", which was quite misleading.

The Memorandum said that "We recognize the importance of separation of church and state, but this should not affect the freedom and practice of believers." It also says that "An interpretation of the constitutional principle in light of international standard would also cover the freedom of the manner of belief or worship. The freedom covers the right of monasteries to be organized and run according to Buddhist monastic tradition, to engage in teachings and studies, and to enroll any number of monks and nuns or age group in accordance with these rules. The normal practice to hold public teachings and the empowerment of large gatherings is covered by this freedom and the state should not interfere in religious practices and traditions, such as the relationship between a teacher and his disciple, management of monastic institutions, and the recognition of reincarnations."

As a matter of fact, freedom of religious belief is one of the basic rights endowed to the Chinese citizens by the Chinese Constitution. Article 36 of the Constitution says "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion. The state protects normal religious activities. No one may make use of religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair the health of citizens or interfere with the educational system of the state. Religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to any foreign domination." In addition to the Constitution, other Chinese laws, including the Criminal Law, the Civil Code, the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy, the Military Service Law, the Law on Compulsory Education, the Law on education, the Electoral Law for the National People's Congress and the Local People's Congresses, the Organic Law of Village Committees, the Labor Law and the Law on Advertising all stipulate that citizens' freedom of religious belief are protected and public organizations and individuals should not discriminate against citizens who believe in or do not believe in any religion. But one thing should be clarified, freedom of religious belief does not mean religious activities are also free from government regulation or legal obligations. To believe in a religion or not is a personal issue and a free choice, but religious activities, which might affect other people, must be bound by law.

To protect citizens' freedom of religious belief, maintain social harmony and regulate religious affairs, the State Council issued a Regulations on Religious Affairs in 2004. Article 2 of the Regulation says that no organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in or not to believe in any religion. Nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in any religion or citizens who do not believe in any religion. Religious citizens and non-religious citizens shall respect each other and co-exist in harmony, and so shall citizens who believe in different religions.

The provisions concerning protection of citizens' freedom of religious belief in the Constitution and laws have been seriously implemented in Tibet. Tibet now has more than 1,780 religious sites, about 46,000 monks and nuns, four mosques and one catholic church. Religious groups co-exist harmoniously and their religious activities are held orderly in Tibet. Without genuine freedom of religious belief, this would be impossible.

What the Dalai side asked for was absolute religious freedom which was not bound by law. They asked to manage monasteries and enroll monks and nuns according to "religious tradition" and "religious rules", which, in fact, meant that they wanted to resume the old "religion first" regime led by the Dalai before Tibet's democratic reform. By then, Tibet had 2,676 monasteries and 120,000 monks and nuns, accounting for one tenth of Tibet's total population. Monasteries, which owned more than one third of the means of production in Tibet, sustained the Tibetan feudal serfdom as one of the three major estate-holders. The other two were local bureaucrats and nobles. The old regime didn't benefit Tibet. Instead, it impeded Tibet's social development. According to the Tibetan Annals written in the Qing Dynasty, Tibet had a total population of 1.3 million in 1737. During the following 200 years, Tibet's population didn't increase. Instead, it declined to one million in 1951. Its economic situation was even worse. In 1951, Tibet was still a feudal serfdom society with no modern industries and education. What the situation would be if the old system was restored in Tibet in which one tenth of the population was monks and nuns? By 2007, Tibet has recorded 2,83 million population. If 280,000 people were monks or nuns and did not work, the pressure on laymen to support them would be crippling.

Education is the foundation for social development. Article 2 of the Law on Compulsory Education says that "The compulsory education is the education which is implemented uniformly by the state and shall be received by all school-age children and adolescents. It is a public welfare cause that shall be guaranteed by the state." Article 4 says that "All children and adolescents who have the nationality of the People's Republic of China and have reached the school age shall have equal right and have the obligation to receive compulsory education, regardless of the gender, nationality, race, status of family property, religion, belief, etc." And Article 5 stipulates that "The people's governments at all levels and their relevant departments shall perform all functions as described by this Law and shall ensure the right to compulsory education of all school-age children and adolescents. The parents or other statutory guardians of school-age children and adolescents shall ensure that school-age children and adolescents go to school to receive and complete the compulsory education." The Dalai side's claim of enrolling any number of monks and nuns or age group in accordance with Buddhist monastic tradition violated the Law on Compulsory Education and will not help improve social development.

Currently, religious followers in China enjoy full freedom of religious belief. Almost all Tibetan Buddhists have scripture halls or Buddha statue niches at home, and they can invite monks to hold scripture recitation and religious ceremonies at home. Lhasa receives more than one million Buddhist followers annually, and the Jokhang Monastery is full of believers worshipping or rolling their prayer wheels. By denying the fact that the Tibetan people enjoy freedom of religious belief and asking for an amendment to the Constitution with so-called 'international standard', the Dalai side is attempting to restore theocracy in Tibet. Enditem

Source:Xinhua

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90785/6546827.html

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Interview: Abolishing Tibetan feudal serfdom equates to ending slavery in U.S

2008-07-24 10:31:00

There is no difference between the abolishing of feudal serfdom in Tibet and the ending of slavery in the United States, a senior Chinese Tibetologist said Monday.

Many Americans understand neither the history and the current situation in Tibet, nor China's Tibet policies, which always lead to wrong judgment on Tibet-related issues, especially when they are influenced by "one-sided" information, Tobdrub Wangben, vice minister of China's State Commission for Ethnic Affairs, said in an interview with Xinhua before leaving the United States for Canada.

"When I told Larry Seabrook, current New York City councilman from District 12 in New York City, that the abolishing of the feudal serfdom in Tibet in the 1950s is the same as the ending of the slavery system in the United States, Seabrook understood quite well what I was driving at," he said.

After hearing a brief introduction about the situation in Tibet and the facts of the March 14 riots in Lhasa, Seabrook offered to help Americans improve their understanding of Tibet by arranging them to visit Tibet and form their own opinion.

"If we could tell Americans as much as possible about the truth on Tibet, many of them could change their stereotyped ideas about Tibet," said Tobdrub Wangben, head of a four-member Chinese Tibetologist delegation, which arrived in New York last Thursday to promote understanding on the Tibet issue.

Harboring the hope that the delegation could tell more truth on Tibet to the American public, Tobdrub Wangben said regular and frequent exchanges of ideas between the two peoples are fairly important.

The U.S. tour was quite fruitful as many U.S. officials and legislators said that what they heard about Tibet was different from what they had heard in the past, he added.

Therefore, Tobdrub Wangben said, they expressed hope that more delegations of this kind would come to the United States and exchange ideas with the American public on a regular basis.

"The American public has shown great interest in Tibet, and of course, we will come back and satisfy their demands," he said.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200807/t20080724_414624.htm

Tibet's economy grows 14.7 pct in first half year

by: 2007-07-25 13:20:21

Tibet's economy posted a 14.7-percent growth in the first half of this year, the highest over the past decade, government statistics showed Tuesday.

The gross domestic product (GDP) reached 14 billion yuan (US$1.84 billion) in the first six months, and the growth rate was 2.2 percentage points higher than the same period of last year, according to the Tibet Regional Statistics Bureau.

The figure breaks down into about 2.2 billion yuan for agriculture, 2.9 billion yuan for industry, and 8.9 billion yuan for the tertiary industry, indicating an annual growth of 4.9 percent, 20.5 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively.

Tibet's economic growth was mostly driven by the tertiary industry, which contributed 66.4 percent to the increase, the bureau said.

Thanks to the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway since July 1 last year, the tertiary industry, which features the consumption market and service industry, has developed fast in the past year, it said.

The 1,956-km-long railway, running from Xining, capital of northwestern Qinghai Province, and the Tibet's regional capital Lhasa, has linked Tibet with the rest of China by train for the first time.

Due to more convenient transport, more tourists, or over 1.1 million in number, traveled to Tibet in the first six months of the year, up 86.3 percent over the same period last year, according to the regional tourism bureau.

The booming influx of tourists brought 990.3 million yuan (US$130 million) in revenue to the Himalayan region, an increase of 92.1 percent, statistics show.

The annual GDP growth of Tibet reached 13.4 percent last year, bringing the region's total GDP to a record 29 billion yuan (US$3.74 billion) with the per-capita GDP above US$1,000.

http://en.tibet.cn/news/tin/t20070725_272687.htm

Tibet develops 'sunshine economy'

2008-11-21 16:02:00

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) is developing "sunshine economy" based on its plentiful sunshine resources. Solar stoves and solar water heaters have been widely used in the local people's daily life and technologies for using solar energy for electricity power or heat energy have been adopted in the region.

Boasting the most abundant solar energy because its annual sunlight time amounts to 3,000 hours, Tibet has natural advantage in popularizing solar energy application. Most areas of TAR receive sunshine radiation of 6,000-8,000 mega-joule per square meter, doubling that of plain places.

As planned, up to 2015, 250,000 solar energy stoves will be built in the region and a passive solar house covering 3.3 million square meters will be constructed.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081121_439233.htm

Green energy brings happy life

2008-12-30 10:28:00

The wind power equipment in Amdo town of Nagqu Prefecture, photo from Tibet Daily.

The Tibet Autonomous Region has made best use of wind power in recent years. Up to now, more than a hundred wind power generators have been set up in the region, which provide more electricity for the local rural people.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081230_445685.htm

Scientific & technical research in Tibet amounts to 183-plus mln this year

2008-12-29 15:24:00

Head of Tibet Science & Technology Department Ma Shengjie released in a working conference held in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, outlay for scientific & technical research in Tibet amounts to more than 183.8 million yuan this year.

He said of which 67.24 million yuan was state grants while 87.116 million yuan was raised by Tibet itself, fund for major science & technology research project has increased by 24 million yuan comparing with that of 2007, up 42.86 per cent. Investment for other cities and provinces, including aid-Tibet allocation, has reached 29.45 million yuan.

Fund for science & technology research in Tibet has been keeping increasing in recent years and the progress of society and characteristic industry has also improved as a consequence.

According to Ma, Tibet has organized 94 scientific & technical projects this year, among which 36 are national programs while the rest are regional programs.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081229_445572.htm

Great efforts guarantee blue sky in Tibet

2008-11-09 13:31:00

The Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve, photos from China Tibet Information Center.

Zhang Yongze, head of Tibet Environmental Protection Bureau, receives interview, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The drive of reform and opening to the outside world has contributed a lot to environmental protection of Tibet Autonomous Region, preventing it from being polluted.

"The blue sky and limpid water intuitively indicates that great achievement have been gained in environmental protection of Tibet since the reform and opening-up policy," said Zhang Yongze, head of Tibet Environmental Protection Bureau, when received interview from domestic journalists, who are now touring Tibet to report Tibet over the last 30 years.

China's Tibet Autonomous Region is situated on the main body of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With high altitude, unique geographical features and rich wildlife, water and mineral resources, it has been called the "Roof of the World" and the "Third Pole of the Earth", and boasted as "starter" and "adjuster" of climatic changes in Asia even the Northern Hemisphere. Enjoying nature-endowed animal and plant resources, Tibet is of great ecological importance to China, and even the whole world, turning the region into a key ecological and safe shelter of China. Hence, the central government as well as Tibet's local governments at all levels, have never stop exerting efforts to preserve the region's fragile entironment

"Environmental issue is on top of Tibet's governmental agenda as it closely ties up with the climatic change of China as well as Asia," said Zhang Yongze.

Taking the Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve as example, Zhang said Tibet in recent years has allocated huge investment to protect environment.

Because of historical reasons, the Lhaltu Wetland was badly occupied for other usages, 20 years ago. In 1998, Tibet local government decided to restore the Lhaltu Wetland in a bid to better protect living environment. Howbeit, the action stirred a great clash between people who occupies the wetland for private use and officers with environmental offices. In 1999, the Lhaltu Wetland was listed into nature reserve at regional level and then upgraded to state level in 2005. In 1998, Tibet set up 30 million yuan discount-interest loan to help some enterprises to switch to another line of products, following the close of 7 cement plants, which harm to zoology of Lhaltu Wetland.

"Under no circumstances should we seek industrial development at the expense of the environment and resources. It becomes a common agreement, "Zhang said, "We are focusing on developing industries such as tourism and folk medicine, which free from pollution."

Talking of the conflict between development and environmental protection, Zhang said Tibet always place prime emphasis on protecting weak entironment while seeking for development. Besides, a total of 1.54 billion yuan was invested to protect natural landscape and environment along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which shortens the distance between Tibet and other mainland regions of China as well as foreign countries.

During the 10th-Five-Year Plan, investment for environmental protection in Tibet reached 2.4 billion yuan. Ban on usage of plastic bags, also known as "white pollution", was carried out in Tibet in an all-round way on June 1st, 2006 in Tibet.

According to Zhang, by far, there are 40 different nature reserves at different levels in Tibet with a total of 408,300 sq.km., taking up almost 34.03 per cent of the total territory of Tibet, on top of this kind in China.

Tibet is also the kingdom for both animal and plant. 125 national key protection wild animals, 38 protection plants at state level, including some endangered ones, such as Tibet red deer, live in Tibet scattering in different areas.

"My wish, as well as the common wishes of all people serving for environmental protection, is to let blue sky and clean water forever stay in Tibet," said Zhang Yongze, who has worked for Tibet's environment for almost 10 years.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081109_437344.htm

Huge environmental investment to go to Lhalu Wetland

2008-11-10 14:23:00

Lhalu Wetland of Lhasa, China's largest downtown natural wetland, is soon to enter into a second protection project, at a cost of 50 million yuan, sources from Tibet Environmental Protection Bureau.

According to Zhang Yongze, head of Tibet Environmental Protection Bureau, the total investment will be mainly pumped into main canal and vegetation protection.

Due to illegal buildings and excess pasturage, the Lhalu Wetland was once shrinking in size and faced serious desertification. In 2002, the first phase of protection with a total investment of 90 million yuan started.

In recent years, both amount and variety of propagation in the Lhalu Wetland are increasing. Stat. shows that the Lhalu Wetland now has some types of 300 plants, 43 varieties of terrestrial wild animals, 30-plus aquatic wild animals and about 101 insects.

Encased inside the prosperous city of Lhasa, Lhalu Wetland is known as the "natural oxygen bar" and "lung of Lhasa." It is the largest and highest natural wetland in the world with a coverage of 12.2 square kilometers, taking up 11.5 per cent of the total area of Lhasa.

Lhalu Wetland absorbs a total of 78,800 tons of carbon dioxide while produces 57,300 tons of oxygen annually, which plays an indispensable role in protecting the air quality of Lhasa. With all-out aspects, the city's government places protection of Lhalu Wetland on the top agenda.

In 1999, the Lhalu Wetland was listed into regional nature reserve and then upgraded to a national one in 2005 by the state council.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081110_437531.htm

Landscapes of Basum Co

2008-11-09 11:46:00

Landscapes of Basum Co, photo from CTIC.

The lake is peaceful and clean, photo from CTIC.

The green trees on the moutain around Basum Co, photo from CTIC.

Basum Co, which means green water in Tibetan language, locates in Conggo township of Gongbo Gyamda in Nyingchi and known as the "Conggo Lake". It viewed as the holy lake of Nyingma Sect and is one of the largest freshwater barrier lakes in eastern part of TAR. The water in the lake is clean and peaceful as a jade among moutains. There is a well-known temple of Tibetan Nyingma Sect with 700 years history on the island of Gongbo lake.

Since reform and opening-up policy, the tourism industry in TAR is developing fast with the improvement of traffic conditions. Moreover, local people get benefits from tourism.

Landscapes of Basum Co, photo from CTIC.

The well-known temple of Tibetan Nyingma Sect with 700 years history on the island of Gongbo lake, photo from CTIC.

Reporters are taking photos near the Basum Co, photo from CTIC.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081109_437325.htm

Xaitongmoin County highly regards environmental protection

2008-12-10 10:50:00

Xaitongmoin County, locates in the south of Xigaze Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, northern Yarlung Zangbo River. The region, with a territory of 14,000 square kilometers, is endowed with rich mineral, natural and cultural resources. Geothermic spring, big or small, scatters about there. However, it is very vulnerable in eco-environment under serious natural condition because of historical, geographic and other complications. In the face of increasingly severe ecological environmental problems, ecological construction and environmental protection upgrade rather importance.

Years-long afforestation and desert control has formed an ecological pattern with Yarlung Zangbo River as virescence passage and the vicinity of Xaitongmoin County as greenbelt.

Xaitongmoin County has been inviting the force of the whole county to do their best to protect the environment, such as planting trees. In the last five years, the county has finished 11,000 mu land of grain for green, planted 72,000 mu forest, established 10 wild animals & plants protection zones, and so on. Once fragile environment seems to become better and better.

Departments concerned of Xaitongmoin County are also exerting great efforts to improve the public's consciousness of protecting environment by launching various publicizing activities, especially on special days like International Environment Day, World Earth Day and etc.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081210_442349.htm

The most romantic wedding

2008-12-04 14:32:00

Tibetan photographer Jokho and his bride Liao Qin, who is of Han nationality, are celebrating their wedding in front of Namco Lake in northern Tibet in 1997, photo from Xinhua.

With the development of the society, people celebrate their wedding in different ways. And the Tibet Autonomous Region has attracted more people to spend their honeymoon here because it boasts some of the beautiful scenery in the world.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081204_441455.htm

Tibet okays construction of Yangbajain geological park

2008-12-04 16:05:00

The local government of Tibet Autonomous Region has approved of construction of the Yangbajain Geological Park, which costs 290 million yuan.

The proposed Yangbajain Geological Park locates at about 90 kilometers away from northwest Lhasa, where the world's biggest geothermic resources lies. It is honored as natural geothermic museum and geothermic city in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The world's only cosmic rays highland base and training base of Chinese mountaineering were set up there against the Mt. Nyainqentanglha.

Henan Province of China proposed the establishment of the park and invested 20 million yuan to start the construction.

The park, with a coverage of 2,500 sq.km., will be provided with sightseeing, scientific investigation, holiday resort, camping expedition, geological and ecological popularization.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081204_441479.htm

Solar and wind complementary power generation studied in TAR

2008-11-18 15:41:00

Solar and wind complementary power generation research is carrying on to solve the electricity problem in remote areas of TAR.

TAR with 3,000 hours sunshine on annual average and 9.3 billion kwh reserves of wind energy, is rich in solar and wind resources resource. Making use of solar and wind to generate power at 4,500 meters above sea level is a wise choice for saving energy and reducing pollution to environment.

Yan Han, command chief engineer of Nagqu logistics center said:"Using both wind and solar could conserve more power through storage battery, and then providing to electrical equipments uninterruptly. At present, our science and technology engineer are doing key research about the solar and wind power supply system."

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081118_438730.htm

Tibet studies solar and wind energy interaction for power

2008-11-19 16:00:00

Scientists in the Tibet Autonomous Region are doing research on solar and wind energy interaction for electricity power in order to meet the demand of remote areas of the region, sources from Xinhua on November 19.

According to Yan Han, general engineer of Nagqu Logistics Center of China Railway Construction Group, there are plenty of solar and wind energy in Nagqu Prefecture with an altitude of 4,500 meters. If fully used after building the interaction power supply system, plenty of power can be offered at lower cost without environment pollution.

Tibet boasts the most abundant solar energy because its annual sunlight time amounts to 3,000 hours. In addition, its wind energy reaches 9.3 billion KW annually. Nowadays more than 200,000 solar energy stoves and hundreds of wind energy dynamotors have been set up in the autonomous region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081119_438897.htm

Methane-generating pits benefiting Tibetans

2008-12-10 14:54:00

Here are methane-generating pits in Lhoka Prefecture, photo from chinatibetnews.

The newly built methane-generating pits in Lhoka Prefecture, photo from chinatibetnews.

The Tibetans' life is improving with methane widely among pastoral areas. The difficulties in planting vegetables and energy shortage have been solved by methane-generating pits popularization in TAR.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081210_442340.htm

Tibet: Weather service helps economy

2008-11-20 10:43:00

Staffs from TAR Meteorology Department are analysing weather data, photo from Tibet Daily.

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) has developed its weather service in recent years, which helps the economy development.

Up to now, TAR boasts 39 weather stations with guidance of people and 9 automatic self-driven weather stations. Besides, TAR Satellite Center for Remote Sensing, TAR Weather Modification Center, TAR Lightning Protection Center and etc. have been built in the region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081120_439004.htm

TAR Telecom CDMA network covering all counties except Medog

2008-12-25 15:22:00

TAR Telecom CDMA network has covered the major roads, tourist attractions in all the counties except Medog, news from TAR branch of China Telecom on Dec 22.

A manager from TAR branch of China Telecom said the project of installing wireless network equipments in TAR was going well. At the same time, the scheduled mobile numbers started from 189 will be put into use since Dec. 28.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081225_445043.htm

Tibet people busy with harvest

2008-10-23 11:02:00

Reaping Qingke, photo from Xinhua, Oct 17, Gyangze County.

Since September, 2008, the Tibet Autonomous Region has been busy welcoming harvest. In the Gyangze County of Xigaze Prefecture, which is dubbed as "Granary of Tibet", harvest scenes can be seen everywhere.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/lifestyle/200810/t20081023_433964.htm

Technology brings fine output

2008-11-13 15:12:00

Balu, a woman from Zhenba Village of Nyingchi County, is so happy when she gets the corn harvest, photo from Tibet Daily.

The Nyingchi County of Nyingchi Prefecture has introduced some new breeds of corn according to the local climate and soil conditions in recent years, which has benefited the local rural people a lot. For example, Zhenba Village of the county has added 2,872.3 yuan each person by planting sweet corn from Guangdong Province.

"Planting sweet corn in a scientific way has brought more output and more money," Balu, a woman from Zhenba Village, told the reporter.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081113_438165.htm

Tibet produces more fruit

2008-11-18 16:05:00

Delegates visit Tibet Agriculture Institution, photo by Gan Yaozhong, 1965.

When the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) was established in 1965, few kinds of fruits were planted in the autonomous region. It was difficult for common people even pregnant women to have fresh fruits at that time.

However, with the help of advanced technology, nowadays TAR can plant various fruits such as watermelons and peaches supported by the government. And having fruits has become Tibetan people's daily habit.

Watermelons in a greenhouse, photo from TibetCulture.net.

A watermelon booth, photo from TibetCulture.net.

A technician is busy working, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Attractive peaches, photo from TibetCulture.net.

A pumpkin, photo from TibetCulture.net.

A nectarine, photo from TibetCulture.net.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081118_438733.htm

Tibetan farmers still busy in winter

2008-12-29 16:07:00

A farmer of Nedong county is picking vegetables in the green house, photo from chinatibetnews.

Tibetan farmers are learning vegetable planting skills, building new houses or being migrant workers during the slack winter period.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081229_445605.htm

Timely snow promises a good harvest

2009-01-03 10:51:00

Herdsmen from Nyima Village of Nagqu Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, are on the way to Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, January 1st, 2009.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway on the first day of New Year, January 1st, 2009.

Herdsmen from Nyima Village of Nagqu Prefecture are kowtowing toward Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, for pilgrimage with their bodies prostrated on the ground, January 1st, 2006.

A snow hit rural areas of Doilungdeqen and Damxung counties of Lhasa on the first day of the New Year, January 1st, causing some obstacles to the running of Qinghai-Tibet Highway, but bringing no influence to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and benefiting the soil for good harvest.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200901/t20090103_446148.htm

Science and technology boost suburb animal husbandry developing

2008-12-23 09:51:00

In recent years, the animal husbandry in Tibet suburbs is developing rapidly with science and technology popularized. Herdsmen have increased their incomes by using short-term feeding cattle technology.

Drolkar, a herdsman of Khesum village in Nedong county of Lhoka is feeding pigs , photo from Xinhua.

A villager from Gyelsang neighborhood committee in Nedong county of Lhoka is feeding cattle, photo from Xinhua.

Hersman of Gyerba village in Nedong county of Lhoka areas is herding sheep, photo from Xinhua.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081223_444580.htm

Ngari likely to embrace grand greenness & vigor again

2008-12-03 15:46:00

Green returns to Ngari Prefecture.

A harvest time.

Environmental-friendly energy sources are widely publicized in Ngari Prefecture.

The solar energy is used in Ngari Prefecture

Walking in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet, nothing is powerful enough to describe it but vast and wild. Words like drought, barren and desolate, are easy to linger in your mind. But, when trekking into the Gunsa Village of Gar County an eyeful of green and vigor greets you.

The Gunsa Village of Tibet with an altitude of 4,700 meters, is a successful example of artificial planting in Gar County. The great change brought by the action is called as "a great as well as successful action likely to recur the green landscape of Ngari that appeared ten thousand years before the prehistoric history".

People who know Ngari come into an accordant saying that Ngari is the "ridge" in the "roof of the world" with an average altitude above 4,500 meters. With atrocious weather, cold and deficient oxygen supply, it is also called "the third pole of the world". A total of 300,000 sq.km. territory is covered by canyons, mountains and barren lands, leaving only 280 million mu land available. To cope with desertification and degeneration becomes a formidable task. Only plants, like red willow, which are capable of living in drought land, can survive in such as drought region.

Looking back, the condition is quite adverse. The book "Tibetan Kings and Officials" writes that Nagri was the paradise of elephants and wild animals. It indicates that Nagri was once a rather prosperous place with favorable weather. Looking deep into the history, about 400 billion years ago, Ngair was an endless sea. With the emerging of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dense forest turned up in Ngari prefecture. We can imagine that the period when Nagir was full of green and vigor came after the die away of sea.

Nowadays, howbeit, forest has vanished in most part of Nagri Prefecture expect Burang, Zanda and some counties, not mention to elephants.

Is it possible to recur the grand greenness of Nagri that turns up in Ngari ten thousands years before the prehistoric history? Many people have been bending their heads over the research.

With the picking up of economy, local people's consciousness of protecting environment has greatly enhanced. To protect the region's environment, ban on gold dust mining was carried out in 2004 and efforts taken to help artificial grassland, reasonable pasture, tree planting and so on, have strengthened.

According to Dong Mingjun, secretary of Nagri Party Committee, their work was very much based on protection of grassland, giving priority to protect environment. They decided to plant trees in a total of 30,000 mu land in Nagri Prefecture, involving 46 villages of 25 townships.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081203_441322.htm

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Former luxury goods, nowadays common food

2008-11-20 15:58:00

Losang Chilai in Nagqu is talking about the business of "lala" with Dagar, a distributor, photo from Tibet Daily.

Customers buy "lala" from Nyainrong county, Nagqu Prefecture at the 3rd Nagqu Livestock Product Exhibition, photo from Tibet Daily.

"lala", a kind of special product made of yak milk, was luxury food before because 10 kilogramme of yak milk can only make one kilogramme of "lala". However, nowadays it has become common sock for children in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

In Nyainrong county, Nagqu Prefecture, there is a tradition of making "lala". Dekyi, a Tibetan woman of the county, is good at it and she treated journalists with "lala" just ready.

Now all her dreams have come true although her husband died. She makes this kind of food for sale and her children can enjoy "lala" whenever they want. They raise 12 yaks for milk material. And they can earn over 5,000 yuan annually just by selling "lala" because "lala" from Nyainrong sell well with good prices: 23.5 yuan to 30 yuan for per kilogramme.

"lala", the traditional food, has both boosted Nyainrong county's economy and shined people's daily life.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081120_439066.htm

Menu of Tibetan Food in Tibetan language published

2008-12-29 10:25:00

Tibetan food, photo by Cao Yang from China Tibet Information Center.

A veteran Tibetan cook has published a book on how to cook Tibetan dishes in Tibetan language, which is the first monograph to introduce Tibetan food.

The book, called Menu of Tibetan Food, expatiates on materials and cuisine of more than 60 dishes of Tibetan food, which are classified into different cuisines, with both text and pictures.

The author Tesering Chosphel is a cook in Lhasa Restaurant who has more than 30-year experience in cooking Tibetan food.

Tibetan food is a general designation of food provided in Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan-inhabited areas in China with Lhasa food as a representative. Tibetan food has now absorbed some exotic food to cater more people of different appetite, thus the variety of Tibetan food is expanded.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081229_445485.htm

Tibet's rural areas profit from reform and opening-up policy

2008-11-07 15:34:00

Looking back on days 30 years ago, when China's reform and opening-up has not yet carried out, in the countryside of Tibet Autonomous Region, southwestern China at the world's highest plateau, a tousy path that connects the rural areas with outside world, could be regarded as "marvelous thing". Now, rural Tibetan people are more convenient to get to the downtown areas with improved transportation.

The drive of reform and opening to the outside world has brought radical changes to rural areas of Tibet, over the last 30 years. The fruits of the reform and opening-up are shared by people in animal and husbandry areas of Tibet.

The housing project for rural Tibetans, who take up almost 85 per cent of the total population of Tibet, has enabled some 600,000 farmers and herdsmen to move into new houses with modern facilities, at a cost of more than 8 billion yuan of Tibet governments at all levels.

"Life before was hard. With so many children to bring up, I did not have enough food and clothes for them. We, 12 people, huddled together in three small hovels," 61-year-old Garma Palden said," In 2006, we moved into a 14-room house, and now we can use modern agricultural machineries to help with our farm work."

People in Tibet are tending to buy more electric appliances, such as TV set and mobile phone, with improved living standard. "Nearly each family has one mobile phone in rural areas of Gyacha County," said deputy head of Gyacha County Dorje.

Stat. from Tibet Bureau of Statistics indicates that the Engel's coefficient (proportion of income going to food), sharply dropped, in rural areas of Tibet in 2006. The drop of the Engel's coefficient signified a new improvement in people's quality of life.

Enrollment rate for school-aged children in Tibet rised to 98.2 per cent in 2007. A total of 74 counties, have basically achieved the six-year of compulsory education, covering 100 per cent of the population, and illiteracy among young and middle-aged people has been basically eliminated, according to statistics from the Education Bureau of Tibet.

Apart from that, per capita net income for rural Tibetans has increased from 175 yuan in 1978 to current 2,788 yuan, 16 times higher than 30 years before.

Ever since the reform and opening-up policy, China has totally allocated more than 1.8 billion yuan to facilitate the region's medical treatment. In 2008, standard of free medical treatment for rural people has increased from 100 yuan to 140 each.

By the end of 2007, highway mileage has reached 36,733 kilometers in Tibet's rural areas, with 43 counties having access to asphalt roads. By now, there are still 72 townships and 2,375 designated villages unavailable to highways. Therefore, the local government of Tibet appropriated another 1.4 billion yuan this year to help highway construction in 55 townships and 808 designated villages.

We can say that, rural Tibetans are one of the beneficiaries of China's reform and opening-up policy.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081107_437151.htm

More activities in slack season

2008-12-24 09:53:00

A rural man from Nedong County of Lhoka Prefecture is selecting tractors, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, December 14.

Two rural women from Nedong County of Lhoka Prefecture are picking up vegetables in a greenhouse, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, December 14.

In the Tibet Autonomous Region, more rural people are still busy planting vegetables or building new houses during the slack season.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081224_444764.htm

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Lhasa: Ancient city, modern looks

2008-12-03 10:13:00

Since China's reform and opening up in 1978, great changes have taken place in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. In the past few years, the economy in Lhasa has developed with great speed and the gross national product (GNP) has reached 3.6 billion yuan.

Architectures such as Lhasa Hotel, Tibet People's Hall, Tibet University, Tibet Museum, Lhasa Cinema, and etc. have combined both ethnic and modern features.

Modern traffic system has been built in Lhasa. 12 trunk roads started operation in 2000, and 3 ones are in construction, the total investment of which exceeds 300 million yuan. Together with 1st Road and 2nd Ring Road, Beijing Road, Jiangsu Road, Lingkor Road, Nyangri Road, Sera Road and Damrad Road have formed the modern traffic truss.

The ancient city looks modern, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

Two bridges with one tunnel, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

The Bronze Ox Square, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

The Tibet Museum, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

Lhalu Wetland, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081203_441154.htm

Lhasa invests 1.7 bl for 'garden city'

2008-12-29 15:32:00

Lhasa, photo from Chinatibet News.

In order to build Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, into a "National Garden City", the city will invest 1.70089 billion yuan to improve the environment, sources from the 2nd Session of the 9th Lhasa People's Political Consultative Conference and the 2nd Session of the 9th Lhasa People's Congress.

"Great changes have taken place in Lhasa in the past two years and it is more suitable for us to live in," said Qamba, an elder who does exercises in Cisotang Garden every day.

"The 1.7 billion investment will be used for five projects, three of which will also get investment from the central government," said Cida, vice head of Lhasa Construction Bureau.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081229_445593.htm

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Figures show living conditions' change in Lhasa

2008-11-26 10:19:00

The Tibetan-style sitting room of a house in Xiasasu Community, Lhasa, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The new building in Lhasa, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Langzong family's sitting room, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

A clean street, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The residents' living conditions in the old district of Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, have been improving since China's reform and opening-up.

Data show that 90% houses of the old district of Lhasa are dangerous, 20% of which are especially dangerous. Many dwellers suffered from arthritis because of bad living conditions. Qunzong, an elder Tibetan mom,is one who has experienced arthritis because of the bad living conditions

When we visited Qunzong family, she had just returned from hospital. Accompanied with Qunzong, her husband, son, and daughter, Qunzong enjoys her spacious house whose living room is sunny as sunshine permeates bright windows.

After that, with 50.82 million yuan, 26 courtyards have been rebuilt in the old district of Lhasa, which covers 39,536 square meters. 4,275 people from 1,088 families have benefited from it. In 2008, the reconstruction of 11 courtyards covering 26,811.9 square meters with an investment of 23.05 million yuan is to end construction at the end of November, which will benefit about a thousand people.

Nowadays, houses in Tibetan style have risen up in Lhasa with clean and orderly streets extending far and wide. Former dirty courtyards have become clean and civilized ones. Just as Qunzong said:"The streets now are so plain that even blind people don't need to worry that they will fall into wallows or be stumbled upon rubbish. People live in houses that look as beautiful as gardens. Even though some families still have not acquired their own houses, we believe that the government will help them."

In Murong Neighbourhood which the Qunzong family is under jurisdiction of, Langzong family also enjoy their pretty houses with a refrigerator, a washing machine, a color TV, phones and mobiles. Drinking butter tea, Luozhu, an elder from Xiasasu Neighbourhood, enjoys the beautiful scenery with his wife in front of his sitting room: water in Lhasa river is flowing while the snow mountain keeps silent.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081126_439965.htm

'Development of Barkor Street indicates the civilization and progress of Lhasa'

2008-11-26 10:27:00

Shi Wenjiang, former head with Lhasa Land & Resource Layout Bureau. (File photo)

Editor's notes: The Barkor Street deserves a historical name card of Lhasa just as a saying goes "The Barkor Street comes into existence before the Lhasa city itself". Ever since the reform and opening-up policy in China, Tibet local governments have been continually granting huge investments to repair the Barkor Street on the premise that the overall feature must remain the same. With years passing by, over the last 30 years, the street has undergone a striking change in many aspects without changing the original culture distillation.

Currently, journalists from China Tibet Information Center had an interview with Shi Wenjiang, who was responsible for the layout as head of Lhasa Land & Resource Layout Bureau at that time. As one of the participants as well as eyewitness, he, current director of Lhasa Newu New Village, detailed the reconstruction of the Barkor Street and the city layout of Lhasa with what he had seen, heard and done.

I¡¢Barkor Street before Reconstruction & Reasons of Renovation

"The masses were clamoring for an improvement of living environment while the government has a strong desire for solution," said Shi Wenjiang.

In the past, either visitors from home and abroad, or local dwellers of different ethnic minorities, agreed that the Barkor Street was a "dirty", "disordered" and "odoriferous" place, where drainage, power supply, communication systems were poor.

Local dwellers were screaming for an effective action to improve their poor living environment, and such was also the government's concern. It is not wise for Lhasa government to let the dissatisfactory environment go on as the Barkor Street is such a place with many roles in one- the "brand card" of Lhasa, the representative of ancient Lhasa city and a place with a long history.

Given that, the local governments of Tibet made up a strong mind to renovate the ancient street. Ever since the early 1990s, the mid-term of 1990s in particular, Tibet has been launching a series of projects to repair buildings which were built after the 60s and 70s in the Barkor Street. Frankly, it was not an easy task for the government to do so since the annual revenue of Lhasa at that time was added up to no more than 30 million yuan. The renovation of Barkor Street is not only a drive to protect historical relics, but to offer a better living environment for locals around or in the Barkor Street. For the whole country, it is a systematical renovation of historical and cultural street while for the government it requires a careful work both from historical and cultural aspects. Meanwhile, it is also an urgent problem to be solved for the local people.

The wall of building in the Barkor Street is spoilt by track of sewage drops.

Ancient protective building before renovation.

II¡¢Meaning & Suggestion of Renovation

"The total protective coverage of Barkor Street is 13,000 square kilometers. We insist one point that 'renew while origin remains'"

The Barkor Street, centralized by the Jokhang Temple and Ramoche Monastery, carries a history of more than 1,300 years. The Jokang Temple was built after the Princess Wencheng arrived in Tibet. It is not only a historical testimony for the united relationship between Han and Tibetan people, but a masterpiece of cultural and architectural significances. For most of the Buddhists it is even regarded as a landmark of Tibetan Buddhism. Hence, the repair is of great importance to both the country and its people.

The renovation of Barkor Street borrows some successful experience from foreign countries and is carefully done according to the principle that "renew while origin remains". The renovation covers 13,000 square kilometers and accords with the following three methods: repair for cultural relics which under the state level protection should abide by the practice of cultural relics protection; to leave buildings around the Barkor Street and Jokhang Temple just as it was before; modernizing the inner layout is allowed if the outer feature remains the same.

With decade's efforts, the Barkor Street has undergone a striking change comparing with before. The central government has been allocating several hundred million yuan to meliorate the municipal facilities, including highways, power supply, communication systems and so on.

The success of renovation of Barkor Street is commonly recognized by both domestic and foreign experts despite there are still something deficient.

The clean and orderly Barkor Street after renovating.

The overall feature of ancient Tibetan architectures remains the same even after repairing.

III¡¢Protection & City Layout of Lhasa

"The Barkor Street is the continuation of history as well as elements to improve the city's value and it is just our duty to avoid the depreciation when making out the city layout," said Shi Wenjiang.

We have to deal with two knotty problems in our work: to better protect the historical ancient city and to carry out the modernization construction. The two respects are mutually dependent and harmonious rather than incompatible. In my opinion, the emerging of a new city depends on the culture, history and city value of the old one.

We have confidence to protect the ancient city while building a new one under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Investment which goes for Tibet from the central government is increasing yearly and the public's consciousness of environmental protection is also enhanced.

The Barkor Street, Potala Palace and Norbu Lingka form the main frame of Lhasa. Objectively speaking, the total coverage of downtown Lhasa before the peaceful liberation of Tibet, was not more than 3 square kilometers with a population ranging from 26,000 to 30,000. But now, the cultural protective area of Lhasa is several times larger than the total coverage of downtown Lhasa. Hence, it is easy to know whether Lhasa receives protection or being destroyed.

Speaking of the great changes of Barkor Street over the last decade, I thought, in an objective way, it not only shows the development of the ancient city, but indicates the civilization and progress of Lhasa.

(1 U.S. dollar equals about 6.83 yuan)

Lhasa's yesterday and today.

A distant view of the Potala Palace in the Jokhang Temple. (File photo)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081126_439964.htm

Barkor Street: a palce for generations to trace history

2008-11-24 16:24:00

Barkor Street is an old and traditional shopping street in the center of Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region. It is also a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble and a place to which a traveller must visit. Barkor Street is the road on which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk by body-length kowtow along the street clockwise every day into deep night.

As one of the key parts of Lhasa, the Barkor Street has not only been a favorite place for visitors, but also the dream of others who have never been to Tibet.

The street carries a history of more than 1,300 years. To better protect the ancient street, several investments were invited to repair and renovate it. With the changes of history, the old street has undergone a striking change.

In a winter afternoon, the 59-year-old Wangchug Dorje, younger son of 10th Temo Living Buddha as well as member of Tibet Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, narrated the development of the Barkor Street to journalists from China Tibet Information Center.

In his childhood memory, the Barkor Street was not only a religionary venue, but a marketplace where traders, robed monks and chanting pilgrims joined together. At that time, the Grand Summons Ceremony would be held in the Jokhang Temple of Barkor Street on the 4th day of the first month according to the Tibetan calendar, attracting more than thousands upon thousands monks. The ceremony will last for 21 days. During that period, few people would visit the Barkor Street unless it was really necessary since the monks at that time were rampaging about around the street.

The Barkor Street is the center of the businessmen. Traders of Islam from inland China gather in the east of the street while businessmen from Nepal assemble in the north. The street sold all kinds of commodities, from home made to foreign products.

According to Wangchug Dorje, also vice chairman of the Association of Tibet Photographers, Lhasa didn't have access to electricity untill the 1940s and was only available to a few people like some nobles, including himself. With years passing by, many places in Lhasa have gradually access to electricity. With 1,300-year development, it has now become a place centralized by the Jokhang Temple and Ramoche Monastery.

Before the renovation, Lhasa old city zone was an unenlightened and unregulated place where roads were bumpy, fire hazard prevention was poor, drinking water could be a problem..., because of historical problems and geographic location.

Wangchug Dorje told us the first renovation of the Barkor Street was in the early 60s, followed by the second time in 1972 and the third time in 1985. The renovations laid a strong emphasis on protection of the ancient Tibetan architectures and improvement of people's living condition while sticking to two rules-the whole layout of the street as well as outer scene of traditional architectures of high historical value should not be changed.

On the other hand, Wangchug Dorje thought there were still something deficient. He pointed out that Lhasa would have access to fuel gas, optical fiber and cable and ect. in the near future. Under such circumstances, howbeit, their under pipes seem a bit thin. On the other hand, there exists some inefficient renovation projects and the departments concerned are seeking for the solutions.

Speaking of his personal feeling toward the renovation, he said the repair of the Barkor Street was to better protect and carry forward the cultural relics rather than resume the cruel feudal serfdom. The Barkor Street is a place for generations to trace history.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081124_439595.htm

Lhasa Gangyur Pagoda: A stone scripture book

2008-08-22 13:48:00

Maintaining Gangyur Stone Scripture Pagoda, photo from Xinhua, August 19.

A Tibetan man is carving scripture on a stone, photo from Xinhua, August 19.

Carrying the slate with scripture to the pagoda, photo from Xinhua, August 20.

Located at the Yaowangshan Mountain in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Gangyur Stone Scripture Pagoda attracts many believers to carve the content of "Kanjur", an important Buddhism book, on flagstones. The flagstones have been built into a a pagoda, which grows taller day by day with the Buddhism carvers' hardwork.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200808/t20080822_421831.htm

Lhasa: Sweet tea caffs embody folk-custom

2008-11-19 10:01:00

Busy tea caffs in Lhasa, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Sweet tea is ready, photo from TibetCulture.net.

Posing in a sweet tea caff, photo from TibetCulture.net.

When visiting Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, you will never miss sweet tea caffs, which embody Tibetan folk-custom most.

Scattered around Lhasa, sweet tea caffs provide their customers with not only the sweet tea but also the Tibetan culture.

The process of making sweet tea is not complicated at all: adding milk powder and white sugar into boiling Tibetan tea. However, you will get "drunk" after having the sweet tea as you will be indulged in the sweet tea caffs, which are dubbed as "business cards" of Lhasa.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081119_438824.htm

Cultural relic buildings well protected in Lhasa

2008-11-28 10:27:00

The old district of Lhasa is the source of the Lhasa city. It was built 1,300 years ago and covers 1.3 square kilometers. The old district of Lhasa is not only the epitome of Tibet's politics, economy and society, but also the soul of Tibetan history and culture. The long aged Tibetan civilization, history, culture, religion, art and genuine custom are all from here. It now has become a site of Tibetan history and culture heritage of China. At present, there are four street offices, 17 residential commissions and 387 residential communities in the old district of Lhasa. It has a population of 40,000 people.

Puntsok Kangsa is a stone and wooden Tibetan style mansion, which is located in the north of Jokhang Temple in the old district of Lhasa. The three-floor mansion with courtyard was built for the 11th Dalai Lama's parents in 1843 by Gexia government according to regulation.

The maintenance work of Puntsok Kangsa began in 2007. Chengguan District people's government decided to develop Puntsok Kangsa and Bangdagcang mansions to better protect the old constructions in the old district, according to Dorje, who is in charge of the maintenance work.

"We will make good use of the value of the old mansions. Some 12 million yuan will be applied for the maintenance. The building will be fitted with traditional Tibetan furniture and living articles as well as exhibits to resume its image. It will be a tourism spot and for film scene capture. The site will also be equipped with communication systems and fire control facilities", Dorje said.

The maintenance work brings many problems and existing residents in these old compounds is the first problem to deal with. They must be transferred and settled down to somewhere else appropriately. The techniques of maintenance should follow tradition and the style and structure must be kept as it used to be. Many details cannot be traced and are different from present.

Dorje also mentioned the big challenges and difficulties they had. "The mansion has been refurbished for three times. We found three different layers of colors when we cleaned the paintings. We cleaned deep enough until the wood came out to identify the original drawing. We must keep the original image. The details, every process of the maintenance work must follow the style of the original work. The duration for the maintenance can be used to build two equally sized compounds", Dorje said.

The Tibetan history cannot be passed on without the maintenance and protection to those old buildings and cultural relics. The long history Tibetan culture continues moving forward thanks to the great efforts the local government and Chinese Central government has made on cultural relics protection.

The ancient Lhasa is well known as the holy land of Buddha since ancient times. It's home of numerous cultural relics. TAR Party commission and government have taken a series of measures and actively work on cultural relics' protection, development and administration, which received strong support from Chinese central government. China takes high priority on cultural protection work in Tibet and has applied as much as one billion yuan on the maintenance of the Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka and Sagya Monastery and the 11th Five-year Plan key cultural protection project. The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Norbu Lingka have been listed on the Interantional Cultural Heritage Category, making Lhasa one of the most international cultural heritage city in the country.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081128_440450.htm

Lhasa sets up 1st wild animal aid post

2008-11-28 14:15:00

Lhasa Wild Animal Protection Administration has set up its first wild animal aid post to take care of the wounded wild animals and will be put into operation early next year.

According to Lhasa Wild Animal Protection administration, the aid post, which is expected to cost 400,000 yuan, is a part of the National Black-necked Crane Nature Reserve. The facilities for the aid spot are still purchased now.

Before the birth of the aid spot, Lhasa Wild Animal Protection administration has to spare rooms in the office as temporary "sickroom" for the wounded animals.

The set up of the station will enable a more timely and professional cure of wild animals. People can dial 6363739 or 6345729 to offer or consult information.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081128_440521.htm

Lhasa: The sky smiles in the night

2008-12-02 13:25:00

A crescent moon was seen below two planets Jupiter and Venus in the sky over Lhasa, capital city of Tibet, on Dec. 1, 2008. It looked very much like a smile in the night sky comprising a crescent moon, which looked like a smile, and two stars, which looked like eyes.

It looked even more sublime against the splendid nocturne of Potala Palace and soon disappeared after nearly half-hour debut in the sky.

It is a rare astronomical phenomenon that two planets, Venus and Jupiter, joined a thin crescent moon in the sky. On Sunday night, the event known as "Planetary Conjunction" was seen across the world.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081202_441086.htm

'Law popularization supermarket' serves Lhasa

2008-12-05 15:53:00

Staff workers are telling the local people how to recognize the cigarette, photo by Zhao Guoli from Tibet Business News.

This December 4th is the 8th National Law Popularization Day. And departments concerned popularized law knowledge to the local people on the Yutuo Road, Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Activities such as how to sign contracts and how to recognize false products attracted many pedestrians.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081205_441630.htm

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A retired Tibetan: China's reform and opening up benefits me a lot

2008-11-28 09:06:00

Editor's note: The following is from Wang Yiming, a common retired Tibetan man in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

A home in the Barkor street, photo from Tibet Daily.

In the old Tibet, all family members of mine served Xuekang laird and lived miserably. After Tibet's Peaceful Liberation in 1951, we moved into a 10-sq.m Tibetan-style house on the ground floor.

In the 30 years since China's reform and opening up, the Barkor street has changed so rapidly that it seems like a dream!

As for the income of my family, I have retired for years and can get 1,600 yuan every month while my wife does some business in the Barkor street. One of my daughters works in Ngari Prefecture and the other one gets 200 yuan from the community as she is a disabled girl. We can apply for reimbursement after seeing a doctor, which makes us not need to worry about anything.

Business in Barkor street has developed quickly as well. When I was young, there were only businessmen selling milk and potatoes as well a few sweet tea houses and clothing stores. Nowadays, more than 500 shops have opened in the street selling jewelries, precious medical materials, silk and etc.

In a word, the great changes that have happened in the Barkor street shows that the Tibet Autonomous Region has developed greatly with the help of the government, which is appreciated by the local people.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081128_440420.htm

Dinner in front of the Potala Palace

2008-12-19 10:56:00

Enjoy delicious dinner, photo by Zhao Guanshen from TibetCulture.net.

In the west of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the reporter has recently met Lhaci and his family, who are from Gyangze County of Xigaze Prefecture. They came to Lhasa for leisure in their slack time.

With food taken from home, they were enjoying their dinner in the sunshine, which made other tourists admire them.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081219_444058.htm

Investment for infrastructure construction in TAR over 16 billion yuan

2008-12-23 14:34:00

Local Tibetans feel happy about the new road, photo from Chinatibetnews.

Central government invested 16 billion yuan to TAR for construction of infrastructural facilities, hitting the new historical record. Total investment in fixed assets will be up to 31 billion yuan increasing 14.3 percent than last year.

Infrastructural constructions and investment environment are improving a lot in TAR. During "11th Five-Year Plan" period, 170 key projects have been launched, 76 ones completed, with 37.2 billion yuan investment in three years.

Highways along Qinghai-Tibet railway, Medog road, Ngari Gunsa Airport, Chamdo Bamda Airport, Nyingchi Laohuzui hydropower and Nagqu logistics center have been built up and put in use successfully.

Lhasa Gongga Airport ended the history of no night flights by adopting the lighting facilities. Besides, all the 4 generator sets are working normally in Palsholkha Hydroelectric Power Station.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081223_444639.htm

New look of Lhasa Gonggar Airport

2008-11-09 11:01:00

Gonggar Airport, photo from CTIC.

Gonggar Airport locates in Gyazhugling township in Gongga County of Lhoka Prefecture at 3,600 meters above sea level and is one of the highest civil airports in the world.

The aviation industry in TAR is developing fast. In1956, TAR opened the door to outside with the Damxung airport put in operation. On March 1, 1965, Lhasa civil aviation terminal established, which meaned Beijing-Chengdu-Lhasa flight course opened officially. May 22, 2001, 3 million yuan was invested for the extension project of Gonggar Airport.

The new parking apron of Gonggar Airport, photo from CTIC.

The new parking apron of Gonggar Airport with a total area of 25,000 square meters could place five A340 or Boeing 757 planes at the same time, and to accept 1,100,000 passengers in and out in 2010.

There are departure hall, tickets reception, baggage claim service at the first floor, and some caterings and shops at the second floor in the new terminal building.

6 Airlines including Air China, Sichuan Airlines, China Southern, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines with 16 routes have set the flights from the Gongga Airport to China's Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Nepal's capital city Kathmandu and other 10 international domestic cities directly.

The aviation industry of TAR has entered a new stage with Tibet's tourism developing quickly.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081109_437328.htm

Tibet airport sees first night flight after 43 years

2008-11-13 10:07:00

A major airport in Tibet saw its first night flight Wednesday, ending its 43-year history of daytime services.

An Airbus A319 carrying 90 passengers took off from the Lhasa Konggar Airport at 7:50 p.m., and landed at 9:35 p.m. at Chengdu's Shuangliu International Airport in neighboring Sichuan Province.

Only Air China, the country's biggest carrier, was offering night flights at the airport, said Liang Gang, of the company's Tibet branch.

"A night flight will take off from the Konggar Airport every Wednesday night for Chengdu," he said.

The Tibet autonomous regional capital, Lhasa, had been the only regional capital in China with no capacity for night flights.

At 3,650 meters above sea level, the airport, one of the world's highest and one of four in the region, had installed runway lighting to enable landings around the clock for the first time.

The lighting cost 99 million yuan (14.6 million U.S. dollars), and the project was carried out between March 15 and June 24.

"The night flight aircraft use the sophisticated RNP technology, which uses global-positioning satellites and onboard flight management systems to guide aircraft along precise flight paths," Liang said.

The airport extended its runway to 4,000 meters in 2001, in a 300-million-yuan upgrade that included a new terminal and passenger facilities. It aims to handle 1.1 million passengers annually by 2010, compared to 1.05 million in 2007.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081113_438034.htm

Tibet: Civil aviation develops

2008-12-02 14:06:00

The Nyingchi Airport starts operation, photo from Tibet Daily.

Civil aviation in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) has developed quickly since China's reform and opening-up.

Take Lhasa Gonggar Airport for example, it welcomes more than 50 airplanes every day for its transport peak and its throughput has risen at the speed of 13.3%. In 30 years since 1978, the airport has seen an increase in landings and takeoffs to more than 50,000. More than 7 million passengers and 200,000 tons of cargos have been transported from the airport. This has been a great asset to the TAR's economy.

With the operation of the Nyingchi Airport, civil aviation in TAR will make more progress.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081202_441088.htm

Lhasa Railway Station: a morden station on plateau

2008-11-13 16:14:00

Outside of Lhasa Railway Station, photo from CTIC.

The pessengers are waiting in a line for checking tickets, photo from CTIC.

The clean railway carriage, photo from CTIC.

Lhasa Railway Station located at Lhasa, capital of TAR becomes a morden station on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The employees of Lhasa station are mainly Tibetans, and 43 percent of the staff have college education experiences. All the staff could speak Chinese, English and Tibetan three languages, and they are falimiar with the Tibetan culture and customs.

Qinghai-Tibet railway line from Xining in Qinghai Province to Lhasa opened on July 1, 2006, with a total length of 1,956 km. The average annual output flow is 1.604 million people and the reception flow is 1.615 million. Besides, the exported goods has reached to 370,000 tons, and the imported is 1,754,000 tons.

Escalators for persons with disabilities are available on the overbridge. There are general waiting rooms as well as special ones for pregnant women and infants and mothers' waiting room, which are quite and clean. The decorations of Lhasa station is very special with auspicious eight treasures and other Tibetan elements signs.

Liu Xiaoping, a train attendant said: " In hot tourist season, both soft bed tickets and hard seat tickets would be sold out. Last year, there were 4,000 visitors per day coming to Tibet."

Waiting room for infants and mothers, photo from CTIC.

Well-trained train attendant, photo from CTIC.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081113_438180.htm

On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railway put into operation

which changed the History of Tibet forever !!

click here

Happy K917 train on Qinghai-Tibet Railway

2008-11-26 10:41:00

Stewards are performing Tibetan dance, photo from Xinhua, November 23.

Tourists from Britain are singing, photo from Xinhua, November 23.

Rin Chen Dorje, who is from Maqu of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province, is singing a Tibetan song, photo from Xinhua, November 23.

Performing dialogues in Chinese, Tibetan and English, photo from Xinhua, November 23.

Tourists on the K917 train along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway had been enjoying their journey on November 23, 2008 as stewards organized colorful activities for them.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081126_439961.htm

Qinghai-Tibet Railway runs normally after earthquakes

2008-11-26 09:52:00

In this second half year, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has outlived the frequently-happened earthquakes as the line equipment and trains run smoothly without any influence brought by the Damxung earthquakes, sources from Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation.

Since this June, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has been hit by some 5-degree earthquakes, but all the to-and-fro trains in Tibet operate safely, according to Li Li, a staff with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation.

In order to ensure the emergency response treatment for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, an emergency aid system was established to set up four rescue bases in Golmud, Tuotuohe, Nagqu and Lhasa. And the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation also signed an agreement with Qinghai and Tibet for an opportunely informing system when an earthquake happens.

Timely response when a disaster occurs finally ensures the safe operation of the world's highest railway, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081126_439937.htm

Extending line of Tibetan railway to start operation

2008-11-28 14:13:00

The 2nd Line of Xining-Golmud Section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, photo by Wen Yiwei from Xinhua, November 27.

The 2nd Line of Xining-Golmud Section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is expected to start operation recently. Along the line, Xining-Xiaoqiao section covering 2.5 kilometers had been the bottleneck of the road and currently this section is going smoothly.

After the operation, the annual transport capacity will be added to 20-25 million tons from 15 million tons, which will reduce the pressure of cargo transportation in Qinghai Province.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081128_440520.htm

For the good of Tibetan antelopes

2008-12-08 16:53:00

The pass of Tanggula Mountain.

Tibetan antelopes.

Dubbed as highland eidolon, Tibetan antelopes start their trek of migration in groups every June. Going over mountains and passing rivers, they create a magnificent fascination of nature and live up the icy snowy highland. Everything nice has to stop when illegal poaching was rampant. High profit entices many poachers into hunting the Tibetan antelopes. With voice screaming for protect Tibetan antelopes, more volunteers are reaching the no-man areas to offer help while laws were carried out to prevent from illegal hunting of Tibetan antelopes.

With efforts taken, we are wondering if now Tibetan antelopes are living safely and peacefully¡&endash;¡&endash;Following the steps of a group of journalists who are heading for Amdo of Tibet, we got the answer.

Anti-poaching patrolling in no-man areas

Aqiong, head of the Forestry Bureau of Amdo, knows very well about Tibetan antelopes. He said there are about 2,000 to 3,000 Tibetan antelopes scattering in Sewu, Maqu, Gangnyi, Zhaqu, Doima villages and Qangma Township within Amdo. In 1993, the forestry police station was set up to patrolling around the dense areas of Tibetan antelopes with 34 wild animals guarder at hand. Since then, anti-poaching armed patrol became an important action to protect Tibetan antelopes and also a key job for Aqiong himself.

In a chilly day of December 2005, Aqiong led a four-member group to the remote Sewu Village. Sewu Village lies in the Changtang Nature Reserve and a large part of its territory are unmanned. With two cars, one for man and one for their daily necessity and food, their hard patrolling started. It is really shivery in December. Roads became bumpy when they were running away from the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and they had to ride in unpaved roads. The cars were trudging in the snow and ice covered roads. Howbeit, things didn't go as they hope. They were forced to push the car in river water with 40 degrees below zero centigrade when the car was acted up and can not move forward. Just in a short time, the truck was sack in mud and it took them several hours to get rid of it. It never rains but pours. In the 7th day of their journey, the tire of one of the car burst. They have to spend the night in wild against the bitter cold.

The hardest time comes in the night. There is no drinking water and they had to smash ice to suck water from it. Sometimes, they also drank salt water when fresh water is unreachable. They used yak dung to make fire, which caused a niff, ate Zanba twice a day and slept in cold tents. ¡&endash;..

It is a hard work and almost impossible for the group to reach every corner of the village because of wide territory. It took the group almost one month to finish the patrolling.

"We arrange one to two patrols like this every year. Ever since 2000, we have organized 37 patrols, involving 191 person-times and 64 cars, costing a total of 287 days with a working coverage of 50,074 kilometers, "said Aqiong with smile.

Anti-poaching campaign of Tibetan antelopes

The Changtang Grassland of northern Tibet is one of the main habitats of Tibetan antelopes. It looks even more beautiful because of the existence of Tibetan antelopes, contrarily, it also becomes a frequently occurred region of illegal poaching and a concentrated area of poachers.

According to Lhasa Customs Smuggling Suppressing Bureau, contraband of Tibetan antelopes reached the climax in 1990s. From 1996 to 1997, a total of 843.85 kilogram Tibetan antelope pashm were seized by Nylam and Shiquanhe customs of Lhasa. Experts analyze an adult Tibetan antelope can produce only 2 liang (one liang equals to 31.25 gram) of pashm so we can imagine how many Tibetan antelopes were killed to pile up such a big sum of pashm!

To protect Tibetan antelopes, Tibet Autonomous Region has been exerting great efforts to crack down illegal hunting. From 1993 to 2003, 364 cases of hunting Tibetan antelopes were handled, putting 18 illegal poachers put into jail.

For the good of Tibetan antelopes

Tibet is the main habitat of Tibetan antelopes. They mainly live in Changtang of Tibet with a territory of more than 600,000 square kilometers. Since 1990s, a large part of habitats for Tibetan antelopes in Changtang areas were listed into nature reserves, forming thebiggest nature reserve for terraneous wild animals in the world. In 2002, the Changtang Nature Reserve was inscribed into a state level one, playing an even important role in protection of Tibetan antelopes.

Organizations, stations and bureaus at different levels, have been respectively set up in those Tibetan antelope inhabited areas to monitor, take care and protect Tibetan antelopes since the end of 1990s.

According to Drolam Yangdzom, head of the wild animals protection office of Tibet Forestry Bureau, Tibet has been invested more than 60 million yuan to assist the work of protection Tibetan antelopes, from buying equipment, paying salary to patrol expense. By far, there are 300 to 400 people working for the Tibetan antelopes.

The world-focused Qinghai-Tibet Railway passes by the living areas of Tibetan antelopes, but does not bring influence or harm to their migration, propagation and living. The largest Tibetan antelope littering area in Tibet was currently found in the north Sewu snowy mountain in Sewu Village within the Changtang Nature Reserve.

As reported, the account of Tibetan antelopes here has increased from 10,000 in 2000 to current some 120,000 and the total number of Tibetan antelopes in Tibet has reached more than 150,000, with a yearly increase of 7.9 per cent.

We have reason to believe that the Tibetan antelope will happily be able to live in a more peaceful and safe environment under the supports of all government concerned and the public.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081208_441944.htm

Workers for Nagqu Logistics Center to rest

2008-11-21 13:57:00

Enjoying tea break, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

A staff from China Construction Group (L1) says farewell to Tibetan workers, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

Qiongda (R), a Tibetan worker, just gets his wage, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

As it entered the winter rest period, the China Construction Group who undertakes the construction of Nagqu Logistics Center for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has paid off for more than 60 Tibetan workers.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081121_439189.htm

Nagqu Logistics Center for Qinghai-Tibet Railway in process

2008-10-06 11:21:00

A truck in the construction site, photo by Kelzang Dawa from Xinhua.

The mixing station of Nagqu Logistics Center, photo by Kelzang Dawa from Xinhua.

With the total investment of 1.5 billion yuan, the construction of Nagqu Logistics Center for Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the largest logistics center in the Tibet Autonomous Region, goes smoothly. Up to now, 70 percent of the project has been completed, covering 8.4 million stere earth and stone.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200810/t20081006_430456.htm

Four new roads start operation in Newu District

2008-11-14 10:45:00

The celebration ceremony, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Cars on the new road, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

A spacious and clean road, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Officials are inspecting a new road, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Well-protected old trees, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The 1st anniversary of Lhasa's Newu District as well as the opening ceremony of four new municipal roads of the district was held on the morning of November 13.

On the ceremony, Jicidrup, mayor of Lhasa and Suoyang, director of Newu District Management Department, delivered speeches.

At a cost of 11 million yuan, the four new municipal roads will better handle traffic conditions not only in Newu District but also in Lhasa, which will attract more investment in the region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081114_438254.htm

Medog to welcome smooth roads

2008-11-17 13:35:00

Medog county looks like a lotus flower, photo from Tibet Daily.

Recently, the State Council of China approved the feasibility study outline of rebuilding Zhamu-Medog Highway in the Tibet Autonomous Region. And the Medog Highway will start operation in three and a half years.

As it was difficult for passengers to arrive in Medog because of snow, Medog, a county of Nyingchi Prefecture, has developed a bit slower than the outside world. However, Medog still pushes forward step by step with the help from the government.

Nowadays Medog has achieved a lot. Up to the end of 2007, the total value of the 10,000-member county hit more than 76 million yuan and the per capita income has reached 2,314 yuan.

(1 USD equals about 6.83 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081117_438522.htm

Zip-lines across rivers will be replaced with bridges in Tibet

2008-12-05 16:49:00

Villagers in remote areas in Tibet will no longer have to traverse rivers using zip-lines, which are often used for entertainment elsewhere, as the Tibet regional government is planning to replace the inclined cables with bridges.

"Zip-lines should be used for tourism and adventure only," said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet regional government, at a regional government work meeting on Tuesday.

The chairman ordered the authorities of finance, transport, planning and poverty alleviation to draw a detailed plan as soon as possible, so as to replace zip-lines with bridges in the coming one or two years.

There are 82 zip-lines in the remote mountainous areas of Tibet, according to Wang Jian, an official with the region's poverty alleviation office. Twelve of the zip-lines are made of cowhide, which are more dangerous that those made of steel cable.

Propelled by gravity, users can traverse from the top to the bottom of an inclined zip-line. Some school children in rural China use them to go to school every day, while tourists use zip-lines for entertainment.

Qiangba Puncog said the bridges replacing zip-lines did not have to be big ones that allow the passage of cars, "we can consider the construction of small bridges that people and livestock can walk on."

The chairman said the most urgent thing was to replace those cowhide-made zip-lines.

Infrastructure in Tibet has been developing over the past decades. Last year, the Tibet regional government built 9,616 kilometers of highways in the rural areas that enabled 848 villages to have access to the roads.

It also supplied electricity for about 180,000 people who had not previously had access to power or suffered from shortages. Safe drinking water was provided for 332,800 people.

In September, highway construction resumed for Medog, China's last roadless county in Tibet with a population of merely 10,000. The first plan on a highway to Medog was drawn in 1961, but had been suspended several times due to tough geological conditions and poor technology.

In 1994, a highway was finished to reach Medog for the first time but parts of it were soon destroyed by landslides.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081205_441638.htm

(67)

Hada on the water faucet

2008-12-03 14:40:00

The sluice pool on the mountainside is not an easy project, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

Losang Drolkar's home, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

Villagers pose with staff from the TAR Women's Federation, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

Paggarxoi Village of Dagze County, Lhasa, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

In the Tibet Autonomous Region, Hada represents good wishes, and nowadays it can be seen on water faucets of rural families.

(1 USD euqals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081203_441287.htm

Former remote frontier town, now trade passage

2008-12-03 11:07:00

Zham Town, photo from Tibet Daily.

With special advantage of location, the Zham Town, Nylam County, Xigaze Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, has changed rapidly after China's reform and opening up. Nowadays the former remote town has become the main passage for China & Nepal trade and expedition teams as well as tourists from abroad.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081203_441290.htm

Resuo bridge in Tibet: Rainbow for China and Nepal

2008-12-26 15:40:00

Tenzin Drolma and Nyidrin, two businesswomen from Nepal, will take the beer from Gyirong to sell in their country, photo by Wang Xubin from Tibet Daily.

Resuo bridge is a bridge in Gyirong county of Xigaze Prefecture, the Tibet Autonomous Region. Combining China and Nepal, the bridge welcomes people in both China and Nepal to exchange products in Gyirong county, which is dubbed as the "heaven in the world" and "Trade Path".

Dondrup Tsering, a 48-year-old Tibetan man, has witnessed the track of the trade's development on the bridge as he has been living here for 35 years.

"35 years ago, I moved to settle here in order to do some business," said Dondrup Tsering. "At that time the Resuo bridge was so simple that people staggered when walking on it as the bridge was made of wood. Since 1977, the bridge has been rebuilt many times and now it is very convenient for both walkers and cars."

"I often visit Katmandu, capital of Nepal, to sell some candies and wine there. When I come back, I will bring some medicine materials such as Rhizoma Gastrodiae," Dondrup Tsering told the reporter.

Dondrup Tsering has improved his family's life by border trade and he has rebuilt his houses for times.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081226_445235.htm

Shiquanhe Town: From small village to modern town

2008-12-25 14:30:00

The Shiquanhe Town, photo from Tibet Daily.

Shiquanhe Town, a town in Ngari Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, has developed rapidly in the past 30 years since China's reform and opening up.

30 years ago, the Shiquanhe Town was only a remote village with few people. But now it has become a modern town.

Migmar Tsering, an official of Ngari Prefecture, said: "The change in Shiquanhe Town is the epitome of the change in Ngari Prefecture."

According to Migmar Tsering, 30 years ago there were only about 10 units in the town and the total population was only a bit more than 1,500. People lived in bad conditions.

However, at present, the Shiquanhe Town has developed into a town with over 20,000 people who enjoy their life because the city has been equipped with culture and commerce facilities.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081225_445007.htm

Cars go to rural Tibetan families

2008-12-04 13:59:00

Dorje, a Tibetan man from Comai county, Lhoka Prefecture, is selecting cars for agriculture, photo from Tibet Daily.

Nowadays rural people of the Tibet Autonomous Region prefer to perchasing cars and tractors for agriculture production as they have more income. And this will improve their life more rapidly.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081204_441437.htm

More cars go to Lhasa households

2008-12-23 14:43:00

Up to the end of November, 2008, 10,858 private automotives have entered into common families in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), which is about 3 times more than the figure, 2,451 in January 2001.

In the past, most Lhasa local people bought automotives for making a living and the earliest private automotives were for transportation. "My friends and I bought a truck in order to make money to feed the family," said Guo Jianguo, a man who has been in the transportation business since 1980s.

In 1990s, more people bought cars. However, at that time, few brands or models of cars were available and people had to order a car in advance if they wanted one. "The local people had to go to our company to pay a deposit first and some had to wait a month to get the car," said Yao Hongqi, sales manager of TAR Auto Trade Company, which was set up in 1962.

When it came to the middle of 1990s, many taxis can be seen in the streets of Lhasa.

And now many local people buy cars just for fun instead of earning money as they have improved their life.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081223_444645.htm

Tibetan Buddhist monks hold firefighting drill

2008-12-04 09:04:00

Picture taken on Nov. 28, 2008 shows Tibetan Buddhist monks rush to a fire site during a drilling at Sagya Monastery in Xigaze of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Some 35 temples and lamaseries in the region have established their own fire brigades comprised of buddhist monk volunteers in recent years, photo from Xinhua.

Picture taken on Nov. 29, 2008 shows Tibetan Buddhist monks try to put out a fire during a drilling at Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, photo from Xinhua.

Picture taken on Nov. 29, 2008 shows a Tibetan Buddhist monk hoding a fire hose during a drilling at Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, photo from Xinhua.

Training was taught by Tibetan Firemen

The drill was completely volunteering and led by Tibetans Monks

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081204_441476.htm

Qomolangma Frontier Defence Police Station set up

2008-11-21 14:02:00

Soldiers on guard, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

Passing by Qomolangma Frontier Defence Police Station, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

A soldier is on duty, photo from Xinhua, November 20.

Located at an altitude of 5,200 meters, Qomolangma Frontier Defense Police Station has currently been established under jurisdiction of the General Frontier Defense Police Station of the Tibet Autonomous Region. More than ten soldiers will offer service here.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081121_439186.htm

(99)Tibetans against Dalai Lama's return

by: 2007-06-21 09:10:33

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government of Tibet Autonomous Region, speaks at a press conference in Beijing June 20, 2007. [china.org.cn]

( Qiangba Puncog is a native Tibetan, born and raised in Tibet )

The chairman of the regional government of Tibet Autonomous Region has said that the majority of Tibetan people do not want the Dalai Lama to return to the region.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government, was asked to comment, at a press conference in Beijing, on two letters written by Puncog Wanggyai, a member of the Communist Party in Tibet, to Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2004 and 2005 asking for permission to let the Dalai Lama come back to Tibet. He was asked if the letters represented the view of the majority of the Tibetan people.

"I have not seen the letters but I have heard about the content. The content I know about differs greatly from the common opinions held by the majority of the Tibetan people," he said.

"His (Puncog Wanggyai) opinion does not represent the view of the majority of Tibetan people, nor does it represent views of the majority of officials in Tibet. It only represents a handful of people," said Puncog.

"The Dalai Lama travels around the world in Buddhist robes not for religious matters but to make Tibet issue an international one and to realize his own political purposes," he said.

He said the Dalai Lama's pursuit of autonomy or establishment of the greater Tibetan area actually disguised his pursuit of independence.

"People from the Dalai Lama side believe, 'once this succeeds, independence is not far away', and this reveals what they really want to do," he said.

Puncog said the channel of communication with the Dalai Lama and his personal representative has always been open. "I think the key question lies in the Dalai Lama giving up the claims of independence and separatist activities," he said, "we all expect him to show his sincerity and truly do some good deeds for the Tibetan people and the country during his lifetime."

http://en.tibet.cn/news/tin/t20070621_256885.htm

Most lawmakers in Tibet are ethnic minorities

www.chinaview.cn 2008-12-10 20:27:56

LHASA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Regional ethnic autonomy is practiced in Tibet Autonomous Region with lawmakers from the Tibetan and other ethnic groups holding 94 percent of the seats in local legislatures, a senior regional lawmaker said.

There are more than 34,000 delegates from Tibet to People's Congress at region, city, county and town levels, said Adain, vice chairman of the standing committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress.

Residents in Tibet showed increased participation in elections, as 96.4 percent of voters voted last year to elect members of the incumbent legislatures, up from 93.1 percent in 2002 and 91.6 percent in 1991, Adain said.

Adain said that the concept of "Tibet independence" promoted in Dalai's "Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People," would never be accepted by the people in Tibet.

The Chinese government has policies in place for the autonomy of ethnic minorities.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, established in 1947, was the first autonomous region for ethnic minorities in China. It was followed by the Xinjiang Uygur, Guangxi Zhuang, Ningxia Hui and Tibet autonomous regions.

Under the unified leadership of the Chinese government, regional autonomy for ethnic minorities is practiced in areas where there are concentrated populations of ethnic minorities. Self-governing bodies are established in these areas for the exercise of autonomy.

As of 2007, China has established 155 ethnic autonomous areas. Of these, five are autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 120 autonomous counties.

Among the country's 55 ethnic minorities, 44 have autonomous areas -- covering 75 percent of the total ethnic minority population.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/10/content_10485055.htm

Most NPC deputies in Tibet are Tibetan and other ethnic minorities

2008-12-19 13:21:00

Among the some 34,000 sitting local National People's Congress (NPC) deputies elected at the four levels of Tibet autonomous region, city, county and township, Tibetan and other ethnic minorities account for over 94% of the total, according to news released recently at a press conference hosted by the Standing Committee of Tibetan NPC to mark the 30th anniversary of reform and opening-up.

Since the implementation of the system of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities in Tibet, especially over the past 30 years of reform and opening-up, Tibetan people and other ethnic minorities have actively engaged in the administration of national and local affairs, offering advice and suggestions on the development of Tibet.

Meanwhile, Tibet has intensified its efforts in selecting, appointing and training cadres and talents of ethnic minorities.

At present, Tibetan and other ethnic minorities account for 70.42% of the incumbent provincial-level leadership of the autonomous region, of which, chairman of the Standing Committee of Tibetan NPC, chairman of Autonomous Region People's Government, chairman of the Autonomous Region Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and president of Autonomous Region High People's Court are all Tibetans.

Among all the principal leaders of the 74 local Party committees, governments, and local committees of the NPC and CPPCC at the autonomous region, municipal and county levels, Party secretaries and township heads in the 682 townships of the autonomous region, cadres of Tibetan and other ethnic minorities account for over 86%.

By 2007, most of the 35,477 professionals and skilled personnel of ethnic minorities, which account for 76.3% of the total, are predominantly Tibetans.

Party cadres, government officials, professionals and technicians, who are predominantly Tibetans, have become the mainstays of leadership and cadre teams at all levels and in various professions in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081219_444129.htm

Preservation of Tibetan culture shared by all Tibetan people

2008-11-04 16:33:00

Over the last 50 years, China has exerted great endeavors to preserve the culture of Tibet, making sure reasonable, effective, and extensive ways of inheritance.

The China Tibetology Research Center brought out a new computer font for the special use of Tibetan language not long ago. The naissance of the Tibetan font pushes the exchanges as well as publishing of Tibetan language into a new phase.

Educational modernization becomes a force to be reckoned with in economic, cultural and social development of Tibet.

"I've heard rumors that no one is speaking Tibetan language in Tibet before visiting Tibet. Rumors turned out to be wrong when I visited Tibet personally. What I have seen is the popular usage of Tibetan language, the so-called 'culture genocide' is rather ridiculous," said a German expert who just finished his trip to Tibet.

There was not a single school can be called "modern" one in the feudal serf system that mingled politics with religion in old Tibet. Only first-class nobles and few monks can have access to Tibetan language study, the serfs, who account for almost 95 per cent of Tibet's total population, have no right to study Tibetan language. In 1950s, the Chinese central government organized dozens of studying classes, long or short terms, for ordinary Tibetans to study Tibetan language and technology. Nowadays, students in primary and middle schools and universities are required to study Tibetan language.

Statistic shows that the central government has allocated a total of 13.989 billion yuan to assist education in Tibet, from 2003 to 2007. The enrolment rate for school-age children has hiked from 2 per cent in old Tibet to present 98.2 per cent. The cultural level of Tibetan people has been greatly improved. Hence, there emerges lots of well-educated Tibetan talents who provide a continuous driving force for the social, economic, cultural and scientific progress of Tibet.

Preservation of Tibetan culture yields effective fruits

A huge investment of money was allocated from the central government to protect Tibetan culture. From 1989 to 1994, the central government has allocated 55 million yuan and a great amount of gold, silver and other precious materials for the renovation of the Potala Palace; in 2001, a total of 330 million yuan was allocated for the repair of the Potala Palace, Norbu Lingka and Sagya Monastery; another 570 million from the central government was pumped into maintenance of 22 cultural relics in Tibet...

Ever since the 1970s, work to collect and study literatures on Tibetan drama, dancing, ballad, music, proverb and etc. kept in folk, started; in 2003, project to protect intangible cultural relics of Tibet was officially launched; record of the King Gesar, the longest heroic epic in the world, received sound fruits...

The large-scale protection on Tibet's cultural relics, physical and intangible, shows great achievements China has made in protecting Tibetan culture, howbeit, the most important is that it does benefit Tibetan people.

Development of Tibetan medicine takes off

In old Tibet, there were only three hospitals for only nobles and first-class monks. A majority of the Tibetan people can't receive medical treatment at that time. "Meanwhile, the study of Tibetan medicine only can be available in temples. Therefore, Tibetan medicine failed to be well developed," said Huang Kaifu, deputy director of Beijing Tibetan Hospital.

By the end of 2007, there are 18 hospitals in Tibet. Most of people can receive medical treatment. Besides, the manufacture of Tibetan medicine has been striding forward. In 2007, the total output value of Tibetan medicine has reached 660 million yuan. In recent years, books on Tibetan medicine have been published one by one.

"To protect the Tibetan medicine from the root plays a far-reaching role in the science of Tibetan medicine, which directly reflects China's great endeavors to preserve Tibetan culture," said Huang Kaifu.

The research and study of Tibetology in old Tibet was limited to few peers and first-class monks, who mainly focused on religionary study. Nowadays, there are more than 50 institutes and centers all over the country to be engaged in Tibetan studies, covering a wide field with some 3,000 Tibetologists. The Tibetology has become one of the important subjects of Chinese Academy of Social Science.

"The most important is special laws or regulations have been put in force to ensure the inheritance, promotion and development of Tibetan culture," Liu Hongji, researcher with China Tibetology Research Center said, "With the execution of the legislations, preservation of Tibetan culture is carried out as well as shared by the masses of Tibetan people."

Statistic indicates that there are 12 large-scale libraries, 2 museums, 2,596 recreation grounds and 6 art galleries in Tibet, providing job opportunities for about 18,350 people.

Protection of Tibetan culture is now touching an unparalleled record.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081104_436386.htm

Intangible cultural heritage in Tibet receives effective protection

2008-12-12 09:15:00

China has achieved remarkable achievements in protection and expansion of Tibet's magnificent traditional ethnic culture, especially in terms of the successful protection, transmitting and development of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Ma Rulong, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said in an interview with the media.

Relevant departments in Tibet have actively collected and compiled examples of popular Tibetan literature and art forms including drama, music, folk art performances, folk songs, proverbs and stories, Ma said.

They have collected, recorded and compiled a total of over 30 million words worth of material in both Chinese and Tibetan, and published over 1,000 academic papers and over 30 books on traditional Tibetan culture.

At present, 60 Intangible Cultural Heritage items have been catalogued on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Thirty-one Tibetan folk artists have been chosen as representative transmitters and listed among the Transmitters of National Level Intangible Cultural Heritage directory. Additionally, 121 items have been chosen as Intangible Cultural Heritage items at the autonomous regional level.

Since the 1990s, the conservation work of Tibetan Intangible Cultural Heritage has been carried out on a wider scale and on a deeper level. The People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Ministry of Culture have established 19 "Homes of Folk Art" at the autonomous regional level including those in Mangkang County in Changdu region, two "Homes of Special Art" at the autonomous regional level, five national-level "Homes of Folk Art," two national-level "Homes of Special Art" and one national-level pilot program for national culture and folk culture. In addition, authorities on Tibetan culture have saved, sorted and published 261 ancient books written in Tibetan.

Ma also pointed out that since the 1980s, China has invested nearly 700 million yuan to help Tibet restore and open more than 1,400 temples.

He said that among the "Key Cultural Relic Preservation Projects" listed as important Tibetan construction projects during the "11th Five-Year Plan" period, China has again arranged a special fund of 570 million yuan for 22 major cultural relic preservation and repair projects. The major cultural heritage conservation units in Tibet include Tashi Lhumpo Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, Drepung Temple, Sera Monastery, the Langsailin Garden and the Guge Ruins.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081212_442608.htm

Lhasa elders: Happiness after misery

2008-11-28 10:21:00

Yeshe Lodrup (L) is talking about his happy life, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Drolkar Langzong mom is talking about her life, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Life of elders in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) has changed greatly in recent years. Data from the TAR Elder Office shows that the number of elderly people over 60 years old has reached 220,000, accounting for 8% of the total population. 20,000 elders are over 80 years old and 79 of them are centenarians. Up to now, 40 clubs for elderly people in TAR have been established and 20 elder art teams with 1,000 people have been set up.

Take 74-year-old Yeshe Lodrup and 59-year-old Drolkar Langzong for example, they live happily in Lhasa, capital of TAR. When talking about their past miserable life, they said they appreciated the present life more.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081128_440443.htm

Modern media methods promote Tibetan language

2008-11-06 10:23:00

DVDs about Tibetan language learning, photo from CTIC.

Multi-media teaching means are very helpful for children to learn Tibetan, photo from CTIC.

Professional Tibetan TV announcers are dubbing for Tibetan language materials, photo from CTIC.

Students from Gyaidar village center primary school of Damxung are having Tibetan lesson, photo from CTIC.

Those Tibetan DVD courseware materials recorded by two professional Tibetan TV announcers are very popular among the pupils in grade four to grade six.

More and more children of farmers and herdsmen would like to study at school, not only the compulsory education policy in TAR providing free meals, free lodging expenses and free tuition, but also the modern teaching methods and materials attracting them in class.

Tashi, a first grade student in Rawa village, Sog county of Nagqu enjoys his life in school. He said: "Now we can see many multi-media teaching means used in class, such as Tibetan cartoons. This modern teaching methods not only make our lessons more interesting but also help us learning Tibetan faster. "

The contents of Tibetan cartoon are very close to the Tibetan children's life and satisfy the curiosities of children. Shiping, leader of TAR Audio-Visual Education Service said:" This kind of courseware materials could promote the standard Tibetan language and Tibetan culture, inspiring more young Tibetans to be talents in future. "

Part of documentary educational resources, photo from CTIC.

The video resources of traditional Tibetan culture are to be formatted, photo from CTIC.

Students from agricultural and pastoral areas of TAR are learning Tibetan language by modern media method, photo from CTIC.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081106_436934.htm

Flourishing Tibetan publication industry

2008-12-26 14:31:00

A historical leap has been achieved in publication industry of Tibet Autonomous Region, southwestern China. Traditional Tibetan culture is now meeting an unprecedented progress while absorbing culture from other ethnic minorities.

Good development of Tibetan language

Before the peaceful liberation of Tibet, there was not a single news and press undertaking in modern sense. Despite there are a numerous woodcut Buddhism scriptures housed in monasteries or temples in Tibet, they are untouchable for more than 95 per cent of Tibetan serfs. Even till the mid-20th century, publication industry was still undertaken by some woodcarving Buddhism scripture printing monasteries.

After the peaceful liberation of Tibet, printing of Buddhism scripture received further progress. In 1990, the local government of Tibet allocated 500,000 yuan to print the Gangyur of Lhasa edition; in 1998, Gangyur of Bon Religion was published by Tibetan Classic Publishing House; the committee of Dangyur of Bon Religion was set up in 2003, then with documents collected from monasteries and people in Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan and other Tibetan-inhabited areas, the Dangyur of Bon Religion was published with an investment of 500,000 yuan and then the Dangyur of Buddhism which was firstly carved and printed in Lhasa was came out...

By far, there are more than 60 traditional Buddhism scriptures printing houses in Tibet, the annual printing capacity reaches 63,000 types. The skill of publishing has been gradually improved and refined while remaining original characteristic on the march. It meets the great demands of normal religionary activities and the masses religion believers.

Publication of Tibetan books strides forward

Over the last 40 years, the publication of Tibetan books has received a leap-forward development in many aspects. Firstly, the main body has changed to all the normal Tibetan masses. Secondly, the connotation has taken significant changes to reflect the life of Tibetans and development of society. Thirdly, it has become more modern, world-oriented and comprehensive.

Since 1971, when the Tibetan People's Publishing House was set up, dozens of books concerning traditional Tibetan Buddhism of different sects, have been published. For instance, there are more than 70 copies of Epic of King Gesar, the longest epic in the world, with some three million volumes available by now. Book about Tibetan medicine published by the Tibetan People's Publishing House takes up a large proportion with 70 per cent of the total Tibetan publication.

In 1989, the Tibetan Classic Publishing House was established to be responsible for collecting, arranging and publishing classics. Till now, the Tibetan Classic Publishing Houses has published 8,260 types of Tibetan books together with the Tibetan People's Publishing House.

Nowadays, the publication of Tibetan book is enjoying a surge with 20 per cent annually.

The number of newspapers in Tibet has augmented from 18 in 2002 to current 23, among which Tibetan newspapers occupy 10 while newspapers in Chinese are 13. It covers a wide range from current news, Tibetan literature, medicine, art, education, policy, religion and so on, and some of them can be available free of charge.

Statistics indicates 55.5 million newspapers were published alone in 2007, delivering double-digit growth for two consecutive years. People working in this field become more powerful, by far, there are more than 900 people worked for Tibet's publication industry, among which Tibetan people account for 67 per cent, Han nationality accounts for 30 while people of other ethnic minorities takes up 3 per cent.

Besides, the audio-visual publishing is becoming more influential in recent years. Audio-visual product with Tibetan characteristic gains recognition across the countries and the Tibetan music is also becoming more popular.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081226_445207.htm

Tibet University witnesses to development of TAR education

2008-11-12 14:34:00

The modern campus of Tibet University, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

Fang Lingmin(M), president of Tibet University, is introducing the development history of Tibet University, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

Students are having computer lessons, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

Students are learning traditional folk dance in the bright dancing room class, photo from CTIC by Shi Yuandao.

Tibet University in Lhasa, capital city of TAR, could be traced to Tibetan cadres training classes in 1951, then established Tibet University offically in 1985. In the past 30 years with the reform and opening up, Tibet University has developed from a local teacher training school to a comprehensive university. And the area of university has enlarged from less than 300 mu to 3,000 mu.

The government is paying much attention to the education in TAR. From 1952 to 2007, it had invested 22,562 million yuan (including 13,989 million yuan invested in the recent 5 years) to develop the education in TAR, and also sent more than 7,000 teachers from other provinces to Tibet to help improve the teaching level there.

"Without the help of government, Tibet University can't develop so fast. The size of the campus is enlarging, the construction is modernizing and the levels of teachers is improving in recent years. Now there are more than 267 teachers with post-graduate qualifications, accounting for 40% of the total number," Fang Lingmin, president of Tibet University said.

The university has arranged curriculum for graduates specializing in Tibetan language and literature, the history of the Tibetan minority and traditional Tibetan paintings and music. Now Tibet University becomes the largest cradle for researchers in Tibetan Studies.

Fang said:"Our university is helping Tibetan culture develop better and better. The graduates from Tibet University are making contributions in all walks of life in TAR. I feel so proud of them. "

The library of Tibet University, photo from CTIC by Shi Yuandao.

Students are preparing for the debate contest, photo from CTIC by Shi Yuandao.

The book inquiry system of Tibet University library, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

A slogan in Tibet University library, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

The Tibetan books in Tibet University library, photo from CTIC by Shijian.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081112_437945.htm

'Zhongkun love scholarship' set in Tibet University

2008-12-03 13:56:00

The donation ceremony of "Zhongkun love scholarship" was held in Tibet University of Lhasa with Losang Gyaltsen, minister of United Front Department and member of TAR party standing committee attending.

Beijing Zhongkun Group Co. Ltd. invested 1 million yuan for "Zhongkun love scholarship" to help more Tibetan poor students for further study and their daily life.

At the same time, Lobsang Gyaincain expressed his hope that all the aided students should study harder to make their contributions to the country.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081203_441285.htm

Tibetan graduates from CSU to serve hometowns

2008-12-09 10:44:00

Almost all the Tibetan graduates from Central South University find good jobs in hometown reaching 100 percent full employment rate for two years in a row.

Kelzang Tsering as well as other three Tibetan graduates introduced their job experience and life in hometown by long-range video, to encourage more minority students to make contributions to their hometowns.

There are 2,349 minority students from 39 ethnic groups in Central South University, including 132 students from Uygur autonomous region and 56 from TAR. Many special policies, such as scholarship, special classes of English and advanced mathematics, are available for minority students.

When minority students are sophomores, they will have career guidance lessons to know more about employment situation and make their own career plans.

It was the supports from schools and local governments that help more and more graduates find proper jobs successfully.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081209_442122.htm

123 college students funded in Nyemo county

2008-12-31 09:59:00

Local government donates 374,640 yuan for 123 college students in Nyemo county.

Nyemo County increases the infrastructure investment to improve conditions of education for students and calls for Tibetans to finish junior high school to cast off poverty, to finish high school to become rich and to graduate from university to live a comfortable life.

Grodro said:"Many thanks for the help from our government which ensures me to go to univeristy without worrying about the expensive tuition. I will study hard and make contributions to my hometown. "

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081231_445872.htm

Tibet's education investment reaches 22 billion since China's reform

2008-12-28 14:00:00

The central government's investment for education in Tibet Autonomous Region, southwestern China, is on the increase ever since China's reform and opening-up. Education investment in Tibet since 1978 has reached more than 22 billion yuan and a total of 2.728 billion yuan has already been allocated in the first 9 months this year.

The government's financial support guarantees the people's right of receiving education, said Yu Xiangqin, head of the Basic Education Office of Tibet Education Department.

Since 1985, free food, clothing and accommodation have been provided for rural Tibetan students in Tibetan primary and middle schools, and the standard is keeping increasing.

Condition for primary and middle schools also represent a great improvement from experimental equipment, library capacity to desks and chairs.

Education of Tibet is heading to the best period in the history, said Yu Xiangqin.

Statistics indicates enrollment rate for school-age primary and middle school students have respectively risen to 98.5% and 92.2%, 7 and 31 percentage higher than that of five years ago, and the enrollment rate in senior high school has also increased from 5.3% in 1978 to current 51.2%.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081228_445408.htm

Historical leap achieved in education of TAR

2008-12-05 11:23:00

Pupils are doing their homework in the classroom of Baiding primary school in Chengguan District of Lhasa, photo from tibetdaily.

Since reform and opening up, population coverage rate of "Six Years Compulsory Education" reaches 100%, children accept, population coverage rate of "Nine Years Compulsory Education" is up to 96%, and the enrollment rate of primary school-age children also reaches 98.5%.

The figures show that historical leap has been achieved in education of TAR.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081205_441633.htm

Schools hold performances to welcome New Year

2008-12-31 10:53:00

Students are dancing in TAR National Arts Gallery, photo from Lhasa Evenings.

A great students' performances sponsored by Chengguan District Education and Sports Bureau was held to celebrate the New Year's Day on Dec 27 with the theme of 'motherland in my heart'.

Students from primary and middle schools of Chengguan district showed their talents in dancing, singing and reading poetries.

Dampa Rgyatso, secretary of the Communist Youth League in Chengguan District Education and Sports Bureau, highly praised the performances and he said that the performance could show students' vigorous spirits and great changes of education in Chengguan District in past 30 years.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081231_445901.htm

Talent pool for Tibet

2008-10-28 09:13:00

Over the past half century, the Tibet Nationalities Institute, the first university especially built for Tibetans, has trained more than 30,000 people and greatly contributed to the region's development.

FUTURE LEADERS Zhenni (left) from Dongga Town in Duilong-Deqing County and Cixi (right) from Bomi County read in the library of the Tibet Nationalities Institute

In 1960, Tenzin, 13, was a poor lama in an ancient temple in the grasslands of north Tibet. That year, he walked for nearly 3,000 km to the Tibet Nationalities Institute, where he enrolled.

His classmates ranged from 12 to late 30s in age, some from poor families, others lamas like himself and others county leaders. Some students had enough education to take university courses, while others were starting from primary school textbooks.

Tenzin couldn't speak Mandarin when he entered the school, but with the help of his teachers he progressed well and graduated, going on to Fudan University in Shanghai where he majored in journalism. On leaving university he worked as a reporter for Tibet Daily, and later became a senior leader of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

I was a young lama in north Tibet. The Tibet Nationalities Institute was an important stop in my life and was the starting point of my career, Tenzin recalled. Although I was not a top student in my alma mater, and did not contribute much to her, I have always had a deep feeling for the school, like children feel for their mother.

The Tibet Nationalities Institute was the first school set up by the Chinese Government in Tibet Autonomous Region and its establishment marked the beginning of college education in the region. On October 5, 2008, the school hosted a grand celebration for its 50th anniversary.

Serving Tibet

To train local cadres in Tibet, the Chinese Government officially opened a Tibetan Public School in Xianyang, Shaanxi Province on September 15, 1958, and brought young Tibetan cadres in. On July 1, 1965, the school moved and changed its name to the Tibet Nationalities Institute.

Nearly half of the students of the institute came from Tibet, and went to work in the region after graduation. Many of its 30,000 plus graduates have become leaders at various levels of the Tibetan Government.

Serving Tibet has always been the school's mission. For half a century, it has tailored its education programs to the needs of Tibet. In September 1959, the Tibetan Public School launched its first college-level course in the Tibetan language.

Since 1960, the school has expanded its scope of study to include education, health, agriculture, animal husbandry, veterinarian science, accounting and post and telecommunications. In 1963, the school set up several departments and its courses became more specialized.

After China's reform and opening up in the late 1970s, the school further adjusted its education and organizational structure. In 1977, the school recruited its first batch of bachelor's degree students, who majored in the Tibetan language. The first group of bachelor degree students majoring in Chinese entered the school in 1979.

Life changing

Today, the Tibet Nationalities Institute is a comprehensive university that offers a wide spectrum of courses in science, liberal arts, economics, management, law, medical science and education. It has seven colleges and three departments, offering six master's degree programs, 31 bachelor's degree programs and some two-year vocational education programs, and has a total full-time enrollment of about 10,000 students.

According to Di Fangyao, Director of the Information Office of the Tibet Nationalities Institute, Tibetan students now account for about 47 percent of the total enrollment. Most Tibetan students are from rural areas and are not rich. Their average annual tuition is about 3,000 yuan ($439), which is about half of the national average. Tibetans and students of other ethnic groups mingle in the same classes.

As the education Tibetan students have received before entering the institute varies and is generally not as good as students from other regions, courses at different levels are offered to students in the same grade to accommodate for their specific needs. For instance, English is taught at four levels, and advanced mathematics at three levels.

In addition to standard university textbooks, the school has compiled a series of textbooks and other teaching materials especially for Tibetan students, covering areas such as Tibetan history, Tibetan language, plateau medical science and traditional Tibetan sports.

School resources

At the inception of the school, the teachers and cadres were former PLA solders who once worked in Tibet and fresh graduates of universities in other parts of China. Later, some graduates of the institute were chosen to stay and teach, and the school also had faculty and staff sent from other areas. Since China's reform and opening up, the school has given incentives to attract high caliber people to work there.

In 2003, the Ministry of Education designated five famous universities including Fudan University, Zhongshan University, Xiamen University, Tianjin University and East China Normal University to assist the Tibet Nationalities Institute. In 2007, four more universities were asked to give a helping hand, including Renmin University of China, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Xi'an Jiaotong University and Southeast University.

Now, the faculty of the Tibet Nationalities Institute has better education and professional qualifications. A total of 20 teachers hold doctor's degree, and 163 hold master's degrees. Together, they account for 38 percent of the total. Nine faculty members are professors, accounting for 4 percent of the total, and 114 are associate professors, accounting for 24 percent of the total.

The school has a library covering a total area of 14,821 square meters. The library has two parts, a 4,404-square-meter old section built in 1986 and a 10,417-square-meter new section built in 2005. The library is equipped with an advanced door access system, computer control center and data processing center. The library has 13 reading rooms and research room for experts, with a total of 2,500 seats.

The library holds more than 100 volumes of books or documents, 80 percent of which are hard copies, and the remaining 20 percent are electronic copies.

In the past half a century, the library has emphasized collecting material on Tibetology and ethnic literature and now it has a rich collection in these areas. In 1992, the library set up the Tibetology Information and Document Center to support teaching and research in this area. Now the center stores more than 20,000 volumes of books on Tibetology, of which more than 16,000 are in the Tibetan language, and more than 6,700 are in Mandarin.

Liu Hongshun, President of the Tibet Nationalities Institute is very confident about the future of his school. He said that Tibet has adopted a strategy to boost development through science and technology and through talented people. Human resources are key to economic and social development in Tibet. As the oldest institute of higher learning established for Tibetans, the Tibet Nationalities Institute must shoulder the responsibility of producing talented people who can further the development of Tibet.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200810/t20081028_434789.htm

Ethnic cadres, principal part of cadres in Tibet

2008-11-04 13:43:00

"Tibetan and other ethnic cadres takes up most part of cadres in Tibet to perform their basic rights," said Gewang, deputy director of Education, Culture and Sanitation Committee of TAR People's Congress Committee on the afternoon of November 3 when met with a four-member delegation led by a representative with the Commonwealth of Australia Michael Johnson.

Gewang says the leading posts such as chairman of TAR People's Government undertakes by Tibetans since the foundation of Tibet Autonomous Region and statistics show that over 87.5 per cent cadres and 69.23 per cent of commissioners in regional level are Tibetans or other ethnic people while a group of Tibetans or other ethnic citizens have taken part in the management of national affairs.

Invited by the Chinese government, Michale Johnson, a councilor from Australia arrived in Lhasa on November 2 for a four-day visit. As scheduled, they will leave Lhasa on November 5 after visting some famous scenic spots and meeting with related local officials and people.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081104_436335.htm

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Tibetan knives shine life

2008-12-11 15:51:00

The plaque of "Tibetan Knife Processing Cooperation", photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The Kaga Tibetan Knife, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Duoluo and his shop, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The Kaga Tibetan Knife workshop, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Duoluo, a knifesmith of Kaga Village, Xietongmen County, Xigaze Prefecture, has become the No. 1 rich man in his village by making Tibetan knives. He earns more than 70,000 yuan every year by this skill and his two son(s) who make knives with him can get 50,000 yuan and 30,000 annually.

Nowadays, in Xietongmen County, 52 people of 28 households make Kaga Tibetan Knife and 10 families have exquisite skills. Each household can earn more than 100,000 annually.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081211_442570.htm

Development of Tibetan traditional sports

2008-12-29 15:46:00

A fresco of Potala Palace is showing men with "nine skills" including horseracing, archery, wrestling, carrying stones ect. in 17th century, photo from Tibetdaily.

5,000 years ago, there were human beings living on the Tibetan plateau. Those founded frescos about horseracing, wrestling and archery could show Tibetan's sports activities in ancient times vividly.

Using sharp stones to hunt or work by Tibetan ancestors was the basic condition of developing Tibetan traditional sports. Tibet's traditional sports are the products of the region's particular natural environment and customs.

Tubo Kingdom made great contributions in developing Tibetan culture. Since 7th century AD, horseracing, tug of war, horsemanship, wrestling, yak race, Tibetan Go game and acrobatics became popular on the Tibetan plateau. Army always held many kinds of sports activities to select the strong soldiers.

Yuthok Yonten Gonpo, a famous Tibetan medical scientist in 8th century, had said movement was the essence of life in his book 'The Four-Volume Medical Code' which mainly talked about health care methods by qigong, sports and others.

During the fifth Dalai Lama period, all the male Tibetan should have "nine skills" with 6 sports skills such as archery, long jump, running, swimming, wrestling and rock lifting.

In the 18th century, Tibet's traditional sports held on festivals, rallies, or other ceremonies had been popularized in rural and pastoral areas with more and more female Tibetans joining in. Besides, male Tibetans should have not only "nine skills" but also 30 craftwork skills as well as nine dances.

The first Tibetan Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Meeting including 7 traditional sports games and 21 performance games was held in 1989 with 80 percent herdsmen athletes attending.

Nowadays, mountaineering has become another popular leading sport game in TAR.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081229_445595.htm

Xiawu Tsering-big shot of Regong art

2008-12-10 15:42:00

Notes: Thangka, a kind of religionary scroll painting framed in cloth or silk with various religious functions, is regarded as a masterpiece of Tibetan culture. As one of the forms of Regong art, it is widely used in palaces, monasteries and temples in Tibet, bearing the features of Tibetan religion, folk custom and culture.

Nowadays, Thangka has become a hot cultural as well as religionary collection around the world. With years-long history, the skill and secret of making Thangka has been passing down by generations, and even become more eximious. People who are engaged in making Thangka, range from the youth to the elder and it is nowadays having a tendency to involve more young people.

With the joint efforts from the youth and the elder, the art of Thangka painting is bringing out a new feature. In the following few days, we'd like to introduce some representatives Thangka artists in China.

Xiawu Tsering-big shot of Regong art

The deceased Xiawu Tsering, born in 1921, a Tu nationality, fairly claims to be a "big shot" in traditional Regong art of Tibetan Buddhism. In his 70-plus years, he has finished more than one thousand pieces of colorful paintings of Buddha and many of them are still kept in noted monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism.

Xiawu Tsering began his painting career at his seven in Wutushang Village, one of the birthplaces of Regong art, in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province. He has studied in the Kumbum Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Qinghai Province, for six years with his teacher. Many of the paintings in the Kumbum Monasery were made by them.

He once followed the step of China's famous Chinese painting master Zhang Daqian to study painting and copying from fresco in Dunhuang of Gansu Province, which enriched his knowledge and enabled him to better understand the soul of religionary painting for both Tibetan and Han styles.

After his graduation at his 23, Xiawu Tsering started touring the monasteries in China's Tibetan-inhabited areas, such as Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces.

The painting works of Xiawu Tsering are imbued with a special artistic style of his own, absorbing different piths from different regions. His Thangka works enjoy a wide popularity and praises from all over China and even foreign counties. Some of them are collected in the Potala Palace, Kumbum Monastery, National Art Museum of China and some art galleries in the USA, Japan, India, Nepal and other foreign territories.

His works, "Life of Sakyamuni", "Figure of the Goddess of Avalokiteshvara", "Figure of the Buddha of Light","Eight-horse Mammon" and so on, were highly valued by domestic and foreign experts as "rarity of Chinese folk art" and "miracle in Qinghai-Tibet Highland", when being displayed in many Chinese cities and southeastern Asia countries.

In April 1988, Xiawu Tsering was awarded as "Master of Chinese Arts and Crafts". With endeavors of all his life, he has produced a breakthrough progress of Tibetan traditional Regong art.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081210_442359.htm

Lhasa Beer Co., Ltd - the highest beer company in the world

2008-11-10 14:32:00

Norbu Tsering (R1) is introducing the working process, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

The workshop, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

The pipeline, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

The medals, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

A roboticized control system, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

"Tibetans drank highland barley wine before, but nowaday Tibetan young people, even those in remote rural areas, would like to drink the beer from our company," said Norbu Tsering, vice manager of Lhasa Beer Co., Ltd when he had an interview from China Tibet Information Center on November 9.

Built in 1989, Lhasa Beer Co., Ltd is the largest sino-foreign joint venture in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Paying attention to high technology, the company produced high-land barley beer in 2002, which won the 1st Scientific and Technological Progress Prize of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

"We have taken roboticized control system in our working process and we have introduced the world class equipment, " said Norbu Tsering, "Our annual annual production capacity has reached 150,000 tons and in 2007, the total sales reached over 200 million yuan."

Besides, Lhasa Beer Co., Ltd focuses on protecting the environment. In 2001, the company built an advanced as well as the 1st waste water treatment project of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which cost 3.3 million yuan.

(1 USD equals about 6.83 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081110_437532.htm

Tibet's Shenglu company favors rural people

2008-11-12 16:07:00

The factory, photo by Liu Shiyu from China Tibet Information Center.

Board chairman Dasang Dondrup is introducing the company's brands, photo by Liu Shiyu from China Tibet Information Center.

Edible oil products, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Establised on July 1, 2003, the Tibet Shenglu Agriculture Co., Ltd is the only organic food industrial park of the Tibet Autonomous Region and it has benefited the local rural people a lot. Having been renamed as Tibet Shenglu Characteristic Industry Co., Ltd, up to now the company has achieved total assets of 162 million yuan.

Invested by the government, state-owned enterprises and individual enterprises, the company currently focuses on producing edible oil of top grade, foodstuff for Tibetan yaks and Tibetan sheep, and manure for flowers and lawns. Besides winning "China's Resound Brand" in 2008, the company has achieved product quality certifications from both Japan and the European Union (EU).

According to Dasang Dondrup, board chairman of the company, the company has never forgotten its social responsibility while developing itself. Up to now, the company has donated over 2.21 million yuan to the society and has brought about over 100 employment opportunities for the rural people. 85% of the employees are from rural families, 55% of whom are from needy families. These people can earn 18,000-42,000 yuan annually.

In addition, the company has added over 16 million yuan for local people by purchasing the rural people's rapeseeds and peaches with higher prices, which is 55% and 85% higher than the market prices separately. Take peaches for example, the purchase price of the company doubles that price if the rural people sell peaches to Gansu Province or Shaanxi Provice. It is estimated that the company's development will benefit 500,000 rural people.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081112_437961.htm

Gampa County: Mineral water enters world market

2008-11-27 14:36:00

Staff workers from Chorten Nyima Mineral Water Company are packing mineral water, photo by Wang Xubin from Tibet Daily.

Mineral water from Gampa County of Xigaze Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, has been selling well and the products have gone abroad.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081127_440329.htm

Rural industry develops in Xigaze

2008-12-05 09:43:00

Highland Barley Wine from Xigaze sells well in Lhasa, photo from Tibet Daily.

Since the beginning of this year, Xigaze Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region has taken measures to boost its rural industry, which benefits the local economy.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081205_441632.htm

Lhoka Prefecture develops

2008-12-23 13:45:00

Losang Tsering, Party Secretary of Lhoka Prefecture, visits the local people, photo from Tibet Daily.

Zhao Xianzhong, an official of Lhoka Prefecture, comes to know about the ethnic handicrafts, photo from Tibet Daily.

A modern chicken farm, photo from Tibet Daily.

Zedang Town of Lhoka Prefecture, photo from Tibet Daily.

Houses built 30 years ago, photo from Tibet Daily.

A newly-built two-storey building, photo from Tibet Daily.

In the past 30 years since China's reform and opening up, the Lhoka Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region has developed rapidly. The local people's life has been improved and great changes have taken place in both urban and rural areas.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081223_444642.htm

Encouragement and incentive for local entrepreneurs

and helping to develop traditional talents in villages

Workmanship brings income

2008-11-14 13:17:00

Kelzang (L2), a rural man from Junpa Village of Quxu County, is selling his hand-made products, photo from Tibet Daily.

In Junpa Village of Quxu County, Lhasa, leather processing has become a traditional industry. 70% of the families in the village make horseback bags, small cowskin boats, tea bags and etc. and their products are popular among tourists.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081114_438280.htm

(69)Phur Tshe: Ethnic craftmanship makes me rich

2008-12-10 13:31:00

Phur Tshe shows his finished leather goods, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

The elegant leather goods made by Phur Tshe, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Phur Tshe smiles when talking about how to make leather boots, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Workers are learning how to make leather goods, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Phur Tshe's family can earn 40,000 yuan every year by making leather goods in Tibetan style. His products attracted many people on the Xigaze Trade Fair for their practicality and beauty.

In Phur Tshe's factory, several workers were working on leather boots. "The government invested more than 80,000 yuan to build the factory for us," said Phur Tshe.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081210_442288.htm

Butter from Sangsang town hot in Lhasa

2008-12-09 10:23:00

Butter from Sangsang town sells well in Lhasa, photo from Tibet Daily.

In the Tibet Autonomous Region, butter from Sangsang Town, Ngamring County of Xigaze Prefecture, is popular among the region for its fine quality and taste.

Tashi Dorje, a rural businessman from Sangsang town, has been selling butter for more than 6 years. Every year he brought butter, milk and etc. to places such as Lhasa, Xigaze, Lhoka, which has won great success. "As the local people in Lhasa pay more and more attention to the quality of butter, the 20 bags of butter and milk that I took from my hometown has sold out in a few days," Tashi Dorje told the reporter.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081209_441999.htm

Tibetan handmade mobile phone covers sell well

2008-12-10 16:11:00

A handicraftsman of Jedeshol National Handicraft Factory is showing her mobile phone cover, photo from chinatibetnews.

Jedeshol National Handicraft Factory in Lhoka Prefecture produces more and more new kinds of handicrafts to satisfy the market demands.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081210_442369.htm

(68)Tashi: Former serf, now hotel boss

www.chinaview.cn 2008-11-26 14:33:51

BEIJING, Nov.26 -- As a serf in old Tibet, Tashi, a 68-year-old Tibetan man in Lhoka Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, has now become the boss of Tashi Hotel.

Besides enjoying the sunset and stars, tourists can see mountains covered with snow in the clean Tashi Hotel though it is a bit simple because it has no TVs or lavatorys.

"My hotel runs well and I feel satisfied with my present life," Tashi said.

When the journalists left Tashi's house, construction of a row of new houses were finished in front of Tashi Hotel. That was a secret of elder Tashi: He wants to enlarge the hotel.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/26/content_10415364.htm

1st farmerhouse bookstore set up in TAR

2008-12-04 14:22:00

The first farmerhouse bookstore was set up in Sangmo village of Tohlung Dechen with Dawa Tsering, secretary of Party branch attending.

This farmerhouse bookstore owns a total of 1,284 books, 35 periodicals, 8 kinds of audio and video tapes about cultivation knowledge, science and technology.

Dawa Tsering said farmerhouse bookstore is a good way to carry out education about policies and rules of law for farmers and herdsmen in TAR, and to help them learn the skills to get rich.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081204_441477.htm

(72)

Trupgyi: The government helps me get rich

2008-12-01 10:50:00

Trupgyi and his wife, daughter, and grandson, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

Baby pigs just 14 days after birth, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

The grinding machine, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

Hada for tap the water pipe, photo by Shi Yuandao from China Tibet Information Center.

When talking about this to the Women's Federation of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), who helps the Tajie Town, Trupgyi said happily: "Thanks for the support from the government."

"When launch work for poverty alleviation, we had visited 160 families, held about 150 colloquia of villager representatatives and sent out over 2,000 questionnaires," said Qujue, an official in charge of the poverty alleviation of Tajie Town, "We prefer to making the rural people really benefit from our work."

Links: Tibet Women's Federation helps rural people

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081201_440855.htm

'Weaving star' shines

2008-12-01 16:05:00

Weaving bamboo baskets, photo from Tibet Daily.

Dekyi, a 41-year-old Tibetan woman from Moinba ethnic minority of the Tibet Autonomous Region, has been very busy as the products her family makes are so popular that demand exceeds supply. Her hometown, Leibugou beauty spot in Lhoka Prefecture is famous for its bamboo products.

Dekyi's family can earn more than 5,000 yuan by selling bamboo products and there are 30 local people who do such work, which increases more than 12,000 yuan.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081201_440911.htm

(62)

Rural people get rich by doing other jobs

2008-12-09 13:28:00

Phurbu, a villager from Rinbung county of Xigaze Prefecture, is making stone materials for building houses, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Dawa, a villager from Rinbung county of Xigaze Prefecture, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Dawa's wife is weaving pulu, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Nyima, head of Caba Town Building Team of Rinbung county, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Nyima's sitting room, photo from China Tibet Information Center.

Rural people in Rinbung county of Xigaze Prefecture, the Tibet Autonomous Region, have become rich by doing other jobs such as painting, building houses and etc. besides doing traditional rural work.

Phurbu, a neighbour of Dawa, is decorating his new house, which is at the value of 120,000 yuan. Most of the money was earned by working outside.

Data shows that in 2008, 4,113 people have been trained in the county to learn skills. Up to the end of October, 2008, 15,005 people in the county have been working outside by labor exports and have earned 32.3943 million yuan. The per capita income is 2,158.9 yuan.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081209_442092.htm

Cordyceps sinensis in Tibet meets price fall

2008-12-31 10:12:00

Rural people who are looking for cordyceps sinensis, photo from chinatibetnews.com.

The cordyceps sinensis gathered in a day, photo from chinatibetnews.com.

In 2008, the cordyceps sinensis in the Tibet Autonomous Region meets price fall as the region supplies more cordyceps sinensis due to suitable weather for it to grow.

In Lhasa, the price for such product is 30% more lower than that in previous years, sources from Lhasa Tourism Bureau.

Dubbed as "soft gold", cordyceps sinensis is a kind of precious Chinese traditional medicine which can only be found in places with an altitude from 2,800 to 5,400 meters.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081231_445862.htm

It is time to shop

2008-12-02 09:53:00

Repa dance is shown in the Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, December 1st.

A farmer from Comai County of Lhoka Prefecture is selecting a truck in the Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, December 1st.

Tenzin Wangmu (M), farmer from Comai County of Lhoka Prefecture, is buying chemar (a box containing Tsampa) with her family members, December 1st.

On December 1st, Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, which aims to boost Lhoka's economic growth, was held in Nedong County with dozens of farm and sideline products, folk handcrafts and commodities on show.

Pasang from Chanang County of Lhoka sells home-made pulu (woolen fabric) in the Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, December 1st.

Yangci from Nedong County smiles with a cap on his head in the Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, December 1st.

Two Tibetan women are shopping in the Lhoka Yarlung Material & Culture Exchange Festival, December 1st.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081202_440994.htm

Sime Wangmo: Training changes Tibetan shepherd girl's fate

2008-12-03 10:24:00

Two Tibetan girls are smiling at the training center, photo from CTIC.

Those girls are paying much attention to the teacher's actions carefully, photo from CTIC.

Tibetan girls are practising skills of restaurant management, photo from CTIC.

Sime Wangmo, 21 years old, was born in a poor family of Phentok village in Lhunzhub County. She had to drop out of high school two years ago to reduce parents' burden of affording four children to go to school at the same time.

In October, she got a piece of good news that she and her sister could participate in the skill training class held in Dagze County with free tuition and accommodation fees.

TAR Women's Federation used 84,000 yuan funds from Poverty Alleviation Office to hold a 45-day training course about catering and hotel services for Tibetan women. There were more than 130 students participating in this training class. At the same time, TAR Women's Federation will also recommend proper jobs for all the students after the training to help them increase income and change their family status.

Sime Wangmo enjoyed the life in this training class. She said: "Everyday we begin classes from 10 o'clock to 13 o'clock in the morning, and from 15:30 to 17:30 in the afternoon. What we are learning is not only the content about catering, hotel services skills, but also the patriotism education, the basic knowledge about women's healthcare, and the law about labor contract."

After the training, Sime Wangmo and her classmates received the vocational skills certificates. And 4 students had been employed by a Beijing company and other 12 students had signed contracts with a Lhasa company.

Sime Wangmo expressed her new dream, she said:"My hometown, Phentok village, is quite a beautiful place. There are many cultural relics as Razheng Monastery. I will learn the knowledge about catering, hotel management harder and open my own hotel to develop the tourism in my hometown ."

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081203_441295.htm

Tie the knot thanks to new Tibet

2008-11-26 15:41:00

In the old Tibet, it was almost inaccessible for an ironsmith to marry someone who was born in a well-known Tibetan incense manufacture family. At that time, the ironsmith was looked down upon as they were doing a "low-grade" job while Tibetan incense manufacturers belonged to distingue businessmen. Howbeit, Dawa, who was born in an ironsmith family, makes it in the new Tibet.

Dawa's father died before he came into the world and his mother also passed away when he was six. His childhood was bitter and lonely as he received cold shoulder wherever he went and didn't have any friend to play with. In the old Tibet, the ironsmith lived in the lower class of the society and it was said that the bone of ironsmith was black.

Dawa has two brothers who married at their forty because of lower social status. Given that, he set up a strong mind never to be an ironsmith. Howbeit, things have changed and turned into a situation he has never imagined before.

With the in-depth reform and opening-up policy in China, people have made a clean break with old ideas and thought. The ironsmith can not be considered as lower-class worker and their jobs are no longer a barrier for love and marriage.

The abandon of old ideas and thought have brought a great change to Dawa's family and their social status has greatly improved. He then opened a shop selling ironworks in Lhasa, where he fell in love with his current wife Zhazhen, whose family manufactures Tibetan incense.

Dawa was in fear and trembling when they decided to release their love to Zhazhen's family. He kept worrying about whether Zhazhen's family will accept him, but the fact was just opposite. Her parent said there was no discrimination in the socialist society.

Now, Dawa is living a happy life in new Tibet while his living condition is improving.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081126_440067.htm

'Tibetan Riddle' to wow Beijing soon

2008-11-27 10:11:00

The famous dancer Yang Liping (L) and the Tibetan singer Gyungdrung Rgyal, answer in the news conference in Beijing, November 26.

Tibetan Riddle turns up in Beijing again, November 26, photos from Xinhua.

The popular choreographer as well as dancer Yang Liping, will again bring the Tibetan Riddle, which receives raves from audiences after 80 performances around the country, back to Beijing on November 26 in the Poly Theater, lasting for five days. Tibetan Riddle is China's first musical dancing performance to display the culture of Tibet in different Tibetan-inhabited areas.

7:30 pm, Nov 26-30

Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie Street

5218-7105, 5218-7109

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081127_440233.htm

Tibetan Riddle again turns up in Beijing

2008-11-21 14:12:00

The acclaimed choreographer Yang Liping, will again bring the Tibetan Riddle, which receives raves from audiences around the country, back to Beijing on November 26 in the Poly Theater.

According to Yang, some actors/actress were absent from the show this time, but indigenous characteristic of Tibetan culture remains.

Xiang Yanghua, who acts an old Tibetan mom, the core role of the performance, can't attend the performance because of her busyness on Tibet's dancing performance. "I really can't squeeze any time since I'm terribly busy. If I had time, I would join in the performance definitely," she said.

Invited by the famous Tibetan singer Gyungdrung Rgyal, this September, Yang began to rehearse the Tibetan Riddle and soon took the spotlight. According to Yang, the Tibetan Riddle Theater was set up in Sichuan Province this year. Howbeit, the resident performance was laid aside because of the May earthquake.

"A resident performance of Tibetan Riddle in Lhasa is much better than circuit, but no one did it," said Yang.

Yang performs two dances in the show. In one scene, she plays a Tibetan Goddess, and in the other, dressed like a man, she performs a powerful number, which is a far cry from her well-known role as the "Princess of Peacock".

Yang first rose to prominence in 1986 after winning a national contest for her peacock dance. She found further success in 2004 when she created a gala show, Dynamic Yunnan, featuring original dance music numbers and the music of ethnic groups from southwest China's Yunnan.

7:30 pm, Nov 26-30

Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie Street

5218-7105, 5218-7109

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081121_439195.htm

Whole China to witness Tibetan music storm

2008-12-05 11:19:00

Nowadays, Tibetan songs can be heard almost everywhere, from those metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, to cities in border-areas like Yunnan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Inner Mongolia. There are also many young people who are interested in Tibetan songs. They may sing some pop Tibetan songs when riding, driving or playing skateboard. In Tibet, the song "I'm coming", sung by Tan Weiwei, has become the hottest MRBT to numerous users of China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC).

"My success mainly owing to those beautiful Tibetan songs", the new-raised pop singer Tan Weiwei said that on her vocal concert in Lhasa." Tibetan culture is flourishing due to its close exchange with others. Thus Tibetan songs becoming more and more popular."

Nowadays, Tibetan songs are full of vitality. Combining with modern musical elements, traditional Tibetan songs attract people around the nation, for their colorful subjects and a close step to the trend of the times. As a matter of fact, their popularity is inspiring many music producers and singers, not only in Tibet, but also in mainland China.

Recently, Tan Weiwei held a vocal concert in Tibet University, Lhasa. She sang several Tibetan songs which were enjoyed by thousands of audience, such as "Colorful Hada", "The way to Lhasa", "The legend of divine eagle" and so on. Local singers including Qiongxue, Dolma, Pasang etc. came to the concert to perform as honored guests. In addition, a number of her fans from Beijing and Chengdu and other places came to Lhasa especially for her concert. Out of the sponsor's expectation, hundreds of Tan Weiwei's Tibetan songs CD sold out quickly before the concert. Many students of Tibet University lined up for her name-signing.

It is no wonder that Tan Weiwei always says that "Tibet is my second hometown. Tibetan songs provide inspirations to my music and performances."

People of this field deemed highly of the popularity of Tibetan songs, for they have rich connotations as well as continuous innovations. In addition, the number of creators and performers is growing quickly.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081205_441578.htm

'Tibetan Riddle' debuts in Zhengzhou

2008-12-07 10:43:00

Yang Liping in her performance, photo by Zhao Peng from Xinhua, December 5.

Passionate actors, photo by Zhao Peng from Xinhua, December 5.

Yang Liping in her performance (L), photo by Zhao Peng from Xinhua, December 5.

Together with actors/actress from Tibetan areas around the country, the popular dancer Yang Liping, performed the "Tibetan Riddle" on December 5 in Henan Arts Center in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province. "Tibetan Riddle" is China's first musical dancing performance to display the culture of Tibet in different Tibetan-inhabited areas.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081207_441745.htm

Greatest show about Tibet: 'The Riddle of Tibet'

2008-12-31 09:45:00

This revival of a variety show-cum-dance drama has so much to offer that anyone who loves Tibetan culture, Buddhism or the "Princess of Peacock" should not miss it. It was Yang Liping's follow-up to her wildly successfully Dynamic Yunnan show.

Yang is arguably China's most important dancer today, and she is not content with making quick money from appearing in television song-and-dance routines. She wants to showcase China's ethnic minorities in their authentic glory. She has done that for her own people from Yunnan, and this time she had done it again for Tibetan culture.

The show tells the story of an old Tibetan lady who takes her sheep on a pilgrimage to a sacred place. The audience follows her journey, which exposes her to the customs and practices of different tribes. The mostly Tibetan performers are full of energy and yet exude soulful and haunting qualities. Yang plays a Tibetan goddess in a solo number, and leads another dance dressed as a man.

"I have been fascinated by Tibetan dance for a long time. Every time I see Tibetans get down on their hands and knees to crawl slowly on a pilgrimage, I feel their every movement is a dance," Yang says.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081231_445869.htm

Traditional Tibetan costumes to be new fashion trend

2008-12-25 11:07:00

Nowadays, traditional Tibetan costumes become a new fashion trend as more and more people fall love with Tibetan costumes.

This is the beautiful traditional Tibetan costume from Derge on the 2007 Beijing Dahongmen International Fashion Festivall, photo from Beijing evenings. A set of traditional Tibetan costumes worthy of more than 10 million yuan have attracted people's attentions on the festival, held on Oct 21, 2007. This Tibetan costume weighed more than 25 kilograms, with 3 belts inlaid precious stones such as corals showing wealth and good fortune.

Miss Wang from Shanghai had visited Tibet for three times and said:"Every time I will buy many traditional Tibetan costumes. I like wearing them on the street in Lhasa. Traditional Tibetan costumes are different from common clothes, because they can always give me the fresh feeling."

Mr Zhang, a worker in Lhasa, said he had collected 3 Tibetan fur jackets. He said:"Tibetan fur jacket is the best clothes to keep warm in winter. Besides, I think it's cool to be like a shepherd."

With the supports from TAR government, Tibetan traditional clothing industry is developing rapidly. Deyang, Tibetan costume shop owner in Lhasa, feels very happy for her booming business in 8 years. "More and more buyers at home and abroad come to order the clothes here. They enjoy the wild, free feeling by wearing the long-sleeved, wide waist and colorful traditional Tibetan costumes," she said.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/sports/200812/t20081225_445049.htm

Gala marks 50th anniversary of TAR Song & Dance Troupe

2008-12-29 10:59:00

Tibetan singer Kelzang Chodron sings in the gala, photo from Xinhua, December 28, 2008.

Men's group dance "Earth Soul", photo from Xinhua, December 28, 2008.

Tibetan folk dance "Heavenly Tibet", photo from Xinhua, December 28, 2008.

Tibetan girls are dancing for the evening gala, photo from Xinhua, December 28, 2008.

On December 28, Lhasa held an evening gala lasting for two hours to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Tibet Autonomous Region Song & Dance Troupe.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081229_445474.htm

Nyemo holds mass Gorchom circle dance to praise China's reform

2008-12-30 13:39:00

Gorchom circle dance, file photo.

A mass Tibetan Gorchom circle dance competition was held in Nyemo County of Tibet Autonomous Region to jubilate the 30th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.

More than a thousand people watched the competition. They exppressed their happiness and thankfulness to the great wise reform, which turned the once poverty-stricken country into one of the world's largest economies, and delivered best wishes to the tomorrow of motherland.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081230_445760.htm

Nanyi Lhoba people keep traditional folk customs

2008-12-31 10:10:00

Lhoba women are dancing, photo from Tibet Business Daily.

A quiet village in Mainling County, photo from Tibet Business Daily.

Lhoba people in traditional costumes, photo from Tibet Business Daily.

A house of Lhoba people, photo from Tibet Business Daily.

In the Mainling County of Nyingchi Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Lhoba ethnic group keeps traditional customs. They often perform ethnic dance and music for big events, which impresses tourists most.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081231_445861.htm

Nyingchi improves locals' cultural life

2008-12-31 09:48:00

People in Geni Village of Bome County are dancing in front of a cultural entertainment room.

With the improving of basic living standard, government of Nyingchi Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, is trying to enrich people's cultural life by setting up 20 cultural entertainment rooms.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081231_445871.htm

Tibetan cultural & Art exhibition rises curtain in Shanghai

2008-12-14 14:19:00

The attending officials are cutting the ribbon on the opening ceremony, photo from CTIC by fanfan.

Raidi, vice-chairman of 10th National People's Congress committee is delivering a speech on the opening ceremony, photo from CTIC by fanfan.

Yao Xiaodu, director of Shanghai United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China is addressing at the opening ceremony, photo from CTIC by fanfan.

Gyari¡¤Losang Tenzin, vice chairman of the TAR Government and China Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture (CAPDTC) is giving a speech on the opening ceremony, photo from CTIC by fanfan.

On December 13, the "Auspicious Hada-Tibetan Cultural & Art Exhibition" rose its curtain in Shanghai East Asia Exhibition Hall after about 2-year preparation with over 1 million yuan investment. Raidi, vice-chairman of 10th National People's Congress committee and some other officials attended the opening ceremony.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081214_443057.htm

Raidi: Supports from around China ensure Tibet's stability

2008-12-19 15:25:00

Raidi, vice-chairman of 10th National People's Congress, visits the Tibetan Culture & Art Tour Exhibition held in Shanghai, photo by Fan Fan from China Tibet Information Center.

Raidi, vice-chairman of 10th National People's Congress, addresses in the opening ceremony of the Tibetan Culture & Art Tour Exhibition in Shanghai, photo by Fan Fan from China Tibet Information Center.

"Without concern from the central government and supports from around the country, Tibet couldn't be as stable and satisfying as it is now," Raidi, vice-chairman of 10th National People's Congress, addressed for the opening ceremony of the Tibetan Culture & Art Tour Exhibition, in Shanghai.

He said it was an exceptional great decision for China to mobilize a nationwide counterpart support toward Tibet's development. Relevant government departments, other provinces, municipalities as well as state-run enterprises, have been asked to aid their counterparts in the region. With huge financial, material and human resources investments, their contributions were proved to be very effective for the progresses of Tibet's politics, culture, society and economy, becoming a force to be reckoned with in improving living standard for people of different ethnic minorities in Tibet Autonomous Region.

Historically, Tibet has once experienced the bloody feudal serfdom society integrating with religion and politics up to the middle of last century. The serfs who take up 95 per cent of the total population in Tibet enjoyed no freedom and were undergone brutal treatment and oppression. They were deprived of schooling at that time. Perennial feudal serfdom of old Tibet has strangled the vital force of the society and led to a downfall and decadence of Tibetan culture, according to Raidi.

Raidi also pointed out that with the establishment of People's Republic of China, especially after China's reform and opening-up, Tibetan culture was infused with hope and vitality. With enormous financial and material investments, protection of Tibetan culture is now facing an unprecedented prosperity.

As the first stop of tour exhibition, 'Auspicious Hada' exhibition is of great significance. Looking back on the last 30 years, politics, culture, society and economy in Tibet have made a big stride forward, which should owe to the altruistic supports from both the central government and people around the countries, Raidi said.

Raidi held that the exhibition aimed to bring a new Tibet with socially stable, ethnic minority united, cultural prosperity and economic leap-forward, to the public, enable more to understand the world-striking changes of Tibet and serve as a platform for Tibetan culture to be known around the world. Besides, the exhibition is also a powerful confutation to so-called "cultural genocide" brought forward by the Daial clique.

At the end of his speech he stressed that he has strong confidence that Tibetan culture will surely receive better as well as greater development and protection under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and support from the public.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081219_444132.htm

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600,000 rural people move in new houses

2008-07-21 11:09:00

Hada scarf for the new house, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, July 18.

A Tibetan woman in her new house, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, July 18.

Walking around the new yard, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, July 18.

The scenery in sight, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, July 18.

Spending 7.022 billion yuan on the housing projects in the past two years, the Tibet Autonomous Region has benefited 114,000 families including 594,000 rural people who have moved into their new houses.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200807/t20080721_413637.htm

Improvements made to Tibetan civilian residential housing

2008-12-01 09:00:00

In recent years, central government has invested a total of 120 million yuan, and has finished renovating 67 dilapidated courtyards in the old part of Lhasa. The total area covers 140 thousand square-meters, and reconstruction has greatly improved the housing conditions of 2,668 households. The per capita dwelling area is now in the upper range of national figures.

According to the Urban Construction Department in Lhasa, this year the government will invest 229 million yuan to reconstruct 12 dilapidated ancient courtyards. 379 households will soon reside in spacious, comfortable new houses with the Tibetan traditional architectural style preserved.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081201_440711.htm

Tibet gives temporary monthly subsidy to low-income families

2008-05-08 11:05:00

The Tibet Autonomous Region began to give a 15 yuan (2 U.S. dollars) temporary monthly subsidy to urban low-income families as of this month to help them meet rising living costs, the local civil affairs authority said on Wednesday.

Those who already receive the minimum urban living allowance will get the subsidy in addition to the monthly allowance of 260 yuan.

A regional civil affairs department official said that 230,000 impoverished rural people, with annual incomes of less than 850 yuan, will get a 10 yuan monthly subsidy in addition to their allowances.

These 230,000 people already receive a yearly allowance of 470 yuan, 290 yuan or 194 yuan, depending on their economic situation.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200805/t20080508_378780.htm

Tibet Women's Federation helps rural people

2008-11-17 16:26:00

The grinding machine donated by TAR Women's Federation, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

Tibetan mom smiles when talking about life's change, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

Chicken sent by TAR Women's Federation have grown up, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

Wang Huiling, Party secretary of TAR Women's Federation, visits the training class, photo by Gu Yu from China Tibet Information Center.

Wang Huiling, Party secretary of the Women's Federation of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Zhou Shiying, chairman of TAR Women's Federation, and other officials visited Tajie Town of Dagze Town in Lhasa on November 13. They donated clothes, food and money to the town.

In the past year, TAR Women's Federation had donated 952,600 yuan to the town in order to improve the local people's life. The aid projects includes: building vaults, donating machines such as grinding machines, donating chicken and their foodstuff, donating medicine, offering training classes, and etc. These measures have helped the local people a lot, which is appreciated by the people in Tajie Town.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081117_438561.htm

Tibet better builds service system for rural people

2008-11-17 10:27:00

The Tibet Autonomous Region has built a complete social service system in rural areas of the region since the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Party Congress, which was held in 1978.

The social service system for the local rural people includes five parts: the social service system for state organs; the social service system for state-owned enterprises; the social service system for cooperation units of towns, the social service system for special cooperation organizations of rural people, and social service system for Party structures of the region.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081117_438520.htm

Tibet rural projects receive 1bln investment

2008-12-23 15:49:00

In 2009, the investment for rural projects in the Tibet Autonomous Region will hit 1 billion yuan for the first time.

Up to now, 400 million yuan have been put in housing projects for rural people, the application of biogas in rural areas, the quality inspection of agricultural products, and animal epidemic prevention, which has achieved great results.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081223_444686.htm

300,000 Tibetan farmers, herders move into new houses

2008-12-28 10:04:00

Another 312,000 farmers and herders from 57,800 families moved from shanty homes into new solid brick houses in Tibet this year under a government-subsidized housing project aimed at improving living conditions.

A view of the new houses in Tibet Autonomous Region. [File photo]

"I only spent 18,000 yuan (2,647 U.S. dollars) on the construction of my new house, and the rest, totaling more than 40,000 yuan, were all granted by the government," Drolkar, a resident of the Yamda Village near Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, said Friday.

Her family recently moved into the new Tibetan-style house with 120-sq-m rooms and a 100-sq-m courtyard.

Likewise, all 208 families in the village moved into new brick houses this year.

The five-year housing project was started in 2006 with a plan to build solid homes for 220,000 families. Once finished, it would mean housing for 80 percent of the region's farmers and herders by the end of 2010.

To date, 860,000 farmers and herders from 170,000 families have moved into the new houses, the government statistics show.

Tibet's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 10.1 percent year-on-year to reach 39.2 billion yuan this year, the 16th year that the plateau region has had double-digit economic growth, said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government, at an economic work conference held earlier this week.

"Farmers and herds people are the beneficiaries of the economic development," he said, citing that per capita net income for them would reach 3,170 yuan, up 13.7 percent year-on-year.

The local government has also been improving electricity, water and transportation facilities to improve living conditions in the countryside, he said.

The housing project was launched also for the sake of ecological conservation in nature reserves and for the health of the farmers and herders, local officials have said.

Health concerns have necessitated the relocation of many farmers and herders. A number of rural residents suffered from Kashin-Beck disease, also known as "big bone disease," a disabling illness of the bones and joints that leads to stunted growth and deformity of the joints. It is widely believed to be linked to local water sources and the natural environment.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081228_445350.htm

Move into new house

2008-12-28 12:07:00

Local dwellers are talking happily in front of their new houses, photo from Chinatibetnews.com.

With the financial support from the local government, five poor Tibetan families in Langjiexue Village of Konggar County in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, have moved into new houses from previous isolated village, where traffic, electricity and water supplies are unaccessible.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200812/t20081228_445389.htm

Lhasa: 84 families move into new houses

2008-10-20 15:36:00

Tibetan old mom Tashi Dekyi receives keys to her new house, photo by Kelzang Dawa from Xinhua, Oct 18.

Dancing for the happy event, photo by Kelzang Dawa from Xinhua, Oct 18.

A ceremony was held on October 18 in Tama village, Chengguan District, Lhasa as 84 families including 268 people in the village have moved into new houses with the help from the local government.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/lifestyle/200810/t20081023_433965.htm

Tibet's Sharpa people enjoy new houses

2008-10-24 10:01:00

New houses of Sharpa people, photo from Tibet Daily.

An old wooden house, photo from Tibet Daily.

Since 2005, 5.56 million yuan has been invested to reconstruct houses for over 300 families in Dinggye town of Xigaze Prefecture, a place where Sharpa people gather. Nowadays, new houses with Sharpa style can be seen in the place.

(1 USD equals about 6.82 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200810/t20081024_434301.htm

Tibet: Building new houses to greet new year

2008-12-10 09:36:00

Rural people are building new houses, photos by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua on December 9 in Gonggar county, Lhoka prefecture.

As the New Year approaches, many rural people in the Tibet Autonomous Region are busy with building new houses in slack season to improve their living condition.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081210_442229.htm

Happy for new houses

2008-12-10 10:43:00

Children of Chengba Village, Sangri Town, Lhoka Prefecture are playing in front of new home, photo by Tenzin from Tibet Daily.

Up to the end of this November, 7,354 rural people of 1,779 households in the Sangri Town, Lhoka Prefecture have moved into new houses with the value of 104,64.27 million yuan because the government has launched housing project in town.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081210_442230.htm

Tibet: Children have fun in winter

2008-12-15 13:26:00

A Tibetan kid in Jieba Village of Lhoka Prefecture is skating, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, December 14.

Children in Jieba Village of Lhoka Prefecture are skating, photo by Phurbu Tashi from Xinhua, December 14.

As it has come into village, children in the Tibet Autonomous Region prefer skating on ice with self-made tools to enjoy their childhood.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081215_443267.htm

Damxung people live better

2008-12-12 13:46:00

Drolkar's new house, photo from Tibet Daily.

The Ningzhong Town of Damxung County, Lhasa has helped 304 husbandry families to raise yaks. 46.6% of the yaks in the town have been sold this year.

For example, Drolkar's family, a household of Palin Village of the town, has earned 260,000 yuan by doing yak business.

(1 USD equals about 6.85 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081212_442716.htm

'Book houses' enter into Tibetan villages

2008-12-12 10:15:00

Villagers from Jieba town, Nedong County, Lhoka Prefecture are reading books in a 'book house', photo from Xinhua, December 11.

Up to now, 20 rural "book houses" in 20 villages of 10 counties have been built with an investment of 400,000 yuan in four places of the Tibet Autonomous Region: Lhasa, Xigaze Prefecture, Nyingchi Prefecture and Chamdo Prefecture. On average, each "book house" has 1,500 books, 30 kinds of magazines, and 100 audio visual products. More than 95% of them are in Tibetan.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200812/t20081212_442660.htm

Tibet to allocate $62 mln for low-cost housing

09:49, March 22, 2008

The government of China's Tibet Autonomous Region plans to allocate 465 million yuan (62 million U.S. dollars) for low-cost housing starting this year to improve living standards, especially for low-income households.

The money will be used to build 4,560 houses, which are to be completed by the end of this year, with floor space totaling 200,000 square meters, said Chen Jin, head of the Tibet construction department.

"Increasing investment in real estate has given people varied choices, such as low-rent houses, apartments, condos and townhouses," Chen said.

The per capita housing space for urban residents stands at 25.5 sq m. The area for farmers and herdsmen has reached 36.4 sq m, compared with 16.8 sq m before 2006, according to statistics from the department.

In a neighborhood in the northern part of Lhasa, Gaesang Namgyae, a company employee, lives with his family in a 160-square-meter two-story house. "My problem is, cleaning the 11 rooms is really tiring," he said.

In the county of Gongbo'Gyamda, Nyingchi, the local authority is carrying out a project to build brick houses for farmers and herdsmen who now live in rundown wood-and-earth structures.

Tibet plans to provide housing for 52,000 farmers and herders this year, as part of a project that began in 2006 to build homes for 220,000 households. The project, once finished, would mean housing for 80 percent of the region's farmers and herders by the end of 2010, Chen said.

Since 2006, the regional government has invested 6.6 billion yuan in the housing project, which benefited 570,000 farmers and herders from 112,000 households.

This year, the government will earmark 676.5 million yuan to help 52,000 farming and herding households move into brick houses or settle down from their nomadic existence.

Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/6378811.html

Tibet: Former serfs live well

2008-04-25 11:16:00

Migmar Dondrup in front of the former Parlha Manor, photo from Xinhua, April 19.

Migmar Dondrup in his new home, photo from Xinhua, April 19.

The place where Migmar Dondrup and his family members slept before, photo from Xinhua, April 19.

The Tibetan children, offspring of former serfs, enjoy compulsory education free of charge, photo from Xinhua, April 19.

The former Nangsan (house slave) house of Parlha Manor, photo from Xinhua, April 19.

The 74-year-old Migmar Dondrup had been a serf for 11 years before the peaceful liberation in 1959 and nowadays he lives happily with his children in a two-story building of 400 square meters.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200804/t20080425_377369.htm

From caves to 'villas'

2008-11-18 13:50:00

A Tibetan elder of Luojue family is watering flowers, photo from Tibet Daily.

Villagers from Zhaburang Village, Zanda County of Ngari Prefecture, in 2004 moved into beautiful houses, which are dubbed as "little villas" by them.

Before 1978, these rural people lived in caves. With the help of the government, in 1978 they moved into the place where Zhaburang village is now located. And nowadays with their hard work as well as the government's help, they enjoy comfortable "villas".

Journalists visited the Luojue family and saw modern electric appliances and Tibetan-style furniture in spacious houses. As the former director of Zhaburang Village Committee who led the villagers to wealth, Luojue said: "My house is nothing important; there are many houses in better conditions in the village."

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081118_438715.htm

Tibet to provide housing for 52,000 farmers, herders in 2008

18:35, January 17, 2008

Tibet plans to provide housing for 52,000 farmers and herders in 2008, said officials at the first plenary session of the 9th People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region.

The project to improve their living conditions began in 2006, when the regional government set a target of building homes for 220,000 households. That would mean housing 80 percent of the region's farmers and herders by the end of 2010.

During the past two years, the regional government spent more than 1.3 billion yuan (179.3 million U.S. dollars) to help farmers move into brick houses from wood-and-earth residences and nomadic herders to settle down.

To date, 570,000 farmers and herders from 112,000 households have taken part in the project. The per capita housing area in Tibet has reached 36.4 square meters against 16.8 sq. m. before the project.

Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/6340343.html

Modernized information service stations established for herdsmen

2008-11-18 10:00:00

Many science and technology information service stations have been set up in Puqu village of Nyingchi county to provide agricultural technology trainings for herdsmen.

These modernized stations are equiped with multi-function players, multi-media computers, waterproof 100W soundposts, 5,000V voltage stabilizers, large-screen LCD televisions, and some related accessories and CDs.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081118_438712.htm

Housing projects benefit Tibet

2008-11-06 09:46:00

Pasang family's old house, photo from Tibet Daily.

Pasang family's new house, photo from Tibet Daily.

The housing projects for rural people in the Tibet Autonomous Region have been implemented since 2006 and many local people have moved into new houses.

"We never expected that we could move into so beautiful houses and we appreciate the government's help," said Pasang, a rural man from Caigongtang town, Chengguan District, Lhasa.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081106_436686.htm

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Tobgye: Our house is not the best one

2008-11-11 14:16:00

Tobgye's house, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

The living room, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Having Tibetan noodles, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Tobgye, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Journalists from China Tibet Information Center have recently interviewed 63-year-old Tobgye, a Tibetan man from Gaba Village, Ngaqen Town, Chengguan District of Lhasa, where the housing project for rural people has just been completed in 2007.

According to Tobgye, the housing project for Gaba Village has benefited 23 households with 640,000 yuan from the government, 970,000 yuan from the local people and 560,000 for the loan.

"Our house is not the best one," said Tobgye, "there are some that are better than ours."

(1 USD equals about 6.82 yuan.)

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081111_437756.htm

Housing projects benefit Tibetan people

2008-11-27 09:46:00

Biancang, a Tibetan mom from Gyangkar Village, Gyangze county, Xigaze Prefecture, is decorating her house with Tibetan carpets, photo from Tibet Daily.

Housing projects in rural areas of the Tibet Autonomous Region have benefited the local Tibetan people a lot and villages have become more tidy.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081127_440236.htm

Jimai yard on Barkor street, Lhasa

2008-11-11 13:04:00

The Jimai yard on Lingkor South Road, No 20, Barkor street, Lhasa, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Tsering Yangdzom couple, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Tsering Yangdzom's mother and her brother, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

The Tsering Yangdzom family's kitchen, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

The Tsering Yangdzom family's living room, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

The grandson's Tibetan homework, photo by Shi Jian from China Tibet Information Center.

Journalists from China Tibet Information Center visited the Jimai yard, which is located at Lingkor Southern Road, No. 20, Barkor street, Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous, on the afternoon of November 9.

Kelzang, Secretary of Habalin Community, where Jimai yard locates, welcomed journalists. "Habalin Community has 508 households and the annual per capita income is about 5,000 yuan. 100 low-income households of the community enjoy subsidy from the government," said Kelzang.

Followed by Kelzang, the journalists visited Tsering Yangdzom in her sixties, who is the posterity of the Jimai family.

According to Tsering Yangdzom, there were farms around the Jimai yard before and nowadays she and her husband live on rural work still. They have 3 sons and 3 daughters. Their sons all work in the city and the boy beside is their grandson.

Tsering Yangdzom' grandson plays naughtily in front of the journalists, ignoring the math homework. When asked if he liked maths, he said, "No, I prefer Tibetan class."

"We spent 1,500 yuan to visit Xigaze last year," said Tsering's daughter-in-law. "This picture was taken in Nyingchi Prefecture. And We have visited many places in the east including Beijing and Shanghai," Tsering's son-in-law added.

"Our mom usually does some housework, looks after the grandson, recites Buddhism sutras and watches TV. She prefers Tibetan TV programs as she could understand them, which makes her know a lot," Tsering Yangdzom's daughter-in-law told journalists about Tsering's daily life.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo/200811/t20081111_437707.htm

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Medical and health care developing fast in TAR

2008-11-10 14:08:00

The clinic of TAR Tibetan medicine hospital, photo from CTIC.

The medical insurance window of TAR Tibetan medicine hospital, photo from CTIC.

Ophthalmic equipments of TAR Tibetan medicine hospital, photo from CTIC.

A doctor of TAR Tibetan medicine hospital is asking patients' conditions, photo from CTIC.

Tibetan medicine hospital witnesses the development of TAR medical and health care in recent years.

Before the refrom and opening-up policy, there were few Tibetan medicine hospitals, and no western medicines at all. With reform going on, more and more health care services have been established. Up to 2007, more than 1,339 medical and health institutions with 10,635 doctors and nurses have been set up. Only from 1998 to 2007, the central government had invested 985 million yuan to TAR for developing the health care cause. The free medical standards for herdsmen has been improved from 5.5 yuan per capita in 1993 to more than 140 yuan per capita in 2008.

Tsering Badro, doctor in clinic of TAR Tibetan medicine hospital said: "Tibetan medicine hospital is popular among herdsmen, mainly for the beneficial medical policy for herdsmen and the low cost Tibetan medicine. "

The Tibetan medicine doctors should be following the medical ethics. Every patient is equal, no matter what their identities, status and physical conditions are. Tsering Badro said over 80 percent patients are Tibetans, some patients from Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnann, and even some from abroad.

The medical equipments in TAR Tibetan medicine hospital are the same as other three-level hospitals'. CT, B-ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and bio-detection technology equipments are all available.

It is for sure that medical and health care in TAR will develop more faster with the support of government.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081110_437530.htm

Tibetans with medicare cards enjoy free medicine

2008-11-13 10:33:00

Three-level medical and health service system has been improved in agricultural and pastoral areas of TAR. Tibetans with medicare cards can get free medicine in hospitals or health stations.

Lhasa has implemented reimbursement policy for out-patients in regular time. However, in Gyangze county of Xigaze, some groups sent by medicare administration will visit local herdsmen to provide reimbursement services each month.

The villagers are satisfied with medical and health service system. Yangdzom, a shop owner of sweet tea house, said: "When I caught a cold, I just need to cost several minutes to health station and then got some free pills or injections there. It's very convenient for local people."

Since "Five-Year Plan", central government has invested 178 million yuan to improve the services of health stations. Part of the county and township's medical institutions are also equipped with Color B-Ultrasonography, X ray machines, microscopes, as well as ambulances. " Our governtment did its efforts to improve the medical conditions for herdsmen, " a related official from Maternal and Child Health Service said.

Tibetans indeed benifited from the developing medical and health service system.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081113_438148.htm

China to take 7th medical subsidy adjustment in rural Tibet

2008-06-01 13:18:00

China is about to adjust the basic medical subsidy for the 7th time this year in Tibet, southwestern China, to rise the medical allowance from 100 yuan per capita to 140 yuan.

With the financial support from the central government, the medical subsidy for farmers and herdsmen in Tibet, has risen from 40 yuan per capita in the early of the 11th Five-Year Plan, to current 100 yuan, after 6 consecutive adjustments.

This year, the subsidy will increase to 140 yuan per capita, among which 105 yuan are allocated from the central government.

The Chinese central government has all along attached great importance to and shown concern about the rural medical security system. On January 1st, 2007, the free medical subsidy in Tibetan farming and pastoral area, has increased from 90 per capita to 100 yuan and the reimbursement system has also been widened to some degree.

By the end of 2007, more than 2.37 million Tibetans have enjoyed the free medical treatment subsidy.

With the increased financial investment and improved health care system, the difficulty in medical treatment in Tibetan rural areas, has been greatly relieved.

Nowadays, our burdens of medical treatment have been eased thanks to the financial support and effective measures from the central government, said Tashi from Doilungdeqen County of Lhasa.

Ever since the 11th Five-Year Plan, a total of more than 630 million yuan, has been allocated to the medical treatment system in the farming and pastoral areas of Tibet.

(1 USD equals about 6.99 yuan)

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200806/t20080601_402953.htm

Health insurance cards clearing medical expenses in Lhasa

2008-11-21 13:11:00

In next March, urban residents of Lhasa could use health insurance cards to pay for medical expenses, without paying in cash or waiting for the expenses claims for two or three months.

All the hospitals and pharmacies will be joined together on the net to develop a morden medical insurance system among counties of TAR.

Chen Dong, deputy director general of Lhasa Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau said:"Using health insurance cards is much more convenient for citizens, who can still get the treatments immediately in hospitals, no matter they have enough cash or not."

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081121_439231.htm

Medical clinic in Lhunzhub County

2008-12-10 15:18:00

A doctor from cooperative medical clinic in Qangga village of Lhunzhub County is checking for a herdsman, photo from chinatibetnews.

People's health status is improving as cooperative medical clinics of pastoral areas are popular among pastoral areas.

A large number of doctors have been sent to the pastoral areas with the support from local government.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081210_442342.htm

2.84 million Tibetans enjoy medical insurance policy

2008-12-19 15:52:00

A female herdsman with her child goes to see the doctor in health station of Xiangmao village in Nagqu, photo from Xinhua.

A comprehensive urban and rural medical security system has been set up in TAR with 2.84 million Tibetans enjoying the basic health care services.

In the past 10 years, the government has invested over 1 billion yuan as free medical expenses for herdsmen in TAR. This year, every herdsmen can enjoy 140 yuan free medical care fund.

At present, people's average life expectancy has increased from 36 years during the beginning of Tibet peaceful liberation period to 67 years, with more and more hospitals and health service stations setting up.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081219_444136.htm

Miners in Lhasa to enjoy injury insurance

2008-11-21 16:08:00

In 2009, more and more workers of mining industry and other construction companies will join in the "Ping An Plan", a special health and injury insurance for workers of risky jobs.

Around 5,000 miners from more than 40 mining enterprises in Maizhokunggar County and Lhunzhub County will enjoy the health and injury insurances, with the help from local government.

More and more enterprises would like to cooperate with the departments of Labor and Social Security by increasing the investments for employees to participate in health and injury insurances.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200811/t20081121_439229.htm

The best safety-net is in China:

In every social welfare home where

Abandoned seniors and orphans live together

Tibetan people enjoy social welfare

2008-11-10 10:08:00

The 73-year-old Migmar Puchi does housework for exercise, photo from Xinhua, Oct 20.

A nursing staff comes back with children, photo from Xinhua, Oct 20.

With the aim of looking after the children and the elders, Gyangze County Welfare House of the Tibet Autonomous Region serves 19 elders and children with fine equipments such as the gymnasium and infirmary. And people there enjoy their life.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/photo1/200811/t20081113_438188.htm

24 million yuan invested to build and repair nursing houses in Lhasa

2008-12-23 16:08:00

Gazong enjoys her life in nursing house in Lhasa, photo from Chinatibetnews.

A project, to build and repair 13 nursing houses in 7 counties of Lhasa, is expected to be completed by the end of June next June with more than 24 million yuan from local government.

Gazong, 76 years old, has been living in Lhasa Chengguan nursing house for 22 years and then remarried with Badro. She said:"My husband cares about me very much. I have the arthritic with hands, so he washes all clothes for me. We feel very happy living here to spend our rest life."

In Lhasa nursing house, there are 32 senior citizens. Coring, who is blind by suffering from glaucoma in 1996 said:" Though I'm blind now, I still remember the days being a waitress in Lhasa committee hotel in 1970. I'm thankful to the government for arranging me here."

Dorje Tsezhu, deputy secretary and mayor of Lhasa municipal committee said: "Next year we will try to improve the living conditions of nursing houses making 1,377 senior lonely citizens have their own new rooms. "

After the completion of building and repairing, the Lhasa Chengguan nursing house will be the best one in southwest areas.

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200812/t20081223_444694.htm

Nearly 30 million RMB invested for children's welfare center

2008-11-17 13:40:00

29.85 million RMB will be used for building children's welfare center in TAR, to provide a better living environment for the orphans.

This newly built welfare center with the total area 11,950 square meters, providing 300 beds for orphans will be put in use in 2010. There are children's activity center, rehabilitation center, logistics center, as well as children living areas available in the welfare center.

During 1970s and 1980s, Tibetan orphans were living with the lonely elderly in social welfare homes. In 1997, five children's welfare centers sponsored by TAR Ministry of Civil Affairs were set up in TAR.

Currently, nearly 900 orphans are adopted by children welfare centers in TAR.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200811/t20081117_438523.htm

Lhasa Special Education School: Heaven for disabled Tibetan children

2008-02-21 13:59:00

Tseten Dekyi, a grade-three student, is receiving language training, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Students are studying braille, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Studnets in junior classes are embroidering, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Students are repairing a sartorius by themselves, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Students are painting on their drawings, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Students are enjoying themselves after lunch, photo from jyb.com.cn.

Founded in October, 1999, Lhasa Special Education School has benefited disabled children a lot in Tibet Autonomous Region.

By cooperating with related schools in Jiangsu Province, the school provides students here with professional teachers and life subsidies supported by the government and the society.

http://eng.tibet.cn/index/news/200802/t20080221_368479.htm

60,000 disabled people in Tibet benefit from rehabilitation services in past five years

2008-09-10 13:03:00

About 60,000 people with disabilities in Tibet Autonomous Region have benefited from rehabilitation services such as prosthetic limbs and sign language training in the past five years, according to the regional disabled persons federation.

The region has set up five auxiliary equipment service stations for the disabled since 2003, said Gong Demin, a Tibet Disabled Persons Federation official.

Xerab Dainzin, 21, lost his right leg in a traffic accident last year. He asked for a new leg from the fitting station in the capital Lhasa. The station cooperates with Handicap International (Belgium) - an international organization which helps with rehabilitation for the disabled.

The station prices each artificial limb at 1,700 yuan (247 U.S. dollars) or below - lower than that in other provinces. If a disabled person has financial difficulties, it will offer an artificial limb for free.

"The station has accepted my application and I will be able to have an artificial limb," said the young man. "The artificial limb is the only hope for me to be no longer a burden of my family."

In addition, since 1999, about 40,000 cataract patients in the region have regained sight after operations, mostly for free, thanks to the joint efforts of the regional government and volunteer medical teams. The cataract rate on the Tibetan plateau is double that of other areas in China.

Most of the rehabilitation projects have been jointly carried out by the regional government and charity organizations from both home and abroad. Some of them are free.

To help the deaf and dumb Tibetans, the region has developed the deaf language in Tibetan and started pilot teaching projects. A hand language dictionary in the Tibetan language has been published.

The region aims to help all the disabled in the region with access to rehabilitation services by 2015, according to the Tibet Disabled Persons Federation.

China has a disabled population of 83 million.