Gaksong Danba, a lama of Xicang Monastery, studies at the Monastery Culture School in Luqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in northwest China's Gansu Province on Feb. 27, 2009. To improve the lamas' educational level, Xicang Monastery has run the culture school since 2007, in which professional teachers are invited to practice bilingual teaching in the Han and Tibetan languages. By now, there have been 30-odd lamas studying there. (Xinhua/ Nie Jianjiang)

Tibetan teacher Gazang Gyamco teaches Tibetan to the lamas at Xicang Monastery Culture School on Feb. 27, 2009. (Xinhua/ Nie Jianjiang)

A lama learns to write Han characters with chalk on a blackboard at Xicang Monastery Culture School.(Xinhua/ Nie Jianjiang)

Lamas are in the class in Xicang Monastery Culture School on Feb. 27, 2009. (Xinhua/ Nie Jianjiang)