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Vehicles run on a crossroad in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2009. The holy city of Lhasa was quiet Saturday, the first anniversary of the riots that killed 18 civilians and a police officer. (Xinhua/Soinam Norbu) |
Few tourists, many pilgrims and little business. The holy city of Lhasa was quiet Saturday, the first anniversary of the riots that killed 18 civilians and a police officer.
Saturday is the 19th day of the Tibetan New Year, not a particular occasion for mass pilgrimages -- which happen on the eighth, 15th and 30th days of every month. But pilgrims are constantly seen, walking clockwise around the Potala Palace and the Porgor Street near the Jokhang Temple.
Most pilgrims wear traditional Tibetan costumes, some sporting a "North Face" or "Columbia" jacket. Most people hold a prayer wheel and beads, while some are accompanied by their pet dogs.
The pilgrims all walk in haste, but look up from time to time to greet their acquaintances and the curious onlookers. "Hello," a toddler on the Porgor Street said smilingly in English. Elderly pilgrims who do not speak Mandarin would smile or wave their hands.
Losang Pempa, 35, arrived at the Jokhang Temple at 8:30 a.m., crawling on a cushion on the ground, praying and kowtowing at its entrance. "I don't pray for any individual person, I pray for the well-being of all the living souls," he said during a break at midday.
The man from Mangkam in Qamdo Prefecture sells sheepskin produced in Ngari to Lhasa in order to support his four children, all of whom are studying at Lhasa schools.
"I come here whenever I have time," he said as he sat up on his cushion. "I kowtow for 2,000 to 2,500 times a day, until I feel hungry and go home."
A group of six tourists from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province followed their guide around the Jokhang Temple and the Porgor Street, listening attentively to the legends about the landmark buildings and Tibet's history. "We arrived only yesterday and still feel a little uncomfortable," said one of them, a man inhis 50s. "So we're not traveling much today."
On Porgor, Lhasa's most famous market street, tourists were few and business was bad -- partly because the tourist rush still hasn't arrived in early spring, when an extreme lack of oxygen makes the least exertion impossible for the lowlanders, and partly because most residents avoided going out, still terrified at last year's tragedy.
Porgor Street was the center of last year's deadly riots, during which many shops were looted and homes, schools and hospitals were torched.
Most shops in the Porgor Street were open Saturday but had few buyers. "I've been here since 8:30 a.m., but haven't sold anything," said a clothing store keeper, who was sitting with three others under the sun and playing mah-jong. "Probably it will get better next month. More tourists will be coming then," said the man, from the central Hubei Province.
The early spring chill and lack of heating drove nearly every shop owner into the street, chatting or playing cards. Women sat on the stone stairs knitting and enjoying the sunshine.
Policemen were seen on every downtown Lhasa street. Occasionally, they stopped a taxi for security checks. "It's for our own safety. We all understand this," said a Tibetan woman who was accompanying her daughter to a weekend English class at a school on the Beijing Road in central Lhasa.
The nine-year-old girl, Purbu Zhoi'ma, was among nearly 100 primary school students who studied English, painting, singing or musical instruments at the weekend school. "My name is Wendy," she said in English.
In the second-floor corridor of the school building, four children were following their teacher to practise violin.
"I got up at 7 to catch the three-hour class," said 10-year-oldGun'gyi.
An avid music fan, Gun'gyi said she began practicing violin at 6. "When I don't feel so high, music always cheers me up," she said.
Like in all major Chinese cities, children in Lhasa are encouraged by their parents to study a music instrument to expand their vision, enrich their life and exploit their special aptitude if there is any.
A few steps from the weekend school is Yishion, the casual wear outlet which rioters set fire to last year killing five young women workers.
Yishion held a mourning ceremony Saturday to mourn the five young women dead in the riots last year. Store manager Tang Qingyan and six employees burned "paper money", incense sticks and lit fireworks on the exposed riverbed of the Lhasa River.
"We are here today, to bring you our best regards," murmured Tang, 41. "May you be happy every day in heaven."
"Together, we'll try to walk out of the shadow soon," he said.
The revamped store looked attractive, with fashionable jackets and jeans. Young, stylish but gloomy-looking sales people, and no shoppers. "No, we don't have anything to say. Don't ask us about the riots, we're all new here," said one of the sales women. "Business is bad as usual."
A group of Chinese reporters, from three or four media organizations, toured the store within 20 minutes. Unable to get any quotes they wanted, they walked out, snapping photos of its facade.
"I desperately hope business will get better soon," said store manager Tang Qingyan over the phone. "Otherwise I will have difficulty paying the employees' salaries."
Yishion currently has two outlets in the city center, employing14 people for an average monthly wage of 1,500 yuan (220 U.S. dollars).
Saturday was the eve of the "spring ploughing ceremony", scheduled for Sunday, the 20th day of the Tibetan new year.
In Kuaidi village on the outskirts of Lhasa, most villagers were sitting outside and chatting. One exception was Tumchug. The 40-year-old Tibetan farmer joined construction workers to build his new home since last Monday.
Tumchug's old home was destroyed in the 6.6-magnitude earthquake hitting Damxung County in October. The government subsidized him 20,000 yuan, one fourth of his 80,000 yuan budget for building his new home, which will be completed in three months. "I feel so grateful," said Tumchug.
Tumchug was instigated into looting shops and damaging public facilities during last year's riots and was detained for 15 days. "I promise I'll be a law-abiding citizen from now on."
More than 1,000 rioters involved in the March 14 riots were set free and 76 were convicted. The regional government has also helped some of the jobless rioters find jobs as security guards this year to maintain social stability.
In the Se Monastery in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in the neighbouring Sichuan Province, Phuma, 70, was holding a prayer wheel around the temple with her grandson.
"I don't feel well these days. Praying makes me much better," she said.
At a stream at the Gu'ergou Town, several Tibetan women were combing their hair and others were enjoying the milky tea on the pasture nearby after five days trek from Machu County, Gansu Province.
"We'll arrive at the Thukchen Monastery in Maerkang County, Sichuan Province, five days later," said Kanglung. "Although pilgrimage is a tough journey, we are excited we will make it."
Although the power was cut off Saturday morning in Kangding, capital of Ganzi Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, a large crowds of people were shopping in the downtown Haier Appliance Store.
"The government has offered a 13 percent government rebate on purchase of one home appliance item for the farmers, which receive warm welcome from the Tibetan consumers," said Hu Bo, the store manager.
Refrigerator is the most popular item among the Tibetan farmers, who can store the beef, mutton and jak butter for a long time with its help, he said.
There are 10 employees in the store, of whom five are Tibetans. The sales of the store plunged after the March 14 riots last year and returned to normal since the beginning of this year.
"Our monthly sales is 800,000 yuan (116,959 U.S. dollars)," said Mofei, a 20-year-old salesman. "Stability is crucial for us. The Tibetans can buy cheap items and we can have stable income." Enditem (Xinhua reporters Niu Qi, Chogo, Bai Ying, Gyaincain, Jigme Doje and Jiang Yi also contributed to this story)