ETHNIC DIVERSITY – TIBETAN ETHNIC MINORITY IN CHINA II – Myanmar Gazette Print News Media Forum Network

VISITING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. GREAT TRAVELOGUES. LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY AND DEVELOPMENT.

YouTube – Travelogue Ethnic Odyssey – Magnificant Tibet 2/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4bPVicXjJQ&feature=related

Next we head to Linzhi in the southeast of Tibet, where the altitude is 3000m. At this milder climate, we find unique greenery of southern Tibet.

The land here is nurtured by the Ni2yang2 River, a branch of the ya2lu3zang4pu3. The scenery is beyond the imagination of anyone who’s not seen it – forests, rich vegetation, and small villages nestling among snow-capped mountains. A holy lake, Ba1song1cuo4, is found here, whose waters give a reflection as good as any mirror’s. Legend has it that once two young lovers, who were unable to be together in life, dived into the lake – and in doing so they made it even more beautiful.

The area is famous for its picturesque communities. I visited Walnut Village, so named because of the walnut trees that surround it. It’s just the place to get a glimpse of what Tibetan life is really like.

I guess we’ve seen many types of prayer wheels, those spun by hand, by the wind, and now one spun by water power. Each time it spins, it’s like reading the scriptures.

Spinning the prayer wheel is believed to spread spiritual blessings and well-being. But there are different ways of doing it. Water is also used to power the local barley mill to make the staple food here, `tsamba’. After the barley is ground into very fine flour, it’s mixed with a little tea and then rolled into small lumps and eaten with fingers. It’s as important to them as are rice and bread to us.

The high mountains, combined with the deep valleys and cold temperatures, makes transportation inside Tibet particularly difficult. On the plateau, people ride on sure-footed yaks; on the waters, they ride in boats made of animal hide. Anyway, in Tibet there is what you might call a strong “Yak culture.”

So here comes my taxi. A special seat for me, too. This traditional means of transportation is what Tibetans mostly use to cross streams like this one and the grand rivers. It’s hard to believe that something made of wood and cow’s hide can hold something like myself down the water. Can’t buckle up here, so you gotta hold on tight and lie life like a real Tibetan.

From Linzhi we continue on to Lhasa, the heart of Tibet, and for centuries a destination for Buddhist pilgrims. Still today, people head to Lhasa in their droves – by bike, by road vehicle, and even on hands and feet. The journey can take weeks or even months. Incidentally, Lhasa in Tibetan means “place of god.”

Lhasa is famous for the Potala Palace and the Jokhang monastery, which are in the center of the oldcity. The religious influence is very strong, and every year the city really comes alive during the Shoton Festival, when thousands upon thousands of people gather.

I got up at 3AM this morning to get in line for the festival, climbed up the mountain for half an hour. Finally my turn to get a ticket.