JIA’s Dream Tours China Blog

One of my highlights of my visit to Tibet was the visit to Bakhor Street, in the heart of Lhasa circling the Jokhang Temple. It means “a pilgrim’s inner circuit”, and is the earliest street of old Lhasa city. It is “a saint road” in the eyes of Tibetans. Now it’s also a shopping street filled with wonderful shops and vendor stands. It’s an old district with colorful Tibetan features. Tibetan houses line the street, and the ground is paved with man-made flagstones, preserving the ancient look. In the street, you can find all sorts of local souvenirs and artwork, and experience the mysterious “one step one kowtow”. It dates back to the foundation of the Jokhang and is an essential pilgrim route. Often, while we were shopping or taking pictures on the street, we would see a traditionally dressed Tibetan old lady suddenly throw herself down to the ground, kowtowing towards the temple, right next to us. I recalled that there was a saying that a true kowtow has five parts of your body touch the ground to demonstrate your faith. With each kowtow completed with five parts touching the ground, and one step one kowtow, and considering their age, I can’t help but touched by their pure heart and faith!

My fun memory came from my shopping experience on Bakhor Street. I wanted to find some real Tibetan souvenir back home and finally I found a beautiful carved bronze incense burner. It was very elegant and carved with dragon and other Tibetan lions on the incense burner. When I started asking price, as I expected the owner, a Han people (ethnic Chinese) looked at me trying to figure out where I’m from. You see part of the art of negotiating is knowing who you are dealing with. I spoke mandarin with him and told him that I’m no tourist, so to get rid of his confusion about whether I’m not a real Chinese. He was quite impressed by my standard Mandarin, but still suspiciously looking at my husband and a friend who were with me, and both of them are Caucasian. I started countering his price with one third of his asking price, as I expected he wasn’t offended at all, and just kept asking me to increase the offer. I told him we had almost finished our circle in Bhakor Street, so I know the market price pretty well. He agreed to drop one third, however we still haven’t got agreement yet. Many locals, including vendors, Tibetans, and tourists stopped by and started to watch my bargaining. Even the Tibetan monk who was sitting behind the vendor started to emerge and show interest to our negotiation. … Eventually I got it in between one third and one half of his asking price, which is quite a good deal in my opinion. The onlookers seemed didn’t have enough of the show and were reluctant to leave; so I teased them and said the show is over. The vendor appreciated my business and carefully wrapped my incense burner for me. After I went back to our group meeting place, I showed our guide Lobsong my hard-bargained incense burner and told him the price, he gave his signature sunny smile first, and as I expected he said “It was okay…” I knew by his smile that I could have got better deal if he was there. But I had great fun there, and even today that beautiful incense burner is still the center piece of our dining table, reminding me all those fun times I had in the Holy City - Lhasa!

My favorite list of cities in China used to be: Beijing (my hometown), Xi’an - for its history and Guilin - for its scenery. After my visit to Tibet last Oct however, now I have one more on my list: Lhasa - The most spiritual Holy City. I would highly recommend this place for everyone to visit at least once in their lifetime!

First, because of its high altitude, not everyone is able to go there, so makes it even more mysterious. As soon as we landed at Lhasa airport, I could feel the thin and pure air, even the sun seemed stronger. What a direct, bold welcome to “the roof of the world”!

Our local guide was a sunny young Tibetan man, who was once a monk. So my group was very lucky to gain a lot of deep, insightful knowledge of Lama Buddhism. Our guide Lobsong, who was warm as the Tibetan sun in Lhasa and a smile that was just as bright, impressed my group with his genuine honesty, and warm-heart.

Lobsong’s English was beyond my expectation, especially after he honestly told the group that he taught himself English and had never been to college. I really got tickled that whenever he had difficulty with English, he would pause and ask me in Chinese right in front of the group “How do you say… in English, I don’t know.” Then flash a big sunny smile. But when people asked anything about Lama Buddhism, Lobsong instantly lit up and gave a sophisticated lecture, including those big religious words which was even first time for me to hear! Our whole group fell in love with this genuine Tibetan boy!

My highlight was the day we visited Potala Palace, which was even more impressive than its physical heights - especially after we heard and had seen how religious it is here. It is a several hundreds steps climb one way up. Not everyone in my group attempted the trek because once you start climbing, you can’t go back; since it is one-way you have to keep going forward. So standing at entrance to Palace after climbing all those stairs, I felt quite a sense of accomplishment. Even though it was so high and the air so much thinner, it was well worth it ! The dramatic architecture of the Potala Palace framed in the unusually blue sky, surrounded by the mountains around, it was quite a picture!

On the way out from the Potala Palace, there were some Tibetan ladies working on repairing the roof, they were patting some dirt or mud into the walls with some very primitive tools. Our group had just finished touring the Potala Palace and on our way out. After several hundred steps up and down combined with the altitude sickness, no one had energy to talk any more, we were just trying to breath in the thin air and at the same time enjoy the unusual blue sky. It was quite a picture: the dramatic Potala Palace with its shining gorgeous red and gold colors under the beautiful sunshine, framed against the pure blue sky! Suddenly, the sound of a deliberately rhythmic beating came to us. All of the young women were beating the patching mud to the same beat. Then so naturally, a beautiful song began to flow out of that rhythm… Listening to them sing to the beat so cheerfully, the performing was magical! What a peaceful and natural scene! No one could make it as perfect as the way it was naturally made. Everyone stopped and looked up: there they were – those Tibetan girls dressed in their traditional dress sitting on the roof, patting and beating and singing in perfect harmony… They didn’t even notice that we were videoing them, just enjoying themselves in their work. They were so happy, even though they don’t have fancy designer clothes or modern lifestyle; they were being true to themselves. No one was directing, no one was following, but it made such a harmonious symphony! I felt my heart lifted with this original beauty of human beings, and I truly hope they can always have and enjoy this true happiness! That video is one of my priceless treasures I took home form Tibet!