Lhasa: A Tourist Prespective

This is written by fellow traveller Josh, a very knowledable religious studies major.

Arrived in Lhasa after a 48 hr train trip yesterday... Feels really goodto be out of the polluted and crowded streets of Beijing and off of thetrain. Some amazing views on that train ride while traversing the TibetanPlateau, and Lhasa's surrounding scenery is even more breathtakinglybeautiful than I could have imagined. It does stir emotions to see thatthis city, though aestheticaly pleasing naturally, culturally andspiritually, (prayer flags decorating the rooftops and certain sacredpoints in the surrounding hills, gorgeous temples with gold leaved roofsand trim decorated with the auspicious Buddhist symbols, and beutifulTibetan rugs and clothing mades by the locals) still, this is very much aChinese city today. Looking at the architecture outside of the centre around the Jokhang temple, one could easily think that they were in any urban chinese area, minus the amazing views and clean air allowing one tosee a blue sky dotted with clouds that allow the very unique depictions of clouds that can be seen in Tibetan Tankha art to make a lot more sense.We spent today walking around the Barkhor: the fomous block surroundingthe Jokhang Temple - one of Tibet's most spiritually significant locations. While once strictly a sacred circumembulation path for adherents of the Dharma locally and for Buddhist pilgrims from far acrossthe vast cultural area that embraces Tibet's unique brand of Buddhism touse when their long and painstaking pilgrimage to Lhasa has finallyreached an end, the Barkhor today is mostly a tourist centered shopping district, where Tourists can come to see "Tibetan" spiritual culture andeven take a little peice of it home with them via a set of mala beads, aTibetan singing bowl, some monastic robes, or a hand painted mandala, toname a few of the common souvenirs to be found. There are still many pilgrims, devout Buddhists, and robed monks that can be seen frequently prostrating, chanting, twiddling mala beads in their fingers, and/orcalmly spinning prayer wheels as they circumembulate the Barkhor's circular network of road in a clockwise fashion, but the majority of the many people to be seen in this area are the merchants working the many stands, locals playing pool and just relaxing, a few tourists walking around with dumbfounded, gawking expressions of amazement on their faces as they patronize the many shops and stands, purchasing inscense,clothing, prayer beads, and snapping pictures, or beggars asking for a few"fen" and shouting "hu-loo (hello)" at people they assume (usually correctly) to be rich Americans (like myself) as they walk by. Iam not positive of this fact, but it seems to me like the few monasticallyrobed beggars that one will see while walking about the Barkhor districtare not truly monks, but simply lay folk trying to use their maroon robesas an expedient means *(upaya) to heighten their financial intake for theday. The Jokhang temple is one of the most spiritually significant sitesin Tibet, and this explains why it is the destination of a very importantBuddhist pilgrimage route. The Jokhang tample was builty in the early 7th century by Tibet's first Buddhist "Dharma King" Songsten Gampo, along withmany other temples and sacred Chortens in a geographical manner holdingmuch cultural and religious significance. Historically (and currently tosome extent I assume), Tibetans have viewed their land as being adestructive demoness, explained by harsh storms in the winter and theintense sun of the summer, who was very angered when the Buddha's Dharmacame to Tibet. The sites chosen as sacred spots were chosen in a veryspecific manner, intending to subdue and restrain this Demoness (her name is escaping me. I think it might be 'Simo'). I have also read somewherethat the sacred sites chosen by King Gampo mark out an enormous mandala onthe land, the Jokhang being the center of this sacred mandala.Towering above Lhasa is the Potala palace, built by the "great 5th", whichis definitely one of the architectural wonders of the world. Once a very important pilgrimage site along the route to Lhasa, today it is best defined as aTourist trap. Today Tony went to the potala, as you must make reservations a day in advance to even walk onto this bustling and once very sacred spot, to reserve our group some tickets to take a tour tomorrow of the prior home of the Tibetan people's highly venerated physical embodiment of Chenrizeg, the Bodhisattva of compassion. I found it very interesting that while looking towards the Potala from arooftop in the Barkhor (most amazing veiw of Lhasa I have seen yet: manyTibetan buildings all strewm with prayerflags in the foreground, the Potala's magnificance close behind, and an absolutely stunning panorama ofjagged peaks, some snowcapped in the foreground, blue sky and white cloudsslowly dancing high above in an amazing display), not far to the left ofthe Potala on a hill that is about the same size as the one upon which thePotala sits, is erected a very large cell-phone tower, standing much incontrast to the awesome Tibetan mountains proudly standing high above inthe distance. This is an excellent metaphor that can represent today'sTibet - China's Tibet - Xizang.The people here seem to be much warmer and friendlier than those I saw inBeijing, many more people embracing, many more smiles, and I just get amuch deeper and more enjoyable feeling throughout my entire being whilehere than I did in Beijing. As I walked through the Barkhor early thismorning, whne their where many people circumembulating, an old robedbuddhist, chanting and spinning his prayer wheel, kept approaching me frombehind and rubbing my arm a little below the elbow, exending a"tashi-delei" and a warm smile as I looked back at him. I learned from afellow traveller later that the Tibetans get a kick out of the arm-hair ofa white-boy ---- it is very strange to them.