If Buddhist temples and stunning scenery are all that come to mind when you think of Tibet, a visit to a new photo exhibition might broaden your horizons and leave you breathless.

 

Images captured through the lenses of 100 photographers from 22 countries, including China, reflect the region's natural grandeur in all its majesty juxtaposed against the realities of daily life.

 

 

The exhibition, at the Culture Palace of the Nationalities in Beijing, is part of celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Titled "China's Tibet History, Reality and Nature," the exhibition features 700 photographs chosen from more than 150,000.

 

Zhu Weiqun, secretary-general of the China Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture, said at the opening ceremony yesterday that the exhibition is a glimpse into Tibet for those who have not experienced its unique culture and splendid natural scenery.

 

The photos were taken between June 25 and July 10 when about 100 photographers from 22 countries were invited to participate in a Tibet tour organized by the State Council Information Office, the China Photographers Association and the Tibet Information Office.

 

During their 15-day visit, photographers snapped shots of Tibet's natural scenery, religious sites and folk culture, and captured the essence of the region's development activities and the daily lives of ordinary Tibetans.

 

The photographers visited Lhasa and Xigaze cities, and Shannan, Nyingchi and Nagqu prefectures.

 

"After I came to Tibet, I feel strongly that Europeans' understanding of Tibet is not good, and there are a lot of misunderstandings among them," said Jansen Jan, a photographer from the Netherlands. "I was impressed by the religious freedom enjoyed by the Tibetan people."

 

 

 

 

(China Daily August 12, 2005)