Tourists visiting Tibet never miss out on a stop at the Potala Palace. But very few of them know there used to be a village right below the palace. As CCTV reporter Wang Mangmang reports, the village is still thriving today despite its relocation.
Wang Mangmang said, The old Snow Village used to be right behind me. Actually the name has nothing to do with snow. It takes the sound from a Tibetan world meaning under, the village under the Potala Palace. Now the new Snow Village is at the back of the Place. And the people there are living a life their ancestors could not have imagined."
This picture was shot in 1904.
This picture was shot in 1904. For more than thirteen centuries, the Snow village lay below the ancient structure, housing people whose only job was to serve every need in the Palace. Born and raised in the old community, Dobqung sees a huge difference today.
Dobqung, community director of Snow Village, Lhasa, said, "Our daily wage was only two and half yuan before the opening up policy. But now we make sixty yuan a day on average. I was told that life was so hard for the many old generations before me that I couldn't even imagine it."
Since 1989, renovations to Potala Palace and the construction of the palace square forced the village to be relocated. The number of households increased from the 500 that existed 50 years ago, to 15-hundred. The new community was built in traditional style with modern facilities.
Lhagba makes several thousand yuan a month, more than enough to support his family. His children are receiving free education and the family bought a car last year.
Lhagba makes several thousand yuan a month, more than enough to support his family. His children are receiving free education and the family bought a car last year.
Lhagba said, "Our standard of living today would have been confined just to the aristocrats in the old Tibet. Our life is even better than theirs."
Every morning, Lhagba prays for a good life.
Lhagba said, "My only hope is that there won't be more turmoil in Tibet. We all like peaceful life."
As tremendous changes take place, Potala palace is watching.
