Few tourists, many pilgrims and little business. The holy city of Lhasa was quiet Saturday, the first anniversary of the riots that killed 18 civilians and a police officer.

Vehicles run on a crossroad in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2009. The holy city of Lhasa was quiet Saturday, the first anniversary of the riots that killed 18 civilians and a police officer.[Xinhua]

Saturday is the 19th day of the Tibetan New Year, not a particular occasion for mass pilgrimages -- which happen on the eighth, 15th and 30th days of every month. But pilgrims are constantly seen, walking clockwise around the Potala Palace and the Porgor Street near the Jokhang Temple.

Most pilgrims wear traditional Tibetan costumes, some sporting a "North Face" or "Columbia" jacket. Most people hold a prayer wheel and beads, while some are accompanied by their pet dogs.

The pilgrims all walk in haste, but look up from time to time to greet their acquaintances and the curious onlookers. "Hello," a toddler on the Porgor Street said smilingly in English. Elderly pilgrims who do not speak Mandarin would smile or wave their hands.

Losang Pempa, 35, arrived at the Jokhang Temple at 8:30 a.m., crawling on a cushion on the ground, praying and kowtowing at its entrance. "I don't pray for any individual person, I pray for the well-being of all the living souls," he said during a break at midday.

A boy (C) roller-skates in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2009.[Xinhua]

The man from Mangkam in Qamdo Prefecture sells sheepskin produced in Ngari to Lhasa in order to support his four children, all of whom are studying at Lhasa schools.

"I come here whenever I have time," he said as he sat up on his cushion. "I kowtow for 2,000 to 2,500 times a day, until I feel hungry and go home."

A group of six tourists from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province followed their guide around the Jokhang Temple and the Porgor Street, listening attentively to the legends about the landmark buildings and Tibet's history. "We arrived only yesterday and still feel a little uncomfortable," said one of them, a man in his 50s. "So we're not traveling much today."

On Porgor, Lhasa's most famous market street, tourists were few and business was bad -- partly because the tourist rush still hasn't arrived in early spring, when an extreme lack of oxygen makes the least exertion impossible for the lowlanders, and partly because most residents avoided going out, still terrified at last year's tragedy.

Girls of the Tibetan ethnic group play the violin in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2009.[Xinhua]

Porgor Street was the center of last year's deadly riots, during which many shops were looted and homes, schools and hospitals were torched.

Most shops in the Porgor Street were open Saturday but had few buyers. "I've been here since 8:30 a.m., but haven't sold anything," said a clothing store keeper, who was sitting with three others under the sun and playing mah-jong. "Probably it will get better next month. More tourists will be coming then," said the man, from the central Hubei Province.

The early spring chill and lack of heating drove nearly every shop owner into the street, chatting or playing cards. Women sat on the stone stairs knitting and enjoying the sunshine.

After a significant temperature drop since Thursday, followed by light snow and a dust storm, Lhasa's sky was gray Saturday, instead of its normal azure blue. The surrounding mountains were less visible.

Policemen were seen on every downtown Lhasa street. Occasionally, they stopped a taxi for security checks. "It's for our own safety. We all understand this," said a Tibetan woman who was accompanying her daughter to a weekend English class at a school on the Beijing Road in central Lhasa.

The nine-year-old girl, Purbu Zhoi'ma, was among nearly 100 primary school students who studied English, painting, singing or musical instruments at the weekend school. "My name is Wendy," she said in English.

Two young men of the Tibetan ethnic group play chess at a cafe in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2009. [Xinhua]

In the second-floor corridor of the school building, four children were following their teacher to practise violin.

"I got up at 7 to catch the three-hour class," said 10-year-oldGun'gyi.

An avid music fan, Gun'gyi said she began practicing violin at 6. "When I don't feel so high, music always cheers me up," she said.

Like in all major Chinese cities, children in Lhasa are encouraged by their parents to study a music instrument to expand their vision, enrich their life and exploit their special aptitude if there is any.

A few steps from the weekend school is Yishion, the casual wear outlet which rioters set fire to last year killing five young women workers.

The revamped store looked attractive, with fashionable jackets and jeans. Young, stylish but gloomy-looking sales people, and no shoppers. "No, we don't have anything to say. Don't ask us about the riots, we're all new here," said one of the sales women. "Business is bad as usual."

A group of Chinese reporters, from three or four media organizations, toured the store within 20 minutes. Unable to get any quotes they wanted, they walked out, snapping photos of its facade.

"I desperately hope business will get better soon," said store manager Tang Qingyan over the phone. "Otherwise I will have difficulty paying the employees' salaries."

Yishion currently has two outlets in the city center, employing14 people for an average monthly wage of 1,500 yuan (US$220).

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2009)