Residents in the Xigaze Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region celebrated their own Lunar New Year's Eve Sunday, which was earlier than the Tibetan New Year.
Many urban residents and rural farmers gathered in the Zhaxilhunbo Temple, a famous temple in the region, to pray for peace. Eighty-five-year-old Tashi said, "I pray to Buddha to bless my children and my grandchildren in the new year."
Cering, a farmer living in prefecture, went to the temple by tractor on Sunday morning. "I go to the temple every New Year's Eve to pray for good weather for the crops and good health for my family members," said Cering.
A lama at Zhaxilhunbo Temple said that Tibetan's freedom in religious belief are fully guaranteed and many Tibetans from all over Tibet go to the temple to pray every day.
( January 14, 2002)
