Lhasa, an ancient city, has, since the 1980s, made much headway in economic and social progress. I worked there for 10 years in the 1970s, and visitedXigaze, Shannan, Nyingchi, Qamdo and Nagqu. I knew whatLhasawas like then. When I visitedLhasain 2000, I found a completely new city.
When the city ofLhasawas first built in the 7thcentury, major architecture included the JokhangMonastery in the downtown area and thePotalaPalacetowering on the top of the Red Hills. The sole main street was the Bark or. Gradually, residences were built for noble families and Living Buddhas; and stores, workshops, markets, teahouses, wine shops and civilian houses were also built to meet the need. After l,300 years of construction and reconstruction, the city still covered only 3 square km. No modern streets and public works were available in the early 1950s. Ramshackle paths were mined with hung excrement or haunted by wild dogs, and large groups of starving people, mere bags of bones, were reduced to begging.
6Modern construction didn’t start until in the 1960s,and reached a high tide in 1964. Six streets in the modern sense were built around thePotalaPalace, including the 50,OOO-square-meter Commercial Streetof the People’s Road, theCulturalPalacefor the Laborers, and the Lhasa Cinema. The PRC State Council approved a blueprint for buildingLhasainto a historical and cultural city ofChina. Of the 43 projects built inTibetin the 1980s with inland investments, 18 were located inLhasa; of the 62 aid projects built inTibetin the 1990s with inland investments, 17 were inLhasa.
Lhasatoday is a combination of the traditional and modern, covered with greenery. Flanking the radiating modern streets are modern buildings and Tibetan style architecture, city gardens and urban sculptures. Cultural relic units are well protected.
On June l, 2000 0r the 15th day of the fourth Tibetan month, the Sagya Dawa Festival was held. People donned their traditional best gathered atLingkor Roadto pray. Cashing in on this opportunity, business people put up stands for business purpose. OnLingkor Road south, four young Tibetans fried and sold potato chips, attracting many to have a taste.
To the north of the Dragon King Pool were stalls offering daily necessities and garment decorations, plus food. One man fromSichuansold hot peppers at a rate of 20 yuan per kg. As it was inexpensive by the local standard, his goods were sold up in a few hours. Cold German beer sold well there, too.
According to merchants of the Hui ethnic group in front of a mosque, sports shoes and sports sweaters enjoyed good sales.
One man fromSantaiCountysold more than 500balloons in half a day at 5 yuan each. The three traditional ritual walking streets–Namkor,Barkor and Lingkor–were a scene of religious activities and modern business.
With modern streets emerging in the ancient city, motor vehicles increase in number. Traffic jams often occur. I cycled to the city’s post office center and encountered a serious traffic jam, and was later told construction of thePotala Palace Squarewas in full swing, and all motor vehicles going that way had to bypass it.
Statistics show that there are seven taxi companies inLhasa; they boast more than 700 taxis and over 500mini-buses. In addition, there are close t0 500 tricycle cars. Locals love to ride motorcycles, and their number rivals those in the cities of Hainan andGuangdong. For a city with some 100,000 people, these vehicles constitute a formidable figure. No wonder there are traffic jams.
While a traffic jam is a city disease to be treated, it is new toLhasa. Many national newspapers reported under the title of Traffic Jam Hits Lhasa for the First Time in History. Considering the situation inLhasa, the problem represents progress in a way.
To the east of thePotalaPalaceis Zongjorlukang Market. Covering an area of 5,138 square meters, it has more than l,200 stands offering a wide range of farm products and animal by-products and seasonings. The daily transaction value totals more than 800,000 yuan, and daily visitors number some 30,000. It supplies vegetables and non-staple food to half of the population ofLhasa, as well as to Shannan, Xigaze, Nagqu,Ngari and Nyingchi.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Tibetans had supply of cabbages, turnips and potatoes only. Workers of Han ethnic group often brought back fruit and vegetables when they returned from visits to relatives in the hinterland. There is a well-known saying inLhasa:” The rich eat vegetables, while the poor eat meat!”
Market supply is indeed ample today. Zongj orlukangplays an important role in this regard. In terms of supplies, it rivals those inChengdu(SichuanProvince)andKunming(YunnanProvince). It even offers bananas and oranges from southChina, pears from northChina, grapes from Xinjiang in westChina, pineapples and mango from Guangxi, watermelons fromGansuandQinghaiprovinces, as well as oranges fromNepal.