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Visit to 14th Dalai Lama's last residence in Lhasa

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-10 23:56

"However, no matter how many tourists come here, the Takten Migyur Potrang, or the New Summer Palace, for the 14th Dalai Lama is always one of the most popular places in Norbu lingka," said  Liu.

The two-story New Summer Palace, which the Chinese central government built for the 14th Dalai Lama in 1956, is by no means an eye-catching building in the park, though its traditional Tibetan-styled appearance, featured with carved beams, painted pillars and upturned eaves is no different from its counterparts.

The inside of the palace, however, is another story.

Electric lamps and butter lamps together enlighten the rooms. Ancient roll paintings of Buddha are hung at the same room where a framed kitten embroidery, a gift from the British, was hung above the entrance.

Traditional Tibetan cushions and a set of western-styled gray sofa are both featured in the bedroom of the 14th Dalai Lama, while the wooden frame of his bed holds a spring-mattress.

The bathroom is even more an eye-opener to most of the visitors as a white western bathtub, a toilet and a washing tank unexpectedly greet the eyes of visitors.

"Like other palaces, everything here in the New Summer Palace is almost the same as what they were 50 years ago," said Liu.

The modern facilities are still a big surprise to most of the Tibetan visitors like Karma Chozin, a new graduate from the  Northwest University for Nationalities in the neighboring Gansu Province, who is looking for a job in Lhasa.

"Even now, the toilet is rare to most Tibetans. I didn't expect he (the 14th Dalai Lama) started to use it more than 50 years ago, " said Chozin.

It is the second trip for the 22-year-old to Norbu Lingka. Her last childhood trip conjures memories of "many trees and the excitement of seeing live peacock for the first time at a small zoo in the park."

The young woman said her father came to Lhasa to see her from the hometown in the Shannan Prefecture, so they decided to revisit the Norbu Lingka.

"After all, the 14th Dalai Lama is still alive and I am very curious of what's his residence like." she said "I'm glad to see both the house and the things inside are well protected and my father has said the murals and the cloth paintings are almost the same as what we saw more than 10 years ago."

The administrators are also satisfied with their work. More than 60,000 pieces of cultural relics and all buildings have suffered no "man-induced damages," said Ma.

"We have given equal attention to the protect all the palaces here, and the New Summer Palace is no exception," he said.

A seven-year preservation project on the Norbu Lingka, which is estimated to cost more than 80 million yuan ($11.69 million), is expected to be completed in September this year.

All the wooden buildings have been replaced with antisepsis  materials and the mildew-eroded murals have been also repaired, according to Ma.

WATCHMAN OF NEW SUMMER PALACE

Jigme Geleg, one of eight workers who take care of the New Summer Palace, is proud of his job.

The 28-year-old Tibetan speaks fluent Mandarin and English and often volunteers to work was a guide for the tourists to "share his understanding of Tibetan culture and history of the region."

"I will say the Norbu Lingka is the essence of our Tibetan culture and I hope people will still have chance to see these treasures to understand our culture even after many many years," said Jigme.

The young man has worked in the park for nearly 10 years since graduating from high school. He started to work in the New Summer Palace six years ago.

Jigme works from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day sweeping the floor, lighting up the butter lamps, cleaning the lamp holders and changing the "sacred water" presented in front of the Dalai Lama's thrones.

The pilgrims often bring offerings with them to visit the Norbu Lingka. For the palace keepers like Jigme, the butter to refill the lamp and the length of white silk called "hada" are both welcome, but the barley can really be a headache.

"We have to often ask the visitors not to scatter the barley around in the palace. It's a common practice for the pilgrims to show their respect to the Buddha, but it attracts mice, which is no good to protect the wooden buildings," he said.

A south-facing sutra hall on the second floor of the New Summer Palace is the key area for Jigme to watch. There are 301 of murals here telling the Tibetan history - from its founding by the Holy Monkey to the 10th Panchen Lama and 14th Dalai Lama's interviews with Chairman Mao Zedong in Beijing in 1954.

Pilgrims are often seen prostrating or putting their heads on the foot of statues or the walls with murals, chanting the sacred words "Om Mani Padme Hum."

"The paintings are more than an art. They makes up of a brief story of Tibetan history," said Jigme.

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