Society

Internet becomes part of Tibetans' life

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-09 15:40

LHASA - Monastery life might be mostly about preforming daily rituals and studying sutras, but Thupten still finds time to surf the Net.

"I watch movies, for example, Harry Porter," said the monk in his early thirties. Thupten joined Jokhang Temple when he was a teenager.

He has an iPhone and likes to play downloaded games on it.

He considers it harmless fun while pursuing his Buddhist study and religious practice for most of the day.

Through the Internet, Thupten has learnt a lot about the world outside the monastery.

By the end of last year, Tibet autonomous region had a total of 1.2 million Internet users, 90 percent of whom log on line through cell phones and the rest through broadband services.

Compared with 450 million Internet users in China, the figure is small but it accounts for nearly half the total population of Tibet.

Online chatting has changed Pasang Drolma's social life. At around 8 pm after the supper, she will always log on QQ, a homebred online chatting service, to talk with family members, old college classmates and friends living outside Tibet.

"The topic we talk about most recently is traveling in Tibet as the summer is drawing near. Many of my friends outside of Tibet are very keen to come here and I am the best consultant," said the 32-year-old woman living in Lhasa.

Internet has replaced the telephone and postal system to be the most frequently used communication tool, she said.

And it also is being used as a new way of shopping on the "Roof of the World," as Tibet is referred to.

Paldron, a bank clerk in Lhasa, bought lamps, kitchenware and even a sofa for her new apartment on line.

"Lhasa is comparatively small and you cannot always find the brand you want at shops here. Internet helps a lot," she said.

The only thing she does not like is the high freighting cost as many online shops are based in east China.

The 30-year-old now always carries a small laptop in her bag. With a wireless connection, she can get on line everywhere in Lhasa.

According to the government of Tibet Autonomous Region, by the end of last year, 3G services covered seven cities, 73 county seats, 416 townships and 28 major tourist sites in Tibet.

With the development of computer software based on the Tibetan language, people can use the language when navigating the Internet or using computer applications.

In 2007, a team of computer scientists at the Tibet University developed the Tibetan version of Windows and Office software.

Last year the same team also helped China Mobile, the main telecom company in China, to develop a system so the Tibetan language could be used on mobile phones.

"We are now working on digitizing Tibetan books and documents at the university library and based on this work we plan to build a digital library open to the public," said Nyima Tashi, chief scientist of the team. "I hope more and more people across the world can learn more about Tibet and the Tibetan culture through such a digital library."