Temples to resume religious activities soon
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A Tibetan style attic on the square in front of the Norbu Lingka Palace. The central government has allocated more than 70 million yuan since last year for the maintenance of the palace and improvement of surrounding areas. Xinhua |
LHASA: Lhasa's temples affected by last month's riot will soon resume religious activities, according to temple management and a local official.
Drepung Monastery, a typical lamasery of the Buddhist Gelukpa sect, will return to usual rituals by hosting five services and debates on Buddhist doctrines each month, said the temple's administrative director Ngawang Dongjue.
Tubdain Cewang, executive vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress, said Lhasa's temples were recovering from the riot, with religious activities returning to order, and would soon reopen to tourists. The official did not specify a date.
Cultural relic preservation
China has launched a 570 million yuan ($81.43 million) project to preserve 22 Tibetan historical and cultural relics.
The project, China's largest protection move in the region, will last until 2010. It includes 15 monasteries under State-level protection and seven historical sites, said Yudawa, director of the Tibet autonomous regional cultural heritage bureau.
Of the funds, 118 million yuan will go to the preservation of the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze. Also included is 50 million yuan for the preservation of the Jokhang, Ramogia, Sanyai and Samgya-Goutog monasteries, the restoration of which will start later in the year after construction tenders are decided.
The latest move to protect Tibet's cultural and religious relics follows a 330-million yuan project to preserve the Potala Palace, Sagya Monastery and Norbu Lingka Palace.
Xinhua
(China Daily 04/21/2008 page6)
