Take a walk on mild side

Under a cloudless blue sky that re-emerged after the first snow of 2014 fell on the sacred city of Lhasa, some 1,500 local residents joined actor Chen Kun in an urban journey designed to help participants purify their minds.

The two-hour walk, joined by actress Zhang Jingchu and film director Zhang Yang, started from Lhasa's central Dzongyab Lukhang Park, and passed some of the city's most famous scenic spots, such as the Lalu Wetlands and Jokhang Temple. Finishing in the Potala Palace square, the walk followed the route that Tibetan people take to pray for blessings.

Calling Lhasa the nearest place to the heart and sunshine, Chen says it was his particular intention to organize the walking event in winter. Lhasa in winter sees much fewer tourists due to thinner air, but it's a time the city particularly lives up to its title as the "sunshine city", says Chen.