Renovation project to return Lhasa Tibetan look
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-09-20 16:25

A renovation project was launched Monday in Lhasa to help the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region put on a more traditional Tibetan look by renovating the buildings along the main streets of the ancient city.

All houses and buildings along the Yutuo Road and the Kangang Road, which connect the World Heritage Sites of the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, will be expected to present a Tibetan style by the end of November, said Ou Guoxiang, deputy mayor of Lhasa.

The renovation project will expand to other major areas of the ancient city later, said Ou.

Though Lhasa witnessed rapid development in urban construction, Ou said, the ancient city is also losing its traditional flavor of ethnic Tibetan culture in the appearance of its architecture as a result of the unavoidable impact from modern civilization.

As any other part of China, the autonomous region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dubbed "the roof of the world", can not avoid the intrusion of modern Western civilization in the process of globalization after the country shifted to an opening-up policy in the late 1970s.

Dyed hair, blue jeans and sports wears like Nike nowadays have become a fashion among Tibetan youngsters, while colorful advertisement boards of Coca Cola, Budweiser, Kodak and other exotics products can be seen in the ancient city of Lhasa, which major streets have nearly become rivers foreign-made automobiles like Toyota Land Cruiser file through.

Though the traditional Tibetan flavor is well preserved in areas adjacent to the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, the Norbu- linkag and the Bargor street, other areas in the city are almost occupied by modern buildings, which presents a sharp contrast to the traditional Tibetan style.

Ou said that the inharmonious contrast degraded the ancient capital into an awkward pose.

As a historic capital city, Lhasa should keep its Tibetan tradition in architecture style along its major streets and blocks, Ou said. "We hope the renovation project can help boost the preservation of Tibetan tradition."

It took two years for the local government to work on the feasibility studies and renovation plan before the project was launched, the deputy mayor said.

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