A change of scenery

A newlywed couple's photos have recently taken cyberspace by storm. The Tibetan couple Gerong Phuntsog and Dawa Drolma, both born in Sichuan province in the 1980s, had their wedding photos shot in Lhasa (Tibet autonomous region), Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture (Sichuan province) and urban settings abroad.

The stark contrast in the backdrops and their clothes, along with their good looks, attracted more than 100,000 hits online within four hours after the photos were published. The couple have all the hallmarks of down-to-earth Tibetans when wearing Tibetan costumes against the backdrops of a river valley, prayer wheel, watchtower and yak herds.

The rustic feel disappears when the couple change into chic clothes and put on sunglasses before modern buildings and amusement parks in other places. The couple say their idea was to remind themselves not to get lost in highly materialistic society while pursuing their dreams.

Their April 11 wedding was held in Danba county, Sichuan, an 11-hour drive from the provincial capital, Chengdu. Many friends from afar attended. The couple are not professional models. Gerong Phuntsog has started a business with his classmates, and his wife runs a business that sells handmade accessories business online. They hope the photos can showcase Tibetan customs.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/24/2015 page4)