The Charm of the Snowy Plateau-- China tibet Photos and Thangka Art Exhibition

The "Photos and Thangka Art Exhibition" in "china tibetan Culture Week" consists of six parts:1.Preface; 2.roof of the world-a Piece of Pure Land; 3.Years of the Distant Past-Course of Civilization on Tibetan Plateau; 4.Paintion of Wisdom-Thankas Art, a Tibetan Encyclopaedia; 5.Today's Tibet-Light of Modem civilization; 6.Going to Tibet-Welcome to an Open Snowy Plateau.

With over 700 photos on 200 exhibition boards, the Photos Exhibition make an overall introduction of the Tibetan geographic location, population, ethinics, mountains, scenery, natural resources, environment protection, history, the proofs of ownership, the construction achievements in the 50 years since the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet and achievements of the national support. It also shows the changes and progress in Tibetan agriculture, livestock farming, traffic, energy, industry, mining, education, medical treatment environment protection, construction of cities and villages. culture and arts, people' life, and preservation of cultural relics,etc.

With 60 elegant encyclopedic Thangkas from Tibet, the Thandka Exhibition introduces the Tibetan history, life stories of great historic figures,religion, Tibetan medicine, astronomy and calculation, custom and habits. This exhibition not only displays the artistic level of Tibetan traditional painting, but also demonstrates the protection of the Tibetan culture by Chinese Central Govemment.

The Tibet Autonomous Region, located in southwest China, neighbors the Xinjiang Uyaur Autonomous Region and qinghai Province to the north, Sichuan Province to the east, Yunnan Province to the southeast, Nepal and Myanmar, Region, which covers most of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is about 1000km from south to north and about 2000km from east to west, it boasts ranges of total land area reaching 1.22 million sq km. With an average altitude of over 4000m, it boasts ranges of ice-capped peaks, and a maze of rivers and lakes. The 8848.13m Mount Qomolangma, the highest peak in the world,is situated here, and a number of famous rivers running through South Asia originate here. Tibet, therefore, has long been known as the "roof of the world," and "summit of all mountains and origin of all rivers."

This vast land is home to a population of over 2.6 million, some 90 percent of whom are Tibetans. The locals also include people from the Moinba, Lhoba, Dheng and Sherpa ethnic groups, who live in the foothills of the Himalayas. Tibet has always been well known for its high altitude, harsh climate and poor communications. Nevertheless, its unique social and religious systems and life styles have attracted Western adventurers for centuries. Now, with advanced telecommunications facilities and convenient land and air communications and in the tide of reform and opening to the outside world, today's Tibet, although no longer completely mysterious, is welcoming people from all over the world with its natural and cultural charms.