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The majority of Tibet's population of 1,890,000
are Tibetans. Tibet is so thinly populated that
it averages out 1.6 8 persons per square
kilometers. About 90% of the people live on
farming and husbandry. Farmers live in the
valleys of Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra) and its
major tributaries Kyichu and Nuuang-chu. this
area produces barely, wheat, peas and rape-seed,
the great northern grassland which
occupies a good half of Tibet is the home of
nomads, yaks and sheep. Nomads have no fixed
abodes, and keep roaming along fine pasture
together with all their belongings-tents and
Livestock. The remaining population,
approximately 10%, live in towns earning their
living mainly On business and handicraft, and
many are factory workers and government
officials.
Ideology of people in this land differs greatly
from any other nationality both at home in china
and in the world. Religion seems almost
everything. Many live for the next life, rather
than for the present. They accumulate deeds of
virtue and pray for the final
liberation-enlightenment. Lips and hands of the
elders are never at still, either busied in
murmuring of the six syllable mantric prayer OM
Ma Ni Pad Me Hum (Hail the Jewel in the Lotus)
or in rotation of hand prayer wheels, or
counting of the prayer beads. Pious pilgrims
from every corner of Tibet day to day gather at
jokhang Temple and bharkor Street offering
donations and praying heart and soul for their
own Selves, for their friends, and for their
friends' friends.
Frequent visitors to Tibet can make out folks
from different regions judging by costumes and
dalects. Floks from agricultural regions dress
in woolen home-woven gowns, and those from the
grassland clad in sheepskin. men folk from
chamdo wear huge tassels of black or red silk
which were used in old days for protection in
fight, while the Lhasa residents are more
stylish and modrn. Dialects in tibetan are in
variety, but mainly can be categorized into
four: Lhasa., Tsang (Shigatse and Gyantse),
Chamdo and Amdo |
