By Amadou Jadama in Beijing
Lhasa, Xizang — Perched at 3,650 metres above sea level and ringed by stark, brown mountains, Lhasa is Tibet’s spiritual and historical epicentre. Home to the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace, the city fuses centuries-old Buddhist tradition with China’s rapid modernization.
From June 22–25, journalists on the China International Press and Communication Center’s 2026 training programme toured Lhasa, confronting the thin air and occasional altitude sickness common in this “Roof of the World.”
A temple at the centre of faith
Jokhang Temple, built in the seventh century by King Songtsen Gampo, remains Tibet’s most sacred shrine. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1994, Jokhang’s earthen, stone and timber structures—built without cement or iron—have stood for more than 1,300 years.
Inside, incense hangs heavy. Monks in orange-red kesa robes chant, prepare butter tea, and assist pilgrims seeking blessings. “Before opening and after closing, the monks conduct group prayers,” said Penpa, a Tibetan guide. “Locals ask for prayers for health, prosperity, or personal matters. Photography is prohibited to preserve the temple’s sanctity.”
The temple’s walls display statues of King Songtsen Gampo and his two consorts—Princess Wencheng of China and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal—underscoring Tibet’s historical ties with neighbouring states. Jokhang draws roughly 1,500 visitors daily; the entry fee is 80 yuan (about 6,500 CFA francs).
The Potala’s authority
The Potala Palace, the historic residence of the Dalai Lamas, dominates Lhasa from an elevation near 4,000 metres. Commissioned by Songtsen Gampo and expanded over centuries, the 13-story complex is divided into the White Palace (administration) and the Red Palace (spiritual core).
“The White Palace murals chronicle 300 years of Tibetan history, recorded in Tibetan script by five Dalai Lamas,” said Jia Dan of the Tibet Daily External Communications Centre. The palace’s walls are maintained annually using natural pigments mixed with yak milk and honey. The Red Palace houses the jeweled, gilded tomb of the Fifth Dalai Lama; eight Dalai Lamas are interred across the complex.
Although the current Dalai Lama has lived in exile for decades, monks preserve his study rooms, chambers, and library beneath a prominent statue of the “Buddha of the Future.” Tibetan funerary practices vary—sky burials, water burials, cremation—while senior lamas are sometimes commemorated with ornate, gold-covered mausoleums.
A modern tibetan pulse
Xizang’s population of roughly 3.5 million is increasingly integrated with China’s economic expansion, yet Tibetan Buddhism remains visible and central to daily life. Monks walk city streets, and Jokhang’s courtyards brim with pilgrims and tourists each afternoon.
Lhasa is accessible by air via connections through Chengdu—commonly a three-hour flight from Beijing, followed by a two-hour onward flight—making the city both remote and connected. Visitors encounter high-altitude challenges alongside deeply rooted religious practice and striking Himalayan architecture.
