Pilgrims stand patiently in line for hours to enter the heart of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet's capital. An inner shrine contains the country's most sacred statue, called the Jowo Rinpoche—a seated Buddha installed when Buddhism was adopted by Tibetan royalty in the seventh century. An ever present part of the lives of modern Tibetans, this religion remains the most important defining element of their culture.
Pilgrims stand patiently in line for hours to enter the heart of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet's capital. An inner shrine contains the country's most sacred statue, called the Jowo Rinpoche—a seated Buddha installed when Buddhism was adopted by Tibetan royalty in the seventh century. An ever present part of the lives of modern Tibetans, this religion remains the most important defining element of their culture.
- Magazine
- Feature
Moving Forward, Holding On
Adapting to the realities of Chinese rule, Tibetans still manage to hold on to cherished traditions.
This story appears in the April 2002 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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