This city, small by Chinese standards, used to be called Gyalthang by the Tibetans. It’s in the Tibetan cultural area. It was then called Zhongdian by the Han Chinese until central government recently decided they would call it Shangrila, from James Hilton’s book. They did this to attract tourists. High on the Himalayan Plateau at 3,200 meters it lies on the old pack-horse route from southern Yunnan to Lhasa.
These guys are queuing up to enter a cemetery. This was taken in early April, on the Thursday before Easter. Next to the Tibetan Cafe Hotel in Zhongdian is this Martyrs Cemetery. On “Ancestors Day” every school child, policeman and military conscript in this small city turned up to clean and tidy the graveyard and make an offering at each tomb. I think most of the tombs were from the early days of the revolution. There was a huge monument with a Red Guard style statue atop against which they placed these decorative devices.
A military unit queuing up before the monument waiting to place their offering. Just as I took this shot the General standing on the wall turned around and caught me with raised camera. He said something in Chinese that I did not fully understand. After using my two words of Chinese that I know, to translate what he said, I came up with “If you take any more pictures you will be transported to the Mongolian salt mines.” At least that’s what it sounded like. Apparently photographing military personnel is strictly forbidden in China. I smiled weakly, started whistling and walked briskly away towards Lhasa.
