The Colours of Tibet

Written by Shi Ronghua

Tibet trip was really an eye opener, the scenery are so unforgettable, and the people so simple and interesting.

Mount Trola and Yihun Lhatso, the holy lake of the plateau
As we watch our host's nephews run care-freely along the stream (though dirty and littered)on the grassland (full of cow dung) skipping stones and fearlessly hurling stones at yaks(hairy cow), we can't help but unanimously agree that this is how a child should spend his/her childhood.

The two nephews
You might have thought they are better off studying, fighting for a better life. But who is to judge a better life for them? they are happy, and i don't see how a life can get better than that. i think people are always slogging it out for that future happiness, when it come to that future they work for the further future. to really live a life, we must have some moments where we take our eyes off the future and look at the present, to appreciate how far we have come from the past and enjoy some fruits of labour (fruits rot if you leave them in the basket too long). but of course it is really easier said than done.

Cowboy baby

Baby and Mummy
As mentioned, the tibetans are simple and interesting people. Most of them are really friendly, and very sporting for a photo. it took me quite a while to get started snapping as it would have been some sort offensive in singapore. when they see the photo they always either give you a heart warming big smile or a thumbs up. they make really good photos with their toned skin, colourful clothings, and radiant personality.

Nomad family (photo from charles)

Nomad kids
Tibetans are not devoid of the emotion of sadness. on the way to Yihun Lhatso, we met a nomad family, and there were monks in and out of their tents. someone in the family (grandfather if i remember correctly) has passed on, and there was a wake going on. the head of the house still warmly greeted us, gave us directions for our journey to Yihun Lhatso and invited us to join him later in his tent for tea when we trek back. the head was proud of his family and was not afraid to introduce his family to us.

delicate adjusting of photo light/dark to present the best
A balance of striving for better and being content is very delicate, just as balancing the light and darkness of photo. more isn't always more, and less isn't neccesary best.
Something to think about, introduced to me by Mr Khoo(my history teacher), The Paradox of our age by Dalai Lama

The Paradox of Our Age
by The Dalai Lama
We have bigger houses but smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
More knowledge, but less judgment;
More experts, but more problems;
More medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We build more computers to hold more information to
produce more copies than ever but have less communication.
We have become long on quantity,
but short on quality.
These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;
Tall man but short character;
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in the window,
but nothing in the room.
For anna the beaver.

Ronghua
Nil Sine Labore

More about the writer:

Ronghua was a VJC schoolmate of mine. In Victoria School and VJ, he represented the schools for cross-country running competitions. I met him on the first few days of school and thought him to be crazy. He, together with VS gang, completely spoke a different lingo from me. And soon, they created a nickname for me, Beaver. (Oh well, at least beavers are cute.) Ronghua will go on to study mechanical engineering in NTU, after having completed his hellish (officer mah!) 2 years in army.