The
Tibetans have lived from generation to generation on the Qinhai-Tibet Plateau,
known as the "Roof of the World," a place high above sea level where the weather
is cold and oxygen scarce. In the past, eating was a way of life due to
limitations on natural resources and backward economic development. At present,
along with development in the economy and popularity of scientific knowledge in
Tibet, Tibetans can now pay attention to nutrition, hygiene and scientific diet
therapy.
More than a dozen years ago, before winter fell, Han cadres and workers in Lhasa were busy digging vegetable cellars to store the "Old Three Vegetables" - turnips, potatoes and Chinese cabbage, while Tibetans were busy purchasing and storing huge chunks of beef and mutton.
More than a dozen years ago, before winter fell, Han cadres and workers in Lhasa were busy digging vegetable cellars to store the "Old Three Vegetables" - turnips, potatoes and Chinese cabbage, while Tibetans were busy purchasing and storing huge chunks of beef and mutton.
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| Tibet food |
At present,
vegetable cellars in front of or behind houses in Lhasa have been replaced by
vegetable baskets in housewives' hands. After work, housewives are heading to
markets to buy live fish, fresh pork, beef, mutton and vegetables of various
kinds. In the past, Tibetans were likely to say, "I don't eat vegetables, I want
meat." At present, they have changed their lifestyle and have started eating
vegetables, leading to the establishment of over 10 vegetable markets in Lhasa
with a daily non-staple food supply of 85,000 kilograms, of which 35,000
kilograms are vegetables. Private peddlers saw the potential of the market in
Lhasa and transported vegetables and seafood from Sichuan and coastal cities by
air. A cadre who came from Sichuan to work in Tibet said in surprise, "It is
amazing that I can get the same vegetables in Lhasa as in Chengdu (the capital
of Sichuan Province). Moreover, I can get melons or fruits like white grapes,
hami melons from Xingjiang and seedless oranges from Nepal, which cannot be
found in Chengdu."
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| hami melons in xinjiang |
Qoinpe, a Tibetan cadre, always told every host he
met, "I don't eat grass." However, vegetables are a must on his dining table
now. He said, "In the past physical examination every year, the doctor often
wrote in the suggestion column 'low-fat foods.' Since last year, he stopped
writing the same thing."
Fostering the habit of a scientific diet has
been spread from cities and townships to the vast farming and pastoral areas.
Even in northern Tibetan areas where beef and mutton have served as staple foods
for hundreds of years, vegetables and fruits are becoming more and more welcome.
At the free market in Nagqu Township, stands of vegetables and fruits are much
more than those selling beef and mutton. Farmers in Yongda Township of
Doilungdeqen County changed the old way of simply planting qingke, a kind of
highland barley and wheat, and now cultivate nutritious South American corn,
which not only adds another staple food, but also supplies markets in
Lhasa.
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| the greenhouse |
At present, farmers in the suburbs of Lhasa grow vegetables in
greenhouses. Even in the cold winter, people can still have fresh vegetables.
Dinba, a farmer in Dagze County, said whenever he came back from Lhasa he used
to bring several kilograms of vegetables from Chengdu. "Things are different
now," he said. " I cook several vegetables at home for a meal and take
vegetables with me when working in the fields."
Buffets, a scientific and hygienic way of eating, have become more and more popular in farming and pastoral areas in Lhasa recently. Basang Yuzhoin, a farmer in Chengguan district of Lhasa, treated guests who came for her daughter's wedding to a buffet. Over a dozen courses were cooked exquisitely; half of them were vegetables, winning high evaluations from the guests. Basang Yuzhoin said, "Traditional turnips cooked with beef and mutton braised with potatoes no longer fit the taste of modern people. A buffet is welcomed by villagers because one can choose what he wants, it is up to hygienic standards, and has no waste."
Buffets, a scientific and hygienic way of eating, have become more and more popular in farming and pastoral areas in Lhasa recently. Basang Yuzhoin, a farmer in Chengguan district of Lhasa, treated guests who came for her daughter's wedding to a buffet. Over a dozen courses were cooked exquisitely; half of them were vegetables, winning high evaluations from the guests. Basang Yuzhoin said, "Traditional turnips cooked with beef and mutton braised with potatoes no longer fit the taste of modern people. A buffet is welcomed by villagers because one can choose what he wants, it is up to hygienic standards, and has no waste."
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| tibet tour |
There are not
only abundant forests but also edible plants in the forest areas in eastern
Tibet. At present, many wild plants, including edible fungus, have become
reliable sources of considerable income for local people.
Along with
development in medicine and health care, Tibetans are getting to know heart and
blood diseases caused by high-fat foods like beef, mutton and butter and are
more interested in low-fat high-protein foods. In the past fish was regarded as
an embodiment of dragons, a mythical animal in ancient China. So eating fish was
considered a taboo. Dainzin, an old man in Jungba Village near the Lhasa River,
recalled when he couldn't make a living before 1959, he wrapped fish in cloth
and hawked in front of his house, calling in a low voice "turnips, turnips."
Those noble men in Lhasa who were tired of eating beef and mutton didn't care
about the taboo and changed their extra food for fish. Now it is popular to eat
fish among Tibetans. The supply of live fish couldn't meet the demand in
markets. As a result, Hungba Village has become a well-known prosperous fishing
center.
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| butter tea |
In the vast countryside of Tibet few people ate chicken, and some
even freed roosters in mountains, thinking it was unworthy to "kill a life for a
handful of meat." At present, chickens, eggs, pork, beef and mutton have all
become farm food. A farmer in Bomtoi Township of Dagze County made use of a
brook in front of his house to raise thousands of Beijing ducks, bringing him
lots of money.
In fact, along with changes in diet, some habits, including eating raw meat, have been replaced by scientific, nutritious and hygienic diet therapies. This is an important step among Tibetans heading for modern civilization, as well as a factor in promoting the quality of the nationality.
According to statistics from the health department in Tibet, life span on the plateau has been increased from 36 years before 1949 to 65 years at present. It is not only because of the development in medicine and health care, but also because of magnificent changes in diet therapy as well.
In fact, along with changes in diet, some habits, including eating raw meat, have been replaced by scientific, nutritious and hygienic diet therapies. This is an important step among Tibetans heading for modern civilization, as well as a factor in promoting the quality of the nationality.
According to statistics from the health department in Tibet, life span on the plateau has been increased from 36 years before 1949 to 65 years at present. It is not only because of the development in medicine and health care, but also because of magnificent changes in diet therapy as well.
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