A Tour Guide in a Kasaya

The Jokhang Monastery, located in the center of Lhasa City, is a famous hamasery with a history of more than 1,300 years. As the Tibetan economy and society develop and progress and as the Tibetan reform and opening are accelerated, the Jokhang Monastery has become not only a holy place for Chinese and foreign pilgrims but also a well-known tourist attraction.

Built in A.D. 647, the Jokhang Monastery combines Tibetan and Han architectural features. It houses numerous valuable cultural relics, the most famous of which is the Sakyamuni Statue brought by Princess Wencheng to Tibet. An ancient willow grows in front of the temple. It is called the "Tang Willow" or "Princess Willow" because it is said to have been planted by the Tang Princess Wencheng. To the north of the willow is the four-meter-tall Tang-Tubo Union Tablet erected in 823. Written in Tibetan and Chinese, it records the historical alliances between the Tang and Tibetan courts.

Nyima Cering has been a monk at the Jokhang Monastery since 1985. He is now the deputy director of the Monastery's Administration Committee and director of the monastery's External Reception Office. In addition to normal Buddhist services, he is responsible for receiving pilgrims and tourists from other parts of the world, showing them the relics, telling them the history of the Jokhang Monastery, and introducing them to Tibetan culture. People call him a "tour guide in a kasaya."

Born into a peasant family, Nyima Cering was from Lhunzhub County, over 70 kilometers from Lhasa City. His parents, like most Tibetans, are pious Buddhists. They often enco9uraged Nyima Cering to chant scriptures and grow into a man of learning because "most outstanding figures and scholars in Tibetan history were from temples."

Assisted by a kind townsman, 17-year-old Nyima Cering came to Lhasa, took part in the monk enrollment examination at the Jokhang Monastery and was recruited with excellent scores. Nyima Cering Finally had his wish fulfilled and became a monk. In the very beginning, he was an ordinary temple curator, cleaning halls, offerings and musical instruments. However, he spent his spare time studying Buddhism. Later, Nyima Cering became a disciple of 70-year-old Lobsang Doje, Jokhang Monastery's eminent monk. Under the master's instruction, he made rapid progress in his Buddhist studies.

Tibet is in the new era of reform and opening. A continuous stream of Chinese and foreign visitors come to the region for travel, research and religious pilgrimage. As a well-known ancient Tibetan temple, the Jokhang Monastery has an increasingly heavy reception task. Clever, diligent, warm-hearted and knowledgeable, Nyima Cering was chosen to serve as a guide. An excellent guide should master both English and Chinese. He joined an English class conducted by the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consulative Conference. Taught by British teachers, he studied hard and could communicate with tourists in English after only one year. He taught himself Chinese, and his skills had greatly improved. To further enhance his Buddhist level, Nyima Cering went to Beijing and studied at the China Advanced Institute of Tibetan Buddhism from September of 1989 to September of 1990. He studied Buddhist theory, Tibetan history and culture and the Tibetan and Chinese languages and literature, which laid a firm foundation for his future work. After returning to his monastery, Nyima Cering purchased many Tibetan, Chinese and English books relevant to Tibetan Buddhism, history, culture, art and folk customs and subscribed to the Chinese Buddhist Culture in order to offer better services to the monastery and visitors. Linking the Chinese with foreigners and monks with laymen, normalizing the monastery administration, promoting Buddhism and contributing to cultural relics preservation have become Nyima Cering's biggest wishes.

China's ethnic groups are equal, and the Chinese people enjoy freedom of religious belief. Normal religi8ous activities and religious structures are under legal protection, and temples and religious professionals must strictly abide by laws, obey government administration, follow religious principles and develop Buddha dharma. Each evening, the Jokhang Monastery monks hold a dharma meeting, chanting scriptures and praying for their benefactors and all living creatures.

During summer, eminent monks teach other monks Buddhist doctrines. Young monks can freely choose their own study field. Since "December of 1995, the Jokhang Monastery has offered three courses where young monks aged from 16 to 30 years can learn Tibetan, Chinese and English and broaden their cultural knowledge. Nyima Cering teaches English. As a result, the comprehensive quality of the Jokhang monks has been continuously enhanced.

The Jokhang Monastery receives many Buddhist believers and tourists from hoe and abroad every day. Nyima Cering is always busy, relating Buddhist knowledge and general situation in his monastery. He has received numerous letters and has been gratified that his efforts and sincerity are understood and respected by the people.