People of the Plateau

China’s Tibet Autonomous Region， located in the southwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau， is known as the “roof of the world” due to its average altitude of more than 4，000 meters. For centuries， limited amounts of outsiders traveled to Tibet due to its isolated geography and inconvenient transportation. For this reason， it has long been considered a mysterious and fascinating place.

In 1951， Tibet was liberated peacefully. In 1959， the central government of China carried out democratic reform aimed at overthrowing Tibet’s feudal selfdom system under theocracy. From then on， Tibet’s development entered a fast lane.

To commemorate the 65th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet， China Pictorial is highlighting the stories of 10 Tibetans from all walks of life to trace the tremendous changes the region has undergone over the past 65 years， showcase the current face of Tibet and analyze Tibetan reactions to the region’s modernization and internationalization.