China Travel

Any trip to Lhasa will warrant a few visits to Barkhor Square—the religious heart and market center of the capital. The plaza itself was created and paved not too long ago and by the Chinese, but the Tibetans have embraced the space, and despite electronic eyes (look for the rooftop cameras) keeping watch, the place still seems to have an authentic feel. The square is a popular place for protests and demonstrations (though these are becoming rare and small due to strict surveillance), so while it may seem that the Chinese have taken over the Barkhor by creating this clear-cut, they have instead created a kind of stage for tradition to play on. Take a ride with the circumambulating pilgrims—their clockwise-moving, chanting mass is sure to sweep you up, or shop to your enlightened heart's content at a variety of traditional handicraft-selling stalls. There are plenty of permanent and temporary cultural delights in this square, which surrounds Jokhang Monastery.