Nyima Cering, the abbot of the Johkang Monastery in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, has guided tourists through this mystical region in southwest China for 17 years.

Nyima Cering hopes his service will help outsiders to fully understand the workings of the monastery and monastic life, and spread awareness of the ancient, splendid Tibetan culture.

Now 35, Nyima Cering became a lama at Johkang at the age of 18. He now is the director of the Reception Office of the monastery and vice-chairman of the Lhasa City Buddhism Association.

As a tour guide, his job is to explain the history of the Johkang Monastery and facts about Buddhism to travelers. On his busiest days, he shares this information to several hundred people.

He has accompanied Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing and other senior government officials and also ordinary tourists, including overseas travelers. Many tourists have called him the best tour guide in Tibet.

There are seven lamas at the Nyima Cering's reception office all of whom are fluent in Tibetan, Chinese and English.

Nyima Cering was among the first group of lamas in Tibet to study English. He is a graduate of the Chinese Institute of Buddhist Studies.

In addition to reading the classical works of Tibetan Buddhism, Nyima Cering also enjoys reading books on social sciences published in China and in foreign countries.

He said that many tourists, especially those from western countries, are ignorant about and have a bias against Tibet.

"My colleagues and I hope, through our hard work, to let the world understand the real Tibet," he said.

Nyima Cering loves photography, video-taping and making friends with others. He now has friends in many countries and regions around the world.

"Some of them often come to Lhasa to visit me," he said proudly.

(People’s Daily 05/09/2001)