A photo exhibition featuring cultural and religious life of one million Tibetans and picturesque scenery in southwest China's Sichuan Province opened here at Friday.

The four-day exhibition, involving 146 photos selected from 5,500 ones taken by about 500 domestic and overseas photographers.

Addressing a ceremony launching the exhibition at the Beijing Nationalities Palace in the downtown Beijing, an official with the Information Office of the Sichuan Provincial government, organizer of the event, said the exhibition is the largest of its kind ever held in Beijing.

Huang Xiaoxiang, vice-governor of Sichuan Provincial government, said the exhibition was designed to showcase the real world and colorful cultural and religious life of Tibetan people, and the natural beauty in the vast and sparsely-populated area inhabited by one million Tibetans in the province.

The vice-governor said "freedom of religion is fully protected" and the unique religious culture, customs and ethnic traditions has been well-preserved and carried on.
 
(Xinhua News Agency July 3, 2004)