CRI听力：Tibetans Ready for New Year Celebrations

Reporter:
A plane from Chengdu to Lhasa was full of passengers. Many of them were Tibetans going home for the most important Tibetan festival. (www.hXen.com)

64-year-old Dawang Qizhen was one of them. She just finished her tour of the southwestern province of Yunnan and returned home to celebrate the coming New Year.

"My family, entire family, will get together. My daughter has already done the New Year shopping for the family, including fruits, vegetables and meat."

The New Year shopping is one of the most important activities for local people in Tibet. I am now at the largest fruit market in Lhasa. The market is quite busy and prosperous.

The market is so crowded that people can hardly get in. Suolang Zhandui is watching his wife choosing fruits.

"I think the customers here today are ten times more than usual. The atmosphere of New Year celebration is as happy as previous years."

Shop owners such as Nima are also excited about the prosperous market.

"Many people visited my shop and the business this year is better than last year."

Some foreign tourists have also come to visit Tibet and experience its unique culture during the New Year. Abby is from America.

"We've read a lot about its history, people, religion and culture. It's a place we always wanted to visit. We read about the New Year. That will be an interesting time to see its people and culture."
Abby also says that she isn't worried about her safety in Tibet.

"I know that there're more safety investments right now. We always feel very comfortable in China. I think everywhere we traveled we felt very safe. People were always very friendly. So we don't really have any concerns."

People here will enjoy seven days of public holidays in the coming week. Most of them will spend the time visiting relatives and friends or going to the monasteries.

Chen Zhe, CRI news, Lhasa.