Best time to go: in Summer

Traditional lifestyles are maintained here, in the center of the old city. Rich and colorful ethnic handicrafts are available that you won't find anywhere else.

N0 one can claim to have really visited Lhasa until they have taken a stroll around Barkhor Street. Famous in Lhasa, and throughout the entire Tibetan Autonomous Region, Barkhor Street is d trading as well as religious center The goods for sale here exemplify loca Tibetan culture and artefacts. From morning to evening, streams of people throng the streets, to purchase whatever they need.

The center of the old Lhasa, Barkhor is a circular street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa and remains very traditional.

It is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble and a place to which a visit must be paid. It was said that in the seventh century when Songtsen Gampo, the first Tibetan King (617 or ?-650) who unified Tibet, married Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal princess Tritsun. Later Princess Tritsun built Jokhang Temple to accommodate the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng.

Barkhor is the road which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. They comprise most of Lhasa's floating population. Careful visitors may find there are 4 columns, on which colorful scripture streamers are hung flying over the street. All pilgrims walk outside of them to show respect.

The custom started in Tubo period (633-877). To the west of the north street of Barkhor, there is a juniper hearth, in front of which ceremony will be held annually to hail Maitreya (Buddha of the Future). Tibetans also pray before the hearth to expect fortune in the next year. A yamun, which used to be the office of Lhasa magistrate, squats nearby. A small lane northward nearby leads to a market, which has longest history in Lhasa. There is a three-story temple, which was set up in the Tubo period, and its pantheon still remains Tubo style after many renovations. It was said that Tibetan characters were invented in the temple. Barkhor, the sacred pilgrim path, is also a marketplace where shaggy nomads, traders, robed monks and chanting pilgrims join together. Shops and stalls, clustering, sell printed scriptures, cloth prayer flags and other religious vessels, jewelry, Tibetan knives, ancient coins and etc.

When strolling around Barkhor Street, there is a strict rule that should be observed. This is to circum-navigate the Jokhang Monastery in a clockwise direction. Each rotation is -equivalent to reciting a mantra, which brings with it longevity and an auspicious re-birth. The street is narrow, and lined with stalls, or shops on both sides. Most of the goods for sale were entirely new to me, so I couldn't resist the temptation to buy something as soon as I entered the street.