西藏旅游：揭去神秘的面纱

The Tourism of Tibet: Reveal the Mysterious Veil

西藏地处中国西南部。13世纪中叶，正式纳入中国元代版图.尽管中国历经多次改朝换代，政权更迭，但是，西藏始终在中央政府控制之下，是中国的一个不可分割的部分。

Tibet is located in the southwest of China. It formally belonged to the domain of the Yuan Dynasty in the mid-thirteenth century. Although China has undertaken changes and replacements of dynasties and central governments in Chinese history. Tibet has always been under the control by the central government and been an inseparable part of China.

今天是一个以喷气式飞机、高速公路和计算机网络为标志的信息时代。世界上具有神秘色彩的地方已经所剩无几，西藏却是一个例外。

Today is an age of information with jet aircrafts, highways and network of computers as its symbols. Mysterious places are rare to be found in the world, but Tibet is an exception.

由于其地理位置偏僻、地形地貌独特，原始的自然风光和仍然鲜为人知的民俗风情，以及本世纪初一些外国探险家带回去的种种宣传，这一切可能使人们对西藏形成一种神秘感。

Because of its geographical position, unique topography and terrain; unknown but existent original customs and natural scenery; and various propagandas brought back by foreign explorers, all these render people possible to form a mysterious picture of Tibet.

西藏位于中国西南边陲，它北邻新疆维吾尔自治区和青海省，东接四川省和云南省，南部与缅甸、印度、不丹和尼泊尔等国接壤。西面与印度接壤。拉萨是首府最大的城市。

Tibet is located in the southwest of China. It is bounded on the north by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province; on the east by Sichuan and Yunnan provinces; on the south by Myanmar (formally known as Burma), India, Bhutan, and Nepal; and on the west by India. Lhasa is the region's capital and largest city.

西藏平均海拔4900米，是世界上最高的地区，素有“世界屋脊”之称。 西藏大多数人居住在海拔1200米到5100米的地方。西藏南、西、北三面分别被喜马拉雅山，喀喇昆仑山和昆仑山所环抱，是世界上与外界隔绝的地方之一。

With an average elevation of 4,900m, Tibet is the highest region on earth. For this reason, it is sometimes called the Roof of the World. Most of the people in Tibet live at elevations ranging from 1,200m to 5,100m. Tibet is also one of the world's most isolated regions, surrounded by the Himalayas on the south, the Karakoram Range on the west, and the Kunlun Mountains on the north.

由于地理条件不同，藏南谷地和藏北高原温差很大。南部温和多雨，降雨集中在五月到九月之间。北部属大陆性气候，相对干燥，六月到八月温暖，昼夜温差大。旅游的最佳时间是三月到八月。

Due to the different geographical conditions, temperatures of the south grassland and north plateau differ sharply. The south is warm and rainy. Most rain falls during May and September. The north has a continental climate, and is a relatively dry area. It is warm from June to August. The weather differs sharply during day and night. The best time for traveling is from March to October.

西藏历史文化悠久。考古发掘遗迹表明四千至两万年前就有人栖息于此。勤劳勇敢的西藏人民创造了充满活力、丰富多彩的文化习俗，是一个富于独特的传统文化、能歌善舞的民族。

Tibet has a long history. Ancient remains show that human beings lived here from 4 thousand to 20 thousand years ago. Tibetans are so diligent and brave that they have created diverse cultural customs. This is a nation with special traditional culture and a nation keen on dancing and singing.

西藏天文学、历算先进，医学发达，拥有大量经典和文学作品。西藏的艺术瑰宝有绘画、建筑、雕刻、音乐、舞蹈、民间戏剧。西藏各地都有著名的古代艺术景点，其中最著名的景点有布达拉宫、扎什伦布寺、大昭寺和小昭寺等。这里的观光旅游和民俗风情旅游，是世界上最为独特的。

Tibet is advanced in astronomy, ancient algorithm and medicine. Tibet is abounded of classics and literature works. Tibet is advanced in astronomy, ancient algorithm and medicine. Tibet is abounded of classics and literature works. Among Tibetan art treasures are painting, architecture, carving, music, dancing, folk opera. Of famous ancient art sites all around Tibet, the most well-known sites are the Potala Palace, Zhaxilhunbo Temple, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple and etc. The tour of these places and local customs are the most special in the world.

上世纪初，西方第一个闯入西藏的瑞典探险家斯文·赫定，进藏时有130匹马，抵达日喀则时仅剩下两匹公马和一头母马。他在《亚洲大陆旅行记》中写道：在西藏“我们每迈出一步是对地球的一次新发现，每一个地名意味着占领了一块新的土地。直到1907年1月为止，我们对地球的这个部分和对月球背面一样一无所知。”

At the beginning of last century, Sven Hedin, a Sweden explorer who made the first travel to Tibet from the western world, arrived at Gzhis-ka-rtse with only two horses and one mare which were ever as many as 130 horses and mares when he first entered Tibet. He said in his Travel in the Asian Continent that in Tibet, "every step we'd taken made a new discovery about the earth and each name of the place meant a new occupation. We knew nothing about this part of our planet as we did the back of the moon until Jan., 1907."

本世纪西藏的交通运输发生了巨大的变化。在斯文·赫定进入西藏后的本世纪上半叶，这里甚至连半英里公路和一辆卡车都没有，运输主要靠肩背和牲畜驮运。从拉萨到雅安的牦牛运输一年仅有一次。自1950年农奴制废除后，在极为艰难的条件下，先后修筑了川藏、青藏、新藏、滇藏4条省际公路干线。与此同时，在自治区境内，形成了以拉萨、日喀则、昌都和那曲为中心的公路网，98%的县都通了公路。在此期间，还建成了青藏铁路。1956年，航空人员突破号称“空中禁区”的青藏高原上空，试航成功。现在拉萨与国内的北京、成都、重庆，以及尼泊尔的加德满都，都有定期航班往返。

Transportation in Tibet has changed a lot throughout this century. In the first half, there was not even one mile of road or one truck, and the transportation was based on man's labor and stock. Yak conveyance from Lhasa to Yaan was conducted only once a year. After 1950 when serfdom was eliminated, four roads from Sichuan, Qinghai, Xinjiang and Yunnan to Tibet were built despite great difficulties. And at the same time inside the autonomous zone, road network were formed centering on Lhasa, Gzhis-ka-rtse, Chabmdo and Nagqu, which extended to 98 percent of the countries. Railway from Qinghai to Tibet was built at this time. In 1956, airmen succeeded in their first aerial navigation above the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau which ever meant the "forbidden area". Now there are regular flights between Lhasa and Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Kathmandu of Nepal.

如今游客可以以多种方式进入西藏，他们可以乘汽车从新疆、青海、四川或云南到西藏，也可以乘飞机从北京、成都或重庆到拉萨。

Now tourists can enter Tibet in many ways, by bus from Xinjiang, Qinghai, Sichuan or Yunnan; by air from Beijing, Chengdu or Chongqing to Lhasa.

现代游客渴望重返大自然，欣赏大自然。西藏地域广阔、人口稀少，高山白雪皑皑、森林郁郁葱葱、杜鹃满山遍野，河流奔腾不息，湖泊静谧安详。这里绝大多数地方没有污染，散发着淡淡的原始醇香。在这里人们可以尽情地享受大自然的恩赐。

Modern tourists are eager to return to and enjoy the nature. Tibet has a large area, a small population, high mountains covered with snow, rich forests and booming azalea, rampage rivers and tranquil lakes. Most of the places are free from pollution and preserve their original state for people to enjoy the bounty of the nature.