A new life

Herdsman Gyirai Lhamo, 48, who couldn't do his shopping, decided to have some buttered tea and enjoy the sunshine near the now-peaceful square. What happened on Jan 23 remained a hot topic among locals.

"As a local herdsman, I am proud to say that my life has transformed and is getting better and better," he said.

To improve herdsmen's living standard, more than 21 settlements have been established in Luhuo since 2009. More than 12,000 herdsmen, who used to live a nomadic life, now benefit from modern infrastructure including electricity and running water.

In Luhuo's Luoqiu settlement, herdsmen were busy repainting their houses - built in traditional Tibetan style - in red, blue, yellow and other favorite colors ahead of the Tibetan New Year, which falls this year on Feb 22.

"I used to be jealous of people living in cities who could enjoy electricity, water, going to schools and having hospitals nearby. Now I have them all," said Konchog, 70, who moved to the settlement in 2010. Before that all he had were a tent, a dog and his yaks, and the family struggled to survive in the harsh conditions in remote mountainous areas.

Konchog's family has opened a convenience store in the settlement and has begun to save money. What pleases Konchog most is that his grandson can receive an education at the school within the settlement. "It's a good life here," he said.

As of November, about 90 percent of Tibetan herdsmen had moved to settlements around Sichuan province. More than 450,000 herdsmen have started their new life.

Palden, director of Seda county, talks with interviewers in the week after a violent disturbance in his county. [Photo by Feng Yongbin / China Daily]