** Khampa monks of the fortress monastery ** (Kham Sok-Tsenden Shol, 1994) I hitched a truck in Nagchu at 8 am. I was still on the back of the truck after 11 pm. Suddenly, a hill lit up with brilliant lights came into view. It was the Sok Tsenden monastery of Sok county. Next day I went up to the monastery which was under renovation just like all other monasteries in Tibet. Friendly and proud Khampa monks welcomed me.

"In 1959, Chinese airplanes bombed this monastery." ...one monk (not of this photo) told me seriously.

Every chapel was new. Religious practices seemed very active. Many monks were young. An old and big monk with dignity came close to me and stooped down to whisper "ku-par...". He looked so lovely! "Ku-par" means the picture of H.H. the Dalai Lama.

"I did not escape". This is the Khampa spirit! Many Khampa monks there were proud that they remained in Tibet to protect the monastery. They served so much butter tea and snacks to me as always.

The monastery had 600 monks before the destruction, but now has about 200. Ven. Gendun Ngawang Zigtrul Rinpoche met Japanese for the first time. It was quite misfortune for Him that it was me!