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Tibetan lamas had new
lessons to take since this week -- not on religious studies,
but a course on maintenance of electrical appliances.
The regional administrations
of temples and broadcasting in the Tibet Autonomous Region,
southwest China, launched a training program on Wednesday
for lamas to learn maintenance techniques of electrical
appliances.
As the first group
of learners, some 40 lamas from monasteries throughout the
autonomous region will learn basic electronic theories and
skills including circuit examination, use of electrical
irons, radio repair and television tuning at the one-month
course.
Tibetan lamaseries
enjoy rising incomes thanks to the development of tourism in
the autonomous region in recent years. As a result,
electrical appliances such as radios, televisions and even
mobile phones have become daily necessities for lamas.
However, Dawa Cering, a lama
from the Zhaxilhunbo Monastery, said that they are often
troubled by the problems with their radios and televisions.
"When there is something
wrong with my radio, I can do nothing but feel
dismayed," Dawa Cering said.
Not knowing what to do about
his radio and unable to go out freely, Dawa Cering has to
wait until his holiday comes to go for repair services, the
cost of which is not cheap to a monk.
Ngagwang Cering, a young lama
from the Sera Monastery, said the training program can help
lamas grasp some skills to deal with the problems with their
radios and other electrical appliances in the future.
"It not only benefits us
lamas, we can also use the skills to serve local
people," the lama said.
Though there are training
programs in society, monastery administration officials said
that they are usually too expensive for lamas and as most of
the courses are given in standard Chinese, Tibetan-speaking
lamas have difficulty in understanding the lessons.
Gyai'ra Losang Dainzin,
vice-chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, said that the
training program is of special significance to lamas from
remote and isolated temples, where repair services are not
available and information communication is slow.
The vice chairman said that
maintenance skills of radios and other appliances can help
lamas keep well informed about the world.
The autonomous region also
started a training program on farming technology in
September for lamas and nuns. Enditem
www.chinaview.cn 2003-10-23
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