Apart from the statue, the historical records note that Princess Wencheng also brought silk clothing, books, grain, vegetable seeds, agricultural toolmaking methods and metallurgy techniques, which greatly promoted development in Tibet.

The opera began its seventh year on Saturday and will continue until Oct 31, the end of the region's tourist season.

More than 1,000 performances of Princess Wencheng have been staged in Lhasa for more than 2.1 million people since its debut. There were 187 performances last year to 500,000 tourists.

The show has brought in around 770 million yuan ($114 million) in profit and provided jobs for more than 4,000 local people.

Chija Cering, a 58-year-old herder, has worked seven years in the theater. He plays a role in the show with his two yaks.

"I can earn 4,500 yuan per month, much than farming or grazing," he said.

More than 800 people have performed in the opera, and local farmers and herders have accounted for 95 percent. They do farm work in the daytime and as actors at night, earning around 3,000 to 4,000 yuan each month.