Performers of drama Princess Wencheng help each other with makeup before going on stage. [Photo By Wang Zhuangfei / China Daily]

"I wish I could circle more. But I have to work and it takes me much time," she says, adding that older members of her family circle more often.

Tibet is home of many sacred sites including Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Ngari. For pilgrims, circling either site is a great honor and the fulfillment of a lifelong desire.

Tibet attracts people not only for its mystery and beauty but also for its development.

The local transport authority says that in 1950 the region had no paved roads, but by the end of last year, 75,000 kilometers of roads had been built.