Poverty Reduction for Ethnic Minorities in China
　　A joint initiative to alleviate poverty among ethnic minorities was launched on 7 November in Beijing between the United Nations Development Programme in China, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission (SEAC), and the China International Center For Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) under the Ministry of Commerce.
　　"This initiative will support Government's efforts in alleviating poverty. Since more than 46 per cent of the current remaining absolute poor people in China are from the ethnic minority group, successful efforts to reduce poverty of the minorities will make significant contributions to the overall efforts of poverty reduction of China" said Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in China during the inception workshop of the project.
　　Entitled"Poverty Reduction for Ethnic Minorities in China ", this 4-year project is designed to support government efforts to alleviate poverty among ethnic minorities through building leadership capacity and developing culture-based industries at both provincial and community levels in selected minority areas of three provinces in Western China: Qinghai , Xinjiang and Yunnan.
　　According to Malik, with a total fund of US$ 7 million, the project will select five'small'ethnic minority groups in eight villages in the three selected provinces for community development in an effort to engage these villagers in decision making process based on their own needs and encourage them to find home-grown solutions to fight against poverty.
　　Based on the unique ethnic cultural and natural assets, this initiative will also help these areas to develop tourism and cultural industries through market-oriented approaches to increase income and promote sustainable rural development for poor ethnic groups.
　　It will also provide institutional support to help minority farmers set up grassroots organizations to collectively address challenges facing them."Apart from supporting household or individual levels' efforts, this project will focus more on scaling up these efforts to focus on better organization of individuals via associations of product producers and service providers"said Mr. Khalid Malik.
　　China's 55 ethnic minorities have a combined population of 106 million, or 8.4% of the national total. However, government statistics in 2003 showed that 13 million of them still lived in conditions of extreme poverty, accounting for 46 per cent of the national total of extreme poor.
　　In particular, 22 'small' ethnic minority groups whose respective population is below 100,000, with a combined total of 630,000, are particularly vulnerable to the loss of cultural and natural resources. Income and non-income related indicators show that poverty in these groups is deeply entrenched and needs more focused support.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Zhao Wei reports)

King Gesar, a real hero?
　　Gesar was a legendary Tibetan warrior and king whose exploits are told in an epic tale, which is widely believed to be the longest epic in the world.
　　Whether Gesar was a real person or a mythical hero in Tibetan literature remains a question for Chinese researchers. Some believe that Gesar was a chieftain in the Tibetan area while others insist he was only a legendary hero created by the Tibetans.
　　The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is full of cultural relics that legends attribute to King Gesar. Dana Temple, for instance, is nestled in the valley of Nangqian County of Qinghai Province, and is said to be the family temple of King Gesar. It houses a hat, armor and weapons said to have been used by him. On a mountain adjacent to the temple, there are monuments of Gesar and 30 generals who once served under Gesar's rule. Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proved that these monuments are over 1,000 years old.
　　Many local villagers believe they are descendants of Gesar or his generals. In a village located about 200 kilometers from Dana Temple, a Dongcang family, one of the most famous families in the area, claim to be descendants of one of Gesar's bravest generals.
　　According to Jia Su, an official of the local cultural bureau in Nangqian, many of the landscapes depicted in epic tale "King Gesar"could be found in Nangqian. "Obviously it's not just coincidence,"Jia said. "Now we can find many traces of the great epic in the area, which shows that the epic is based on real history."

Chinese archaeologist reveals history of Miao costume
　　For centuries, Miao people have been known for the diversity of their costumes and Miao women living in Guizhou Province still hold fast to the traditions of embroidery and weaving. Xi Keding, a leading expert in the study of ethnic minorities' relics, recently published a book based on his research of Miao women's clothing. It is the first comprehensive study of the Miao costume by an archaeologist.
　　Xi believes that the Miao ethnic group has many branches and tribes and that people who speak the same dialect or language may very likely dress differently. Therefore, the Miao costume should not be categorized according to the language spoken by the wearer. Instead, it should be classified according to the style and characteristics of the clothes.
　　Xi started his research in 1999 and focused primarily on 173 varieties of Miao costume. His research has led him to divide the Miao women's costume into three major categories: one-piece garments with high collar, garments with buttons down the front and garments with buttons on the right. Each category can be divided into varied types according to the detailed characteristics of the clothing.
　　A comparison of these three categories indicates that the history of the first and second categories dates back to the Song and Ming dynasties while the third one dates to the Qing Dynasty. "We could see the great influence of Han people's culture on the costume tradition of Miao ethnic group over time," Xi explained."The diversity of the Miao costume is also related to the ethnic group's pattern of migration over the past hundreds of years."

A village built with fossils
　　Located deep in the mountainous Shiping County of Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, Laoxudian Village remains largely unknown to the outside world. The ancient village, with most of its houses built from fossilized trees, is called by the locals "village of fossils." For generations local villagers have led a simple life -- beginning work at sunrise and retiring at sunset. They seldom leave the village except on market days when they drive their vans to the township about 10 kilometers away to sell their harvest and buy their daily necessities.
　　To many visitors to the village, it's a mystic place full of"wonders."For instance, knocking on the stones in the village produces a sound similar to that of bronze bells. The water in a mystic well tastes cold and sweet in summer but is warm in winter. Two streams -- one is called"cold spring"and the other"hot spring"-- run through the village. An underground cave is known for the strong air flow that blows out of it all year round. Also, most villagers here enjoy longevity.

India to develop road Iinks in Sino-India border
　　One September 27, as China inaugurated the world's highest railway, the government of India unveiled plans to develop road links over the next four years to strengthen ties with its neighbor--China.
　　Indian authorities often mentioned China's Qinghai-Tibet Railway when they talk about plans for a Himalaya Railway or the road links near the border. Actually there are two different views of the railway in India: one is that the railway will help pave the way for better trade relations between the two countries, while the other sees the railway as helping China expand its influence to southern Asian countries and eventually change the strategic balance of the area.
　　As to suggestions for re-opening Steven Road in northeast India, Chinese experts believe that it will help usher in a new era of economic development. For decades states in northeast India have experienced constant ethnic conflicts. The project will definitely shorten distances to other part of India and the world, and will play a significant role in the local economy.
　　Will Mt Qomolongma (Mt. Everest) rise in 100 years?
　　Beginning in 1847 the height of Mount Qomolangma has been measured over 10 times. Each measurement came up with a different result. In 2005 the Chinese State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping reported the latest measured height at 8,844.43 meters. Chinese experts predict that the highest peak in the world will rise by two meters in 100 years.
　　But since global warming is shrinking glaciers, why wouldn't the mountain shrink? Experts explain that global warming would cause a higher rate of evaporation and ultimately would bring more snow fall at the summit. The accumulated snow will consequently increases the height of the mountain.

Experts call for protection of Tibetan mastiffs
　　Chinese experts called for effective measures to protect the purity of the Tibetan mastiff dog breed.
　　Regarded as the"oldest, rarest and fiercest"dog tamed by human beings some 6,000 years ago, purebred Tibetan mastiffs are facing extinction on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
　　Legend has it that the Tibetan mastiff first brought the seeds of highland barley to Tibetan people. Therefore, the dogs have been revered by Tibetan people. A Tibetan mastiff can guard 400 sheep and is known as a symbol of security and prosperity. Every herdsman is proud to have a purebred Tibetan mastiff.
　　As these dogs are gaining popularity throughout the world, some business people mate purebred Tibetan mastiffs with other dogs for profit. Consequently, it has now become very difficult to find a purebred Tibetan mastiffs in Tibet.

Tradition remains untouched in a 600-year-old village
　　Over the past 600 years, a village located in the mountainous area of Yueyang City of Hunan Province has been home to the descendants of Zhang Guying, a person who lived during the Ming Dynasty.
　　With over 600 families and a population of 2,600, the village covers an area of 51,000 square metres. Its 1,732 houses are all connected by 60 alleys totaling 1,459 metres in length, and 206 courtyards, which makes the village look like a huge "mansion."
　　Local villagers keep most of their traditional customs even in these modern days.

Ethnic dance show set to thrill the world
　　Chinese Tujia people call themselves "Bizika""which means native dwellers. A dance and singing show"Bizika"thrilled Beijing audiences on September 17, 2006. It is the largest Tujia folk music and dance to date showcasing the mystic and unique culture of the ethnic minority. Without a storyline, the reality based musical extravaganza was like a documentary showing the real lives of ordinary Tujia people living in the landlocked areas.
　　At the premiere of the show, the title sponsorship of its world tour was sold at auction to a Hong Kong company for 100 million yuan.

Why Marco Polo did not mention the Great Wall
　　Marco Polo's book about his travels in China has been enormously influential and served in Europe as one of the primary sources of information about China for many centuries. Some scholars now suspect, however, that Polo never set foot in China. The basic argument against Polo involves a set of telling omissions. For instance, he never mentioned the Great Wall, one of the most significant sites in China.
　　Actually it is understandable that he would miss this part. It was in the Yuan Dynasty reigned by the nomadic Mongolian people that Marco Polo traveled to China. The Great Wall was built by the Han people in previous dynasties as a defense against the nomadic ethnic groups in the north. For centuries the Great Wall was regarded as a landmark of the government ruled by the Han people. Of course, it would not be appreciated by the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty. The Great Wall was no longer a popular topic at that time. So it's quite reasonable that Polo never mentioned, or even heard about the Great Wall, during his stay in China.

Olympic flame shines in Mt Qomolangma (Mt. Everest)
　　The 2008 Olympics torch relay will achieve a world record as specially trained mountaineers carry the Olympic flame to the top of Mount Qomolangma, the highest peak on Earth. Though the 2008 Olympics organizing committee has the relay mostly planned out, the torch relay route will not be decided until early 2007. A research team has been set up to investigate and assess the plan. If the Olympic flame is carried down from the Mount Qomolangma, which way would it go next? Experts have worked out these four possible routes:
　　1.Xinjiang-Tibet south route, via Xigaze, Ngari and Jieshan Daban, usually a route for pilgrims.
　　2.Qinghai-Tibet Railway, via Nagqu to Xining of Qinghai Province, a time-saving and convenient route.
　　3.Sichuan-Tibet north route, via Nagqu, Qamdo and Dege, featuring a number of historic sites.
　　4.Sichuan-Tibet south route, via Shannan, Nyingchi and Qamdo, featuring diverse folk culture and landscapes.