Walking of the soul

Author: Weng Lihua / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: After passing the Duulong Deqing County, we arrived at the Lalu Wetland near Lhasa City. At this time, the clock showed 11:30. Mr. Guo Lixin, who had been waiting for us at Tianyuan Lijing Hotel, led us upstairs while pointing out the window. He told us that the Lalu Wetland across the street from the road is the "lung" of Lhasa City, and it is now protected by fences to prevent anyone from entering and causing damage. This reminded me of the similar case where the United Nations allocated substantial funds to protect the "lung" of the Earth—the Amazon Rainforest in South America. The former is smaller in scope, while the latter is larger, but the significance of environmental protection is entirely the same.
Coincidentally, it was Shoton Festival, and guests from Tibet were pouring in, making accommodation very tight. The Finance Department of the Autonomous Region and the Finance Department of Naqu were worried about the possibility of inadequate reception. They contacted two hotels, and after half an hour, we finally settled at the Tibet Building on Beijing Middle Road, No. 67, in the city center. As soon as we entered our room, we heard that Mr. Wang Yongmin, the Executive Vice Commissioner of Zhejiang sent to the Naqu region of Tibet, was already waiting for us at the restaurant. We had no choice but to promise to wash our hands and faces quickly and dine at the nearby Hailong Fishery Harbor Restaurant.
As soon as we sat down in the private dining room, Mr. Yongmin eagerly told us that Shoton Festival is one of Tibet's long-standing traditional festivals. In Tibetan, "Sho" means yogurt, and "Dun" means banquet, so the "Shoton Festival" is literally a festival for eating yogurt. Because this festival coincides with the peak tourist season for domestic and international visitors to Tibet, arranging food and accommodation is particularly difficult. He repeatedly expressed his deep apologies for this, making us feel quite embarrassed.
At this moment, a middle-aged man of average height entered the private dining room. Mr. Yongmin quickly introduced him to us. He was the owner of the restaurant, Mr. Xu Hailong. Mr. Xu told us that he was born in 1962 and graduated from the Electrical Engineering Department of Wenzhou Mechanical School in 1983. After graduation, he was assigned to the Power Department of the Jinhua Trailer Factory as a technician according to the plan. In 1992, when the Jinhua International Trade Building under Nan Du Group was recruiting, he won the position of Manager of the Equipment and Materials Department through competition due to his outstanding performance. In 1997, he was transferred to the Project Department of Hangzhou Huanglong Plaza in Nan Du Group. In 2002, he resigned and came to Tibet to do business.
Mr. Hailong's business in Tibet is closely related to his brother, Mr. Baolong. Mr. Baolong was born in 1967 and joined the Air Force in January 1985 as a local service personnel at Chongqing Airport. Due to his diligence and cleverness, he quickly gained the respect of the airport commander. Later, when the commander was transferred to Tibet, he took Mr. Baolong to Gongga Airport for service. After completing his service term, he became a volunteer soldier and was demobilized in 1993 to work as a driver and salesperson at the Autonomous Region's Foreign Trade Company.
Later, he found that the local foreign trade business relied on selling permits, which was not a legitimate path. At the time, the service industry in Tibet was just beginning to take off, presenting a great business opportunity. So, he borrowed 70,000 yuan from Mr. Hailong, added his own savings, and also borrowed some money from his workplace to raise a total of 200,000 yuan to open a seafood restaurant in Lhasa.
When the restaurant opened, it coincided with the wave of support from the mainland to Tibet, with people coming and going continuously. Therefore, it quickly stood out with its unique seafood cuisine and attracted countless high-ranking officials and dignitaries to dine there. The prosperous business and substantial profits encouraged Mr. Baolong to open the Chengdu Kunpeng Air Cargo Co., Ltd. and Tibet Hailong Trading Co., Ltd. In 2002, the company's profits exceeded 5 million yuan, with the Hailong Fishery Harbor Restaurant being the most profitable. The restaurant has two locations, with the other one at the Autonomous Region's Fire and Rescue.
This is the main branch, and the site is leased from the Autonomous Region's Radio and Television Department for 450,000 yuan per year. The entire restaurant has 21 private dining rooms and can accommodate over 200 people at the same time. The quality of the food and drink is top-notch and has almost reached the level of widespread praise. It is currently the most renowned seafood restaurant in Lhasa. P6-7