"Wandering Soul"

Author: Weng Lihua / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: After passing the Duulong Deqing County, we arrived at the Laru Wetland near Lhasa City. At that 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 Laru 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 the Tibetan guests were numerous, making accommodation very tight. The Finance Department of the Autonomous Region and the Finance Bureau of Nagqu were worried about the reception, so they contacted two hotels. Half an hour later, we finally settled in the Tibet Hotel at No. 67 Beijing Middle Road in the city center. As soon as we entered the room, we heard that Mr. Wang Yongmin, the Executive Vice Commissioner of Zhejiang sent to the Nagqu 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 the traditional festivals with a long history in Tibet. In Tibetan, "Sho" means yogurt, and "Dun" means banquet. Therefore, the "Shoton Festival" is explained in Tibetan as a festival for eating yogurt. Since this festival coincides with the peak tourist season for domestic and foreign visitors entering Tibet, accommodation and food arrangements are particularly difficult. He repeatedly expressed his deep apologies for this, making us feel quite embarrassed. At that moment, a short middle-aged man entered the private dining room from the door. 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 at work, he was transferred to the Project Department of Hangzhou Huanglong Plaza in Nan Du Group in 1997. 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 Chongqing Airport as a local service member in January 1985. Due to his diligence and cleverness, he quickly gained the respect of the airport commander. Later, when the commander was promoted to Tibet, he took Mr. Baolong to Gongga Airport for service. After completing his service term, he became a volunteer soldier and was demobilized to the Autonomous Region's Foreign Trade Company as a driver and salesperson in 1993. Later, he found that the local foreign trade business relied on selling permits for a living, which was not a legitimate path. At that time, the service industry in Tibet was just beginning to take off, presenting a great business opportunity. Therefore, he asked Mr. Hailong for 70,000 yuan, added his own savings, and borrowed some money from his unit to raise 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. As a result, it quickly stood out with its unique seafood cuisine and attracted countless "officials and dignitaries" to dine there. The prosperous business and substantial profits encouraged Mr. Baolong to open the Chengdu Kunpeng Air Freight Co., Ltd. and the Tibet Hailong Trading Co., Ltd. in succession.