The hospital, believed to be the biggest of its kind in Tibet, covering an area of 1,400 sq. m, is situated inside the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery. It has 14 lama doctors who use both traditional Tibetan medicine and western medicine to treat patients.

    With a long history, Zhaxi Lhunbo Hospital used to be the only medical care establishment in Xigaze Prefecture which was administered by Panchen Kampo Lijia or the highest ecclesiastical and secular institution of the Panchen before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951.

    Previously, it just had a couple of bungalows as wards and served mainly upper-class lamas, nobles and officials.

    Nowadays, ordinary Tibetan people, including farmers and herdsmen are seen standing in orderly queues at this lama hospital, waiting to see doctors.

    According to 58-year-old Cepun, head of the hospital, more than 40,000 people sought medical treatment at his hospital last year.

    Cepun, who has been in the medical profession for more than three decades, said the Buddhist principle of saving all lives is observed at his hospital where only cost prices are charged. Ordinary patients only pay one yuan for registration, diagnosis and medicine for common diseases, while 800 lamas at the lamasery receive free medical treatment.

    The hospital was built with an investment of more than 700,000 yuan (about 84,300 U.S. dollars) in aid by the Minhang District Government of Shanghai. It was put into service last October.

    Holding a bagful of Tibetan medicine, Patient Bianba said he goes to the hospital as he believes lama doctors here are amicable, medicine are cheap, and moreover, Tibetan medicine is effective.

    Bianba, 66, is a herdsman 100 km. away from Xigaze City. In addition to having had a health checkup this time, he also paid homage to the Zhaxi Lhunbo.

    Cepun, who became a lama with Zhaxi Lhunbo at the age of 11, was sent by the lamasery to a local secondary health school to study western medicine in 1966. After graduation from that school, he also learned traditional Tibetan medicine from a veteran Tibetan doctor. He is quite experienced in both western medicine and Tibetan medicine and is considered a treasure of the hospital. More than 60 kinds of Tibetan medicine are produced by the Lama doctors in the hospital.

    "The aim of Buddhism is to do more good things for people," said Purbu Cering, deputy head of the hospital, while taking the pulse of a patient.