After 1 959, Tibet began an epoch-making era reform. This was
          conducted by the central government of China pushing a primitive
          society of serfdom into the modern society of civilization.
         
          In the countryside serfdom was abolished, rent and interest rates
          were reduced and farm- land was assigned to the landless serfs and
          slaves. In the pastoral areas after the reforms, the broad masses of
          herds people possessed their own tools, livestock and homes. Having
          cast of'! the heavy burdens of corvee, taxes and exploitation by
          moneylenders charging high interest rates, enthusiasm for production
          rose to an unprecedented high. In 1 960, the total grain output of
          the Tibet Autonomous Region had
         
          risen 12.6 percent from 1 959, while the amount of livestock rose by
          31 percent. The Tibetan people had begun to possess the right to
          live comfortably, with enough to eat and to wear.
         
          The Democratic Reforms of 1959 put an end to the political system of
          combining religious and political rule by introducing the new
          political system of people's democracy. In September 1959, the
          founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region was proclaimed, the first
          Tibetan People's Congress was held in Lhasa and the Tibetan people
          began to exercise their rights to vote
         
          and to stand for election. Tibet practices regional national
          autonomy in accordance with the policies of the central government,
          which allows the Tibetan people to enjoy a high degree of autonomy
          and some special preferential treatment. Thus Tibet enjoys
          advantages over the interior in many aspects including the treatment
          of ethnic groups, religion, economic and social development and in
          the day-to-day life of the people.
         
          At present, many Tibetans have become top leaders in both government
          and party organizations at all levels in the Tibet Autonomous
          Region, such as the five chairmen of the government of the
          Autonomous Region: Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, Tian Bao, Dorji Tshitan,
          Dorje Cering and Gyalncain Norbu. Some of them also hold important
          posts in the central government. The Standing Committee of the
          National People's Congress which is similar to the national
          parliament of western countries, has always had a post of
          Vice-chairman reserved for Tibet. This is an unwritten convention.
          This title was even reserved for the 14th Dalai Lama during the
          first few years of his exile in India.
         
          Nowadays the emancipated serfs have enough to eat and wear. When
          they catch up with the pace of China's reforms and opening up to the
          outside world they will be drawing near to prosperity. By 1 993, the
          income per capita in Tibet Autonomous
         
          Region reached 1 ,660 yuan RMB, although in the countryside it was
          only 515 yuan RM Be Amduo County in northern Tibet, which is famous
          for its animal husbandry has a regional income per capita of 1338
          yuan RMB, which is much higher than the national average in rural
          areas. Savings deposited in both urban and rural areas of the Tibet
          Autonomous Region reached 1.05 billion yuan RMB by August 1994, 4400
          times as much as was de- posited in 1952. Modern electrical
          appliances, such as colour televisions, refrigerators, tape
          recorders and telephones are now popular in Tibet. The diet of the
          Tibetan people has become much richer, with fresh meat, eggs and
          vegetables appearing frequently. Traditional Tibetan clothing has
          become even more beautiful with people wearing Tibetan robes made
          from sheepskin otterfur rings and bracelets made from agate and hats
          decorated with gold and silver thread for their everyday clothing.
         
          Today's Tibet is to some extent a typical dual -structure community.
          The ancient mysterious Potala Palace contrasts greatly with Lhasa's
          Holiday Inn Lido, where credit cards are used. Under the socialist
          system. Tibetan Buddhism has shaken off the influence of the ''dark
          Ages.'' It was not suffocated by the democratic reform and
          industrialization programme, rather, it is now rejected by law.
          Particularly after China's reform and peeing up to the outside
          world, religion in Tibet has been granted a new lease of life. The
          Central Govern- lent has spent US $ 240 million renovating temples
          so be whole region now has 1,425 temples and religious laces for her
          34,000 monks and nuns to engage in religious activities and the key
          religious festivals of the major religious sects have also been
          resumed. The Jokhang Temple and the Samve Temple both of which have
          long histories, have been completely renovated. In 1994 the Central
          Government provided a large amount of capital including gold, silver
          and other precious stones to help renovate the Potala Palace, which
          is now open to both monks and lay people. Religious personnel from
          Tibet enjoy wide respect in China, and many of them have been
          elected to the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's
          Political Consultative Conference at various levels go participate
          in the administration and discussion of state affairs. Religious
          groups have Conducted academic exchanges both inside and outside
          China, with the help of the government.