With Merna in Xizang: Stories from a highland village

At an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, Langba Village rests quietly beneath the vast plateau sky of Xigaze in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Surrounded by mountains near Qomolangma, life here moves at its own pace, where ancient traditions, everyday village life and new opportunities continue to grow side by side.

As CGTN's Merna Al Nasser arrives in the village, local residents welcome visitors with a traditional dance known as Langba Lazhang Zhaxi Xieqin, a 400-year-old performance passed down through generations that carries blessings, celebration and the warmth of community life. Near the centuries-old Langdong Manor, dance, laughter and daily life unfold together against the backdrop of the highland landscape.

But culture here is not preserved behind glass. It lives through the people who continue to practice it – from young dancers hoping to share their traditions with the world to local families transforming traditional homes into Tibetan-style homestays while remaining rooted in village life.

In recent years, tourism and rural revitalization initiatives have brought new opportunities to Langba Village, allowing residents to protect local culture while creating sustainable livelihoods close to home. Beneath the mountains of Xigaze, tradition is not simply remembered – it continues to live, grow and connect people across generations.