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From: China Tibet Online

Editor's note: On Mar. 28, 1959, the theocracy regime and the feudal slavery in old Tibet were abrogated. More than half a century has passed since then and liberated serfs and their posterity are now living a new life. However, the pains had been carved into their bones and can not be forget.

Yexei, a resident in Quxu County, Lhasa, described the sufferings of his father.

He said, "My father began to help with household chores at the age of nine. He had to wash writing boards for the feudal lord's kids in the daytime and during the night and he had to take care of the lord's grandchildren, deprived of time to sleep. When he was 20, he followed the eldest son of his lord and served as his serfs for five years. During that period, he had lived in inhuman conditions as he lived off stale barle and tsampa and was beaten from time to time."

Having retired for a couple of years, he still sticks to the good habit of morning exercise and reading on a daily basis. He hopes the good life now can be cherished by this generation.

Dbyangscan Drolkar in a video shot [Photo/China Tibet Online]

 

Dbyangscan Drolkar said her parents made a living by doing heavy labors. During the grazing season in summer, they had no place to live in but to set up a tiny tent.

Old as she is now, she is healthy enough to do farm work such as herding the cattle.

Having lived through hardships, Lodro could not forget the past, trying not to mention the harrowing memory.

 

Lodro in a video shot [Photo/China Tibet Online]

Lodro described his sufferings in old Tibet: "I experienced the cruel torture of face-slapping by whips. My father had his eyes gouged out and died later. We did not have enough food to eat and decent clothing to cover our bodies. How life has changed."

Lodro now is 79-year-old now. His temperament has also changed since he has moved into the nursing home and been taken care of by the working staff. He is more energetic and happier than before.

Kelzang Dekyi, 76, recalled that in old Tibet, people worked restlessly, living in hardships. Both our parents and I had been severely oppressed. Our clothes were full of patches and we had no shoes to wear in freezing winter.

Now Kelzang Dekyi lives in a big and bright house with her children and grandchildren.