Zhang Dan and his “Yangjenma” bar

"Most of us maybe come to Lhasa only a few times throughout our lives, so the friends we meet here are all the more valuable. I hope my bar can become a place for people from all over the world to make friends and tell their stories. I'd like to be a witness and help spread their stories, letting people know about each other." With business giving way to humanity and entertainment to comfort, the small place is full of big stories.

"Now my income is less than that when I was employed in Beijing, but I have my inner peace here. I gave up conveniences in big cities but I know one thing for sure that I've found myself here in Lhasa. Once you can manage your life, it will become easy to figure out about yourself and know what you really want out of life,"Zhang said.

Yardrok Yutso Lake is Zhang's favorite place by which he will rent a cabin and spend over one month there without TV and internet when winter comes. He usually sits by the lake reading a book for the whole day. "It feels like the peace of the world is up to me, in which I have my moments of quiet introspection. That does not necessarily mean I could get anything settled, because I am still me, but I can enjoy myself," explained Zhang.

When asked about what aspect of Lhasa attracts him most, Zhang said he loves the smiles of the city best. When he was in Beijing, he found that people are busy making a living and striving for a better tomorrow. Under the circumstances that everyone is tired and anxious, people will unconsciously forget to smile to others. The case is entirely different in Lhasa.

"Wherever you walk on the streets of Lhasa, you will feel warmed by the smiling faces of Tibetans, even though you've never met them before. Smiles from passers-by make me feel peaceful at heart and smile back to them from my heart. If Tibet can cleanse people's soul, that is maybe the case of mine," Zhang said.

Yangjenma is the goddess in charge of music, and also a token to express Zhang Dan's way of life and living. In particular, it has brought Zhang's own goddess to him—his girlfriend Liu Pai, a regular client of the bar.

They look on each other as their other half and plan to open a home inn together next year at Gyirong County, Shigatse. They've made up their minds to build a cozy nest for their love, accompanied by snow mountains and vast prairie in Tibet.