A Love Letter from Lhasa  2

Chapter One: The Portrait Artist at Shuishe Pier, Sun Moon Lake

1

Since cross-strait tourism was opened, Sun Moon Lake and Alishan have become two of the most frequently included destinations on the itineraries of mainland Chinese visitors traveling to Taiwan.

Located in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, in central Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake is a low-altitude mountain lake surrounded by mountains. Its waters reflect the surrounding mountain scenery, making it resemble a brilliant blue sapphire nestled among the forests. The lake attracts tourists and travelers from all over the world. Sightseeing boats travel between Shuishe, Dehua (Ita Thao), Xuanguang Temple, and Chaowu Wharf. Visitors stroll through the shopping streets around the wharves, enjoying a variety of local delicacies.

In a corner beside Shuishe Wharf, a young man named Tang Huaimin, whose facial features were sharply defined, wore traditional Tsou tribal clothing and operated a portrait-drawing stall. His cartoon-style illustrations attracted tourists from all over. Visitors exploring the lake frequently stopped in front of his stall, pointing at several caricatures of celebrities and discussing them among themselves. A young couple sat on tall stools while Huaimin drew cartoon-style portraits of them. Several other tourists waited beneath the shade of the trees behind them.

Huaimin worked with quick, confident strokes. He first used charcoal to outline their hairstyles and facial features, then immediately added color. In approximately half an hour, he completed a cartoon-style portrait of the couple. The two stood up, picked up their framed portrait, and playfully teased each other. Delighted, they paid him and left.

The waiting tourists immediately took their seats on the tall stools. Huaimin drank a few sips of Alishan high-mountain tea produced by his family and continued serving his appreciative customers.

As noon approached, a tall young woman wearing a floral shirt and jeans, with her hair styled in a chic Audrey Hepburn cut, arrived at the stall carrying two lunch boxes. Her name was Tang Mengying. She sat on a low stool, waiting for Huaimin to finish his portrait.

Ten minutes later, Huaimin stood up, framed the newly completed cartoon portrait, and handed it to an elderly couple. After receiving a five-hundred-dollar bill, he put up a sign announcing a one-hour break. He then bowed deeply to the waiting tourists and politely asked them to go have lunch first.

Tang Mengying opened the lids of the two lunch boxes. One contained Japanese sushi rolls, while the other held several dishes of stir-fried vegetables and dried anchovies stir-fried with strips of dried tofu.

"Huaimin, I made the sushi rolls myself. The vegetables and dried anchovies were prepared by the chefs at the hotel. I asked them to make those for you." Mengying wore a satisfied smile.

"Mengying, Im not a picky eater. You dont have to spend your time specially preparing lunch boxes for me." Huaimin wiped his hands with a wet towel, picked up the box of sushi rolls, and began eating them with his fingers.

"This is all I can do to help you! Besides, you wont even let me do your laundry."

"Of course I cant let you do my laundry. If your father found out, hed lecture you endlessly."

"Im not worried about that! My mother says a woman should take good care of a mans food and clothing. Thats her responsibility."

"But I dont want you spending so much time and effort preparing meals for me every day!"

"It doesnt actually take that much time. I just change the dishes around so you wont get tired of eating the same things. By the way, have you submitted your application to study abroad? The deadline is coming up."

"Maybe next year? Im working hard to save enough money."

"Money isnt a problem. Hurry up and apply. I have enough personal savings for both of us to study in Paris."

"No, I cant do that! Im a man. How could I use your money?" Huaimin suddenly became serious.

"But youre my fiancé! Why cant you?" Mengying objected.

"Anyway, when I say no, I mean no!" Huaimin replied firmly.

"But youll be wasting an entire year this way!"

"I dont think working as a street artist here is a waste of time!"

"All right... all right! I cant argue with you. I guess Ill just have to go along with you!" Mengying sighed helplessly. "Sigh...! If my father finds out that Im postponing my studies abroad for another year, hell be overjoyed."

"During this year, you can help your father run the hotel business!"

Mengying gave a bitter smile. "Oh, really? Ill work like a horse for him and get paid a salary for it."

2

Tang Mengying returned to the hotel lobby carrying the empty lunch boxes. A female receptionist stepped out from behind the front desk, approached her, and said respectfully, "Manager, the chairman is waiting for you in his office."

"Got it! Could you please wash these and put them back in my office?" Mengying handed her the lunch boxes, then walked to the elevator and rode it upstairs.

Mengying entered the chairmans office. Tang Yunfei stood up from his seat and walked toward her.

"Young lady, your father has two things to discuss with you."

"What is it, Dad?"

"First, three days from now, Mr. Zhao and I will lead a hotel industry delegation to mainland China. Well be visiting several major cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, and Chongqing. The trip will last about half a month. During that time, youll be responsible for keeping the hotel running smoothly."

Mengying gave a wry smile. "Dad, are you trying to exploit your employees again? All right, whats the second thing?"

"Second, a tour group leader from mainland China told me that some guests would prefer to see traditional Chinese ink paintings or watercolors of local Taiwanese scenery instead of the Western oil paintings and landscape pictures currently displayed in the guest rooms and hallways. Talk to Huaimin about it. Have him paint some Taiwanese landscapes in ink or watercolor, frame them, and deliver them to the hotel."

"Dad, make sure you pay him the going market rate! Otherwise, itll be difficult for me to bring it up with Huaimin."

"Of course!" Tang Yunfei continued, "When are you and Huaimin planning to go to Paris?"

"Huaimin says hell apply next year, after hes saved enough money for the trip."

"Good! The young man knows how to support himself. Hes got some backbone! Since youre postponing your trip abroad for a year, you can wait until Ive established our business connections in mainland China." Tang Yunfei was pleased with her answer.

"Oh, I see! I knew you had this all figured out, Dad. You were planning to use me all along." Mengying looked helpless.

Tang Yunfei smiled and gently patted her shoulder.

"Come on, theres no need for a father and daughter to keep score. Besides, wont I eventually be handing over my hotel business to you and Huaimin?"

Mengying said worriedly, "Dad, thats a heavy burden youre handing over. Im concerned that Huaimin might not be interested in taking over the business someday. Hes always been the free-spirited type, accustomed to living without responsibilities."

Tang Yunfei replied, "Then youll have to find a way to change him!"

3

Beside Shuishe Wharf, Tang Huaimin was drawing portraits of two sisters. Several tourists had gathered around to watch him work. Among the onlookers was an elderly Buddhist monk with a shaved head, dressed in traditional Tibetan monastic robes.

The monk stared intently at Huaimin without taking his eyes off him. He continued watching until Huaimin finished the portraits. Then the monk stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and bowed respectfully to Huaimin.

Huaimin and the surrounding onlookers looked at him in astonishment.

The monk asked cryptically, "Lay practitioner, do you know who you were in your previous life?"

Huaimin shook his head in confusion.

"Have you ever heard of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo?"

Huaimin nodded. "Ive heard my grandfather talk about him."

"In your previous life, you were Songtsen Gampo himself. I happened to pass by just now. After carefully examining your face and perceiving the spiritual essence within you, I was able to confirm it beyond doubt." The monks expression was serious, but his tone remained remarkably calm.

Huaimin asked in bewilderment, "Rinpoche, may I ask why you are telling me this?"

"You must return to Lhasa as soon as possible. Princess Wencheng will appear in Lhasa. The two of you must fulfill an arduous mission together. Afterward, you will remain together for the rest of your lives."

Huaimin found the claim unbelievable and continued asking, "Rinpoche, how do you know that I am descended from the Tibetan people?"

"I have seen your original soul. I have come specifically to enlighten you and establish a karmic connection with you. Please take my words to heart. My name is Gongga Sonam. When you arrive in Lhasa, come to Jokhang Temples Ramoche Monastery and look for me. I am the supervising monk there."

The tourists who had gathered around listened to their conversation and began whispering among themselves.

Monk Sonam then turned and walked away. Huaimin watched his departing figure, his mind filled with unease.

4

As night fell and the lights around the lake began to shine, Tang Huaimin sat at his desk and opened a window on his laptop. Using a search engine, he found portraits of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng.

Huaimin studied Songtsen Gampos portrait and was deeply shocked. He murmured to himself, "How is it possible that Songtsen Gampos facial features look so remarkably similar to mine? Is reincarnation really possible? If its just a coincidence, why was that monk so absolutely certain that I am Songtsen Gampo reincarnated?"

Tang Huaimin leaned against the window and gazed at the lake, recalling what the elderly monk had told him earlier that day.

"In your previous life, you were Songtsen Gampo himself... You must return to Lhasa as soon as possible. Princess Wencheng will appear in Lhasa. The two of you must fulfill an arduous mission together. Afterward, you will remain together for the rest of your lives."

"If I really am the reincarnation of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, why was I born on the island of Taiwan? That monk Sonam spoke with such absolute certainty. And even though he had never met me before, he somehow knew that I was descended from the Tibetan people? If I return to Lhasa and meet the girl who is Princess Wencheng reincarnated, how am I supposed to make Mengying understand and accept this destined relationship from a previous life between that girl and me?"

Huaimin was overwhelmed by a multitude of unanswered questions. He thought to himself, "Unless I make a trip to Tibet, Ill never be able to unravel these mysteries."

A knock sounded at the door. Tang Mengying entered carrying a wooden tray with two cups of coffee and several pieces of fruit.

"Come have a cup of coffee with me." Mengying placed the tray on the desk.

Huaimin folded his arms and looked at Mengying, trying to figure out how to explain his encounter with the monk that afternoon.

"My father said hed like you to paint several dozen landscape paintings in traditional Chinese ink and watercolor for the hotel. You can name your price, so you wont have to worry about saving money for your trip to Paris anymore."

Mengying fully expected Huaimin to be delighted by the news. To her surprise, he seemed completely unmoved. A womans intuition told her that something was troubling him.

"Whats wrong? Is something on your mind?"

"Mengying, if I change my mind and decide I cant go to Paris to study with you after all, would you..." Huaimin grew increasingly uneasy as he spoke.

"What? You dont want to study in Paris anymore? Studying art in Paris has always been your dream, hasnt it? Give me a good reason. Youd better find a way to convince me!" Tang Mengying looked utterly incredulous and immediately fired a series of questions at him.

"To make that dream come true, Ive been preparing for three years. But today, by the lake, I met a monk from Tibet. Not only did he know about my Tibetan ancestry, but he also claimed that I was the reincarnation of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and that I must return to Tibet to fulfill a mission."

"Really? Do you know that Tibetan monk?" Mengying held back her temper as she pressed him for an answer.

Huaimin shook his head. "No, I dont."

"If you dont even know him, why would you take what he said seriously?" Mengying clearly found the whole idea unreasonable.

"I think there must be some special reason behind what that monk told me... Unless I go to Tibet, theres no way to unravel the mysteries troubling me."

"Thats ridiculous! Some monk youve never met before suddenly comes up to you, talks a bunch of nonsense as if hes lost his mind, and now youre changing your mind and saying you want to return to Tibet. Then answer me this: What does our relationship mean to you? Weve grown up together since childhood!"

Mengying obviously could not accept such an absurd explanation. Her emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control.

"Could you please calm down, Mengying?" Huaimin tried to soothe her.

"How am I supposed to stay calm, Huaimin? All these years, Ive gone along with everything youve wanted. Whatever you wanted to do, Ive done my best to accommodate you. And now, with just a few words, you want to leave me behind. Where is your conscience?"

Mengying pointed a finger at Huaimins chest and jabbed it accusingly. Her tone was aggressive and confrontational. Huaimin was completely thrown off balance. He could only look miserable and remain speechless.

5

Early the next morning, Tang Huaimin left a letter for Mengying on the desk. He quietly packed his travel bag, slipped out of the Tang family home, climbed onto his motorcycle, and headed toward Alishan.

At breakfast time, Mengying knocked on his bedroom door. There was no response. She entered the room and saw that the quilt on the bed had been neatly folded. On the desk lay a letter addressed to her.

Mengying opened the letter and read it. Tears glistened in her eyes.

When she came downstairs, the Tang couple were sitting at the dining table. They were both startled by her appearance.

"Young lady, whats happened?" Tang Yunfei stood up and hurried over to ask.

"Huaimin... Huaimin says hes going to Tibet. Hes no longer going to Paris with me to study!" Tears rolled down Mengyings cheeks. Her eyebrows and the corners of her mouth trembled with emotion.

Tang Yunfeis wife, Zhao Yayun, stood up, walked over, and put her arms around Mengying. In a gentle voice, she asked, "Sweetheart, did you two have a quarrel?"

"No. Ive always gone along with him. All I did was ask him why he had suddenly changed his original plans." Mengying explained her grievances with a deeply aggrieved expression.

"Then Ill go to Alishan with you. Well ask him face-to-face and find out exactly whats going on. Ill hear what he has to say." Zhao Yayun made her decision immediately.

"All right, you two should make it a quick trip to Alishan and come back as soon as possible. Dont disrupt my scheduled itinerary." Tang Yunfei reminded them.

Zhao Yayun looked displeased.

"Our daughter has suffered such a terrible disappointment, and all you, as her father, can think about is your travel schedule?"

Tang Yunfei grimaced. "How did I end up getting blamed for this, even when I havent done anything? When you go to Alishan, talk things over calmly with the Tang family and find out whats going on. Meilan is a good friend of yours. She should be able to help persuade Huaimin to stay."