A grand theme exhibition "Tibet of China: Past and present" has opened in Beijing.

The three-month exhibition covers the time period from Tibet's feudal serfdom system since the 13th century to the prosperous new Tibet of today.

The exhibit includes pictures offering proof of the darkness of Old Tibet's system. Serfs were deprived of human rights and were cruelly treated under the former social system.

Many participants have shown great interest to the exhibition. Zhou Changfeng said he was very impressed.

"The key point in Tibet's development is its previous backward social system. I found that serfs at that time had miserable lives. They had no land, no housing, nothing. Everything belonged to serf owners."

Yang Qizhi is from southwestern Sichuan Province.

"I think the Dalai Lama just wants to restore his rule in region. Religion is religion, and politics is just about politics. They should not be mixed up."

Yi Bozeng helped construct the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, linking the world's highest plateau to the outside world.

"We built the Lhasa railway station. That railway is splendid. The train is very neat, and many people hope to visit there, so local industries have been booming since then."

Organizers hope visitors will learn the background, which is vital to understanding current events in Tibet, which was liberated in 1951.