Song of Tibet

During her summer vacation, Dawa Dazhen, a young Tibetan woman, returns to Lhasa from Beijing to visit her grandparents, only to discover that her grandfather Jiacuo is gravely ill after a stroke. As her grandmother, Yeshe Dolma cares for him, she seizes the moment to share with Dawa the love stories that shaped her life, revealing a past filled with passion, sacrifice, and heartbreak.

The first man in Yeshe Dolma’s life was Jiacuo, a strong and optimistic mule driver from Kangba. During a transportation trip, he was captivated by Yeshe’s radiant beauty and her enchanting voice as she sang. Jiacuo’s love was steadfast, and he won Yeshe’s heart, marrying her after abducting her. Their early days together were filled with happiness, and they were blessed with a daughter. Yet the weight of Jiacuo’s heavy drinking and unreliability eventually strained their lifes together, forcing Yeshe to seek help from her family. After her father’s death, she took up work as a nanny and housekeeper at Luoga Manor to repay debts. At Luoga Manor, Yeshe crossed paths with Gongsa, the estate’s young master, who had long admired her beauty and singing, and whose heart had already turned toward her. Their secret relationship resulted in the birth of a son.

In 1959, Gongsa fled Tibet with the Dalai Lama, taking Yeshe’s son with him and claiming the boy as his own. Devastated by Yeshe’s betrayal, Jiacuo left for his hometown of Kangba with their daughter, marking a bitter end to their union. Years later, when Yeshe learned that Jiacuo was seriously ill, she embarked on a perilous journey to see him. Along the way, she reunited with Songqiu Lama, her childhood friend and first love, who had taught her to write and sing in their youth before his monastic life separated them.

During the Cultural Revolution, Songqiu was forced to leave his monastery and live a secular life, practicing Tibetan medicine. Despite the years and hardships, he remained a compassionate presence in Yeshe’s life, encouraging her to continue her journey to Jiacuo. After guiding her partway, Songqiu retreated into seclusion on a sacred mountain to continue his Buddhist practices.

Moved by her grandmother’s stories, Dawa secretly arranges for Gongsa, who has returned to Lhasa after decades abroad, to reunite with Yeshe and Jiacuo. When the three elders meet decades of pain, regret, and longing pour out in tears of confession and redemption, the air is heavy with forgiveness and shared memories.

Before passing away, Jiacuo asks Yeshe to invite Songqiu—now a revered Geshe—to perform prayers at his funeral. When Yeshe and Songqiu meet again after 30 years, their reunion is filled with gratitude and nostalgia. Songqiu performs the funeral rites with reverence and presents Yeshe with a collection of newly published songbooks by Cang Yang Jiacuo, the Sixth Lamam, cherished in their youth.

On the seventh day after Jiacuo’s body was placed for prayers, Yeshe Dolma passes away peacefully, lying beside him. Her journey of love, loss, and redemption has come full circle, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and grace for her granddaughter, Dawa, to carry forward.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:27