Tibetan women pick textile at a local store in Maqu, Gansu province, yesterday.
At the renowned Labrang Lamasery in Gansu province, warm sunshine on the red and white Tibetan Buddhist temple heralded the arrival of spring.
The shops lining the fringes of the lamasery in Xiahe county were stocked full of handicrafts and souvenirs, ready for the start of the travel season.
Yet few tourists were seen on Thursday. "Not many people come in anymore," said a shop owner who identified herself as Drolma.
Drolma said it should be the beginning of the peak tourist season for the lamasery and the whole of the Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Gansu, but the recent riots - where a number of Labrang lamas participated - have scarred the sector and life in general.
"I used to make 500 yuan ($71) a day, but for the whole past month, I hardly touched that figure," said Drolma, even as she hoped for the full resumption of business in the region.
Gannan, also known for its scenic pastures, saw the largest annual increase of foreign tourists last year.
But the prospect of further growth has now been seriously dampened.