An exterior view of the Catholic church of Shangyanjing (Upper Salt Well) village in Markam...

An exterior view of the Catholic church of Shangyanjing (Upper Salt Well) village in Markam county, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region Oct. 22, 2005. As the sole Catholic Church in Tibet, it covers an area of over 6, 000 square meters with a construction genre of Tibetan, Han nationality and western style. With the introduction of Catholicism to Tibet in 1865, the church here has now become the praying locale for some 600 Tibetan believers or 80% local villagers. Led by a Tibetan priest, the local believers will congregate in the church under the summon of church toll. These Tibetan Catholics maintain same lifestyle and customs with other Tibetan residents, while some Tibetan families share both Catholic and Buddhist members.