Photo shows street children and dogs fighting over food in old Tibet. [China Tibet News/File photo]

In old Tibet, women and children dressed in rags, living on the streets. [China Tibet News/File photo]

Photo shows a serf carrying a serf owner on his back. [China Tibet News/File photo]

Photo shows serf registering and paying poll tax for her newborn child to her owner in old Tibet. [China Tibet News/File photo]

Photo shows serfs working hard for serf owners in old Tibet. [China Tibet News/File photo]

Photo shows serfs working with chain around his neck in old Tibet. [China Tibet News/File photo]

In old Tibet, serf owners intensively occupied and monopolized land and other means of production, thus serfs owned no fundamental material conditions for live and survival. Under the cruel political oppression and economic exploitation in old Tibet, serfs' lives were extremely miserable. They couldn't get food and clothes; many old people, women and children begged for food or ate weeds; they were dressed in rags, and innumerable beggars died of hunger, coldness and diseases. Without means of production and personal rights, serfs were forced to rely on serf owners' manors, where they endured exploitation, corvee, taxes and usury, even faced death at any time. [File photos sorted by Chen Zhendong, Zheng Shaojie, Pasang]