The Xizang autonomous region was peacefully liberated in 1951. In the 75 years since, the region has undergone a historic transformation from a feudal serfdom frozen in hierarchy and deprivation to a socialist society marked by expanding opportunities and improving livelihoods. For people of all ethnic groups in Xizang, the rights to subsistence and development have not only been protected, but steadily advanced to an unprecedented degree.

These changes are clearly reflected in universal education, broader access to healthcare, rising incomes among farmers and herders, and large-scale housing improvements that have directly benefited ordinary people.

Before 1951, education in Xizang was largely reserved for aristocrats and senior monks. There were very few private schools, and enrollment among children was extremely low. With the vast majority of serfs denied access to education, the illiteracy rate was more than 95 percent. Generations were cut off from knowledge and modern learning.

Things began to change after the peaceful liberation. The central government continuously promoted educational development in Xizang and established a modern education system. Fifteen years of publicly funded education have been implemented, along with subsidies covering boarding, lodging and basic study expenses for children from farming and pastoral areas, as well as those from families in urban areas with financial difficulties. These measures effectively did away with the financial burden of schooling.

Today, schools of all levels can be found across urban and rural areas alike, and children have access to education from preschool to higher education. The gross enrollment rates have risen significantly, with major educational indicators having reached or even exceeded the national average.

Children in farming and pastoral regions are able to attend schools close to home. A growing number of talented young people are emerging from the region. Educational equality has helped break the cycle of illiteracy and opened new opportunities for countless families to improve their lives through knowledge.

Healthcare conditions in old Xizang were equally bleak. Modern medical services were virtually nonexistent, and limited healthcare resources were controlled by aristocrats and upper-ranking monks. Infectious diseases such as smallpox and cholera spread unchecked for years, while ordinary people often had no access to medicine or treatment. Average life expectancy stood at only 35.5 years, and infant and maternal mortality rates remained extremely high.

Since Xizang's peaceful liberation, the central government has invested heavily in building a comprehensive healthcare system in the region. A three-tier medical network covering counties, townships and villages has been established, while Tibetan medicine has also been preserved and developed. Policies providing free medical care for farmers and herders, together with universal medical insurance coverage, have dramatically improved access to healthcare.

Basic medical services, health screenings and vaccinations are now available across the region. Serious infectious diseases have been controlled and people can now receive treatment for both common and major illnesses much more easily. Average life expectancy in Xizang has risen to 72.19 years, while maternal and child health indicators have also improved substantially. The steady expansion of healthcare services has provided a solid foundation for protecting people's right to life and development.

The livelihoods of farmers and herders have also improved dramatically. In old Xizang, agricultural and pastoral production methods were extremely backward. Farming tools were primitive, improved crop varieties and fertilizers were rarely available, and production depended heavily on the weather. Serfs and slaves owned no land and most of what they produced was taken away by serf owners. They struggled to secure enough food and clothing, while incomes remained extremely low and poverty was widespread.

After Xizang's peaceful liberation, the central government promoted modernization in agriculture and animal husbandry through land reform and democratic reforms in pastoral areas, granting farmers and herders land-use and grassland management rights. Scientific farming methods, improved seeds, greenhouse cultivation, disease prevention measures and infrastructure construction were introduced on a large scale, greatly boosting productivity.

Modern agriculture and animal husbandry industries are now developing rapidly in Xizang. A range of policies benefiting rural residents has helped sustain double-digit growth in disposable income among farmers and herders, placing the region among the fastest-growing areas in the country.

Housing conditions have seen equally profound changes. In old Xizang, most serfs and slaves possessed no property of their own and lived in crude mud houses, tents or even animal sheds. Since the peaceful liberation, improving housing conditions has remained a key priority. Large-scale programs including housing projects have transformed living conditions across the region.

New homes have been built with attention to both practicality and comfort, while infrastructure such as roads, electricity, running water, internet access and sanitation systems has also been expanded. Public service and recreational facilities have been developed alongside residential areas.

Currently, people of all ethnic groups in Xizang are living in safer, brighter and more comfortable homes. Communities that once lacked stable shelter now enjoy cleaner environments, greater convenience and a much stronger sense of security and belonging.

The changes witnessed in Xizang over the past 75 years are not abstract slogans, but tangible improvements visible in everyday life. Roads have been built, homes have improved, healthcare has become accessible and children can now attend school. These achievements have been made possible through the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, sustained national support policies for Xizang and assistance from across the country.

Wang Wenling is the deputy director of the Institute of Marxism at the Xizang Academy of Social Sciences and Du Juanjuan is an assistant researcher at the same institute.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.