Around the Jokhang there are a number of
small streets and squares that together form the Barkhor. The Barkhor and the
Jokhang belong together. For the pilgrims coming to the Jokhang, the walk
around the Jokhang is a part of their pilgrimage. This has been a tradition
since pilgrims started coming to the Jokhang. Before 1985, there were only
narrow streets around the temple. But in 1985 the Chinese created a number of
squares to avoid "uncontrolled situations." The small narrow streets
were a perfect hideout for the Tibetan people hiding from the Chinese. At this
moment, however, the Barkhor has become a place where Tibetan people come
together and it is a symbolic place of peaceful demonstration. In this way the
Chinese didn't succeed in their intentions of avoiding demonstrations on the
Barkhor. 
The Barkhor has another function. All
those pilgrims and in that way also brings a lot of tourists to visit the
Barkhor. That attracts a lot of merchants. In that way the Barkhor has changed
in one big marketplace. Also the Chinese have found out that there is a lot to
be gained financially from all those people. And they all start with high
prices so everything you buy needs a hard bargain. You can buy almost
everything that a Tibetan , a Chinese or a tourist would ever need or want. Be
careful with the quality though. Most of the goods do not meet western quality
norms.All those pilgrims make a round, or even many more, around the Jokhang. They always do that clockwise. There are all kinds of ways the pilgrims make that rounds. Some stretch out on the ground.
Originally this was the way of measuring the way that the pilgrim had come. Others swing a prayer-mill or count the beats on their prayer-cord. This all is combined with praying and muttering mantras. Together with the large amounts of pilgrims you can enter the Jokhang for free.