Kong Fansen：a model for leaders and  government functionaries

Kong Fansen (left) teaches Tibetan children to read books  during his work in Tibet

Kong Fansen (1944- 1994) spent two periods  working in Tibet; from 1979  to 1981 and from 1988 to  1994. During his time there  Kong made major contributions to the reconstruction  and development of Tibet  and formed close ties with  the Tibetan people. In  November 1994 he was  killed in a traffic accident. C o n d i t i o n s o n t h e  Tibetan Plateau are harsh  but Kong Fansen never  thought about himself.  He lived a simple life, was  renowned for his honesty  and never using his official  position for personal gain.  On the contrary, he often  spent his own meager salary to help Tibetan orphans  or buy medicine for the  sick. In 1988, Kong was appointed deputy mayor of  Lhasa. While in Lhasa, he  systematically visited all  the public schools in the  area. After being appointed  Communist Party Secretary  of the Ngari Prefecture in  1992, he became even  busier with Party and government work, carrying out  investigations and visiting  local people across Tibet.  Kong’s exemplary efforts  to promote development  won him the affection and  respect of the Tibetan people, and he was singled out  as a model for leaders and  government functionaries  across China.