Tibetan New Year

A Brief Introduction to Tibetan New Year

The first month of Tibetan lunar calendar is the month with the most festivals and events. Among these festivals is the most important festival-Tibetan New Year, just like the Spring Festival in Han people. Tibetan New Year always starts from the first day to the fifth day in the first month of Tibetan lunar calendar, lasting 15 days. Because all the Tibetans believe in Buddhism, Tibetan New Year is always filled up with rich religious atmosphere.

Origin of the Time of Tibetan New Year

In Tibetan, the New Year is called Losar. It is said that before the Tang Dynasty, Tibetan New Year is celebrated when the barley wheat was ripened. Later, Princess Wencheng was married to Songtsen Gampo and came to Tibet. After that, the relationship between Tang Dynasty and Tubo Kingdom was intensified. Han culture and Zang or Tibetan culture communicated closely and affected each other. As a result, the time for celebrating the Tibetan New Year was changed into the first month, just like the Spring Festival of Han culture. This custom was passed down from generation to generation, until today.

Preparations for Tibetan New Year

The preparation for Tibetan New Year has already begun in the early 12th month of the last year.

Preparation of Chema

Apart from the shopping for Tibetan New Year, each family will make a container called "Chema", that is a wooden box painted with colorful patterns and filled with Zamba and wheat grains, on which the ears of barley and flowers made of Suyou (ghee) are planted. Local people will also soak a bowl of barley seeds in water, so that the seeds will spring up new green shoots. These Chema and the new green shoots of barley are enshrined, indicating a harvest in a new year.

Making Kasai

As the Tibetan New Year approaching, the men are busy cleaning the courtyard, and the women are busy elaborating "Kasai"-a kind of food made of wheat and fried in Suyou (ghee). Kasai is always in the shapes of a ear, a butterfly, a bar, a square, a circle and so on. Then they wrap the food with granulated sugar and then paint some colors. Kasai is not only a food to treat the guests, but also an artwork painted with colorful patterns, representing the diligence, wisdom and passion of Tibetan women.

Preparation about Fire

Before the Tibetan New Year, men from each village will ride to the holy mountain and bring some fragrant cypress branches home. These fragrant cypress branches are the main material for burning aromatic plants to worship the deities during the Tibetan New Year. While the women make food for the New Year. Before the noon in the 30th day of the 12th month, each family will remove the wastes and weeds to their fields. These wasters and weeds are used in the morning of the lunar Tibetan New Year's day.

Customs of Tibetan New Year

Tibetan New Year is marked with ancient ceremonies that represent the struggle between good and evil, by chanting, and by passing fire torches through the crowds. A certain amount of levity is provided by events such as the dance of the deer and the amusing battles between the King and his various ministers. Tibetan New Year is characterized especially by dancing, music, and a general spirit of merrymaking. (more details)