Festivals of Tibet

Festivals of Tibet - Tibetan New Year.

1027 AD is the first year of Tibetan New Year. Tibetan New Year is the biggest festival in Tibet. During this festival, the family members gather together and speak auspicious words to bless each other.

Festivals of Tibet - Monlam Prayer Meeting Festival

Monlam Prayer Meeting Festival is the biggest religious festival. The initiator of Gelug Sect Zongkapa launched a prayers meeting in 1409 from the January first to fifteen of Tibetan calender. Then, this tradition lasts to present days. During the festival, the monks who come from the three big Tibetan Temples gathering at Jokhang Temple chanting sutra and holding Geshe degree examination. The followers of Tibet and elsewhere come to Jokhang Temple to do the pilgrimage.

Festivals of Tibet – Butter Lantern Festival

Butter Lantern Festival is the last day of Monlam Prayer Meeting, January 15th in Tibetan calender. In order to celebrate the victory of the debate between Sakyamuni and other religious sects. People gather at Barkhor Street in Lhasa, praying and circumanbulating in the daytime; at night, on the street there are all kinds of flowers stand on which placing colorful sculptures made by butter, such as flowers, trees, birds or other animals. They light up the butter lantern to be pray for blessing. The image of people singing and dancing is extraordinary lively.

Festivals of Tibet – Saga Dawa Festival

Saga Dawa Festival is on April 15th in Tibetan calender. It is said that it is the day when Sakyamuni, came to the world, parinirvana and nirvana of Sakyamuni. Thousands of people circumanbulate around the Lhasa city. In the afternoon of the same day, the people who take part in circumanbulation gather at Dragon King Pool boating and dancing.

Festivals of Tibet – Gyantse Horse Racing Festival

Horse racing and archery activities are very common in Tibet. Gyantse is the first place where held the horse racing as a contest in 1408. Previous horse racing festival was only for horse racing, archery and horseback archery. But now, besides those three events, a variety of activities such as sports and goods exchange have been added. The festival has become the biggest local folk festival of Tibet every year.

Festivals of Tibet – Chubacixi Festival

The monks consider this day as the day when Sakyamuni gave his first lecture. Hence, people wear new clothes, bring food to the temples near Lhasa to worship the Buddha and chant the scripture, then they go to the open air to have picnic, dance and return to the city till the sunset.

Festivals of Tibet – Yalong Cultural Festival

Yalong culture is an important part of Tibetan culture. Yalong Cultural Festival is to further show the excellent Yalong traditional culture style. During the festival, there are rich and colorful national sports games, dance, drama, and ethnic costumes show.

Festivals of Tibet – Shoton Festival

The Shoton Festival is one of the biggest festivals in Tibet. In the past time, the Buddhist believers went up the mountain to practice Buddhism. After the practice, their family brought yogurt to the mountain to meet them, on the half way home, they ate yogurt, dancing and singing. Therefore, the original meaning of Shoton Festival is "yogurt festival". From the beginning of seventeenth Century, the Shoton festival became Tibetan Opera Festival. At this time, the main Tibetan Opera groups gathered here in Norbulingka, Lhasa. There will be several days of performances and competitions, the scene is extraordinary and lively.

Festivals of Tibet – Chang Tang Qia Qing Horse Racing Festival

Chang Tang Qia Qing Horse Racing Festival is an important festival of north Tibetan Prairie. Thousands of farmers dress in festive costumes, drive their cattle and sheep with the tents gathering at Nakqu. After the grand ceremony, there are exciting horse-racing, archery competition, yak racing, tug of war etc. The Tibetan Opera and commercial activities give rise to the festive atmosphere of the festival.