Tibet Lantern Festival

Brief Introduction

The January 15 of Tibet Calendar is one of the Tibet Festival - Lantern Festival. On this night, flowers, patterns, figures, birds and beasts made from colorful butter are displayed around the Barkhor Street of Lhasa. People gather there to have fun and enjoy the festival. Monks from the monasteries and the folk artists use the butter and color to make delicate and magnificent butter faceplates to enshrine and worship the fairy maiden. There are also the meticulous lantern supports, being dainty and exquisite. Through the butter sculpture, Tibet people reproduce the fairy tales, the related figures, flowers, birds and images, some of which are linked as a screen, looking like a stereoscopic comicstrip. The splendid patterns and colorful lanterns attract thousands of audiences there. Under the sculpture flowers, people rejoice with wild excitement, dance and pernoctate.

The Origin

The Lantern Festival began in 1409, the Yongle 7th year of Ming Dynasty. Because of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelug,set up it while establishing the monlam on January 15. He worshiped the gold statue of Shakyamuni with butter flowers and lanterns for the commemoration of its subduing demons and monsters. And since then, people followed his way of arranging flowers and lanterns. Another saying is that the butter lantern was used to celebrate the success of Shakyamuni over the other religions in the debate contest. But the popularity of this traditional Tibet Festival is strongly linked with the love and pursuit of beauty and good life of Tibet people. They like beauty, plant flowers and admire the flower, which is just their pursuit of beauty.

The Celebration

In the daytime, people come to the temple and monastery for worship and prayer. In the night, people gather together to view and admire the delicate and meticulous lantern. While putting the lantern on fire, it just looks like the group stars falling down, twinkling and flickering, splendid and glorious. There are also wecembi activities held at the temple, the dancers would wear embroidery robe and mask. With the accompaniment of the Tibetan Suona, tupan, gong and drum, they dance and sing for the joyous celebration. The farmers in the suburb area often sing in antiphonal style, which lasts for several days. Among the Tibet Festival, Lantern festival is the most lively and joyful festival of Lhasa.