About Tibet
Festivals in Tibet
There are many popular festivals in Tibet that all Tibetans celebrate; among which Tibet New Year, Great Prayer Festival, Butter Lantern Festival, and Shoton Festival are the most famous ones.
Tibetan New Year: The most important festival of all in Tibet is the Tibetan New Year, which equals to that of the Spring Festival of the lunar calendar among Han people, or to that of Christmas in Western countries. The Tibetan New Year is a festival to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. People begin to prepare for this festival at the beginning of the 12th Tibetan month... More about Tibetan New Year
Losar –Buddhist New Year of Tibet: As is to the celebration of many New Year festivals, Losar festival is also celebrated to commemorate the advent of New Year. It is also called Ladakhi or Tibetan Buddhist New Year. The festival is celebrated for 2 weeks during the months of December and January of the lunar calendar... More about Losar-buddhist New Year of Tibet
Butter Lantern Festival:The Butter Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. During the daytime, people pray in temples and monasteries. And there is a lantern show at night. Various lanterns with butter sculptures shaped in the images of deities, animals, plants, and human figures are displayed, which attract people from neighboring areas to come to appreciate them. Usually, there is also a puppet show lasting for several days. The Butter Lantern Festival is believed to be the happiest festival in Tibet.
Saka Dava Festival: Saka Dava Festival is observed on April 15th of the Tibetan calendar. This day is said to be the birthday of Sakyamuni, the Great Buddha and the day of the arrival of Princess Wencheng (Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty married to a Tibetan king) in Lhasa. Many religious activities are held on this day. People walk out of their houses and walk around the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace.
Shoton Festival: Shoton Festival, which means yogurt banquet in Tibetan, is the liveliest festival of summer in Tibet. In the past, lamas locked themselves away in their monasteries during this season to entirely devote themselves to Buddhism for a month... More about Tibetan Shoton Festival
Harvest Festival: Harvest Festival, or Ongkor in Tibet, often follows the Shoton Festival. It is a festival mainly celebrated in rural areas to pray for a good harvest. On this day, farmers put on their best clothes, carry harvest pagodas made from the ears of highland barley and wheat. They beat drums, chant holy songs and dance around their fields. After that, they will drink chang and yak butter tea. In some areas, there are other activities as well, such as horse races, archery competitions and performances of Tibetan Opera. After the Harvest Festival, farmers will be busy with harvesting their crops.
Bathing Festival: With a history of more than 700 hundred year, the Bathing Festival lasts for one week in the early part of the 7th month. Legend has it that pestilence was widespread, leading to great suffering of the people. The Avalokitesvara, one of the Buddhist deities, signaled a dying woman to bathe in the Jiqu River when the lightest star appeared southeast. After she bathed in that river, she became a healthy young lady. Then, people all came to this river to bathe. After bathing in the rivers, they recovered miraculously from their illnesses. Ever since, at this time every year, people bathe themselves in rivers. This custom has been handed down from generation to generation and gradually developed into a festival. It is believed that river baths during this week will not only clean the body, but also wash away potential diseases.
Butter Lamp Festival: The Butter Lamp Festival, falls on Oct 25th of the Tibetan Calendar, is another important religious festival for Tibetans. It is celebrated to commemorate the death of Tsong Khapa, the founder of Gelugpa of Tibetan Buddhism. During that day, lamas would burn numerous yak butter lamps and a bowl of pure water in the temples and their houses, which brighten the shrines. The religious people circumambulate and burn aromatic branches or incenses to worship the Buddha.
Great Prayer Festival: The Great Prayer Festival is celebrated from the 8th to the 15th day of the first Tibetan month in Lhasa. With a history of over 500 years, it is now the highest religious seminar of Tibetan Buddhism. According to the legend, in the first month of the year, Buddha conquered or converted six holy men of false religions at the adjourning place between Tibet and India. At first, the monks from the Three Great Monastery of Tibet (Sera Monastery, Dreprung Monastery, Ganden Monastery) assembled before the statue of Shakyamuni. They recited scriptures and prayed for best wishes. The Prayer Festival became more and more ceremonious as time passed by. During the festival, they debate fiercely on the Buddhist scriptures and hold religious examinations for learners of the Buddhist scriptures. Disciples from all over will come to worship the Buddha.
Gyantse Horse Race & Archery: Horse race and archer are very popular in Tibet, and Gyantse embraces prestige of being the earliest in history by starting in 1408. Contests in early times included horse race, archery, and shooting. Currently, there are also ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, and barter trade. Each June, people from all over Tibet gather in Gyantse for horse racing, archery and barter trade.
Nakchu Horse Race Festival: As August is the most important festival in North Tibet during the golden season on the grassland, thousands of herdsmen rush to Nakch to ride fine horses and carry the local products. They form a city of tents on the south of Nakchu town. There are thrilling horse races, archery and demonstrations of horsemanship with the singing and dancing troupes from all parts of Tibet adding to the fun... More about Nakchu Horse Race Festival