Summer Festivals
( 2005-10-27 )

Buddha Unfolding Festival

Dates: It is celebrated on May 14 - 16 of the Tibetan calendar.
Place: Xigaze, Tibet
Activities:

The Buddha Unfolding Festival is an important religious activity at the Tashilhunpo Monastery for scripture chanting, prayer for rain and also a joyous festival for masses in rear Tibet. Unbelievable giant Thangkas of Amitayus, Sakyamuni and Maitreya will be displayed on the monastery's Thangka Wall successively.

 Universal Prayers Festival

Dates: It is celebrated on May 15th of Tibetan calendar.
Place: Tibet
Activities:

The Universal Prayers Festival is called "Zamling Chisang" in Tibetan that means "Universal Incense Offering Day." The event is to commemorate Padmasambhava's Subjugation of evil spirits. People go to monasteries and burn juniper branches.

 Paying Homage to Holy Mountains Festival

Dates: It is celebrated on June 4 of the Tibetan calendar.
Place: Tibet
Activities:

The Paying Homage to Holy Mountains Festival, or Choekhor Duechcen in Tibetan, is also called "Holy Mountains Festival." It is to commemorate Sakyamuni's first sermon.

 Nagqu Horseracing Festival

Dates: It starts on August 1st of Gregorian calendar annually, and lasts five to 15 days.
Place: Nagqu Qiangtang in Tibet
Activities:

The Nagqu Horseracing Festival is a most important folk festival in Tibet. People gather in Nagqu town and construct a tent city. Dressing themselves and their finest horses, thousands of herdsmen participate in this thrilling horse race, archery and horsemanship contest. Other folk activities and commodity fairs are also held.

 Shoton Festival

Dates: It starts on July 1 of the Tibetan calendar.
Place: Lhasa, Tibet
Activities:

The Shoton Festival is also known as the Yogurt Banquet Festival since locals have the custom to eat Tibetan yogurt during the gala. The Festival begins on the 1st of the 7th Tibetan month, and lasts seven days. During the festival, giant Thangkas of the Buddha is unveiled under the sun at the Drepung Monastery and traditional Tibetan opera will be performed at Norbu Lingka. Various trade fairs will also be held.

 Lingka Festival

Dates: It starts from April 15 of the Tibetan calendar and ends early in the eighth month.
Place: Tibet
Activities:

Every time the festival comes round, Tibetans dress in their best clothes and rush to the lingkas. Every family sets up a tent in the woods. Most of the tents are white, with simple decorations. People set up cooking facilities, chairs and tables, upon which they place all kinds of food, dishes and beverages. They sing, dance, tell stories, play games and drink day and night. Sometimes, they watch films, artistic performances and Tibetan opera.

 Gyangtse Dharma Festival

Dates: It is held from April 18 - 27 on the Tibetan calendar.
Place: Gyangtse, Tibet
Activities:

The Dharma Festival usually lasts seven to 10 days. Activities include the display of Buddha's Portrait, sorcerer dances in trances, wrestling and bearings contests.

** Zhachong Festival

Dates: It falls on June 15th - 17th of each Tibetan year.
Place: Aba County, Tibet
Activities:

During the festival, people from the borders of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces gather to do business. At the fair, besides reciting the "True Sutra," many activities, such as horseracing, wrestling and Guozhuang dances are held. At the same time, many merchants come to deal in the pottery business.

 Yangle Festival in Dege

Dates: It usually falls in early July of Tibetan calendar.
Place: Dege County of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in western Sichuan Province
Activities:

From July 1 of the Tibetan calendar, monks leave their monasteries and go around the area interpreting the Yangle Scriptures for people, perform Tibetan operas, and dancing for people to dispel evil spirits. Baptisms are given to Buddhist followers.

On that day, Tibetan people in their holiday best bring with them wine and food and gather at a big open ground to enjoy Tibetan opera while visiting commodities fairs held at the site.