The Tibetans mainly reside in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China as well as in Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces. The Tibetan is one of old ethnic groups in China. Its agriculture is mainly planting of highland-barley. In addition, there are other crops such as wheat, rape and pea, etc.
The Tibetans believe in Tibetan Buddhism, i.e. Lamaism. In the past, there were many traditional festivals relating the religious activities. Tibetan calendar is based on the Yin -Yang (lunisolar) calendar, which consists of "five elements" (wood, fire, earth, gold and water). Twelve animals symbolize the calendar assorted by Yin-Yang. A round needs 60 years. And the new year of Tibetan calendar is the most important festival.
On the 15th of the first month of Tibetan calendar, it is the custom with the local people to celebrate the Ghee Light Festival. On April 15, it is the fine day to memorize the Buddha birthday and the entrance of Princess Wencheng in Tibet. In addition, there are also other festivals such as the Saga Dawa Festival, Xuedun Festival, Flower Light Festival and Wangguo Festival.
Tibetan New Year
It is the grandest and most impassioned traditional festival. From January 1 to 15 of Tibetan calendar, it lasts 15 days. As the whole ethnic minority believes in Buddhism, the festival is full of the religious atmosphere. It is actually a recreation for deity and Tibetans, a folk festival that combines worship with celebration.
The preparation for the New Year generally starts in early December of Tibetan calendar. In addition to special purchase for the festival, every family makes a so-called "Corns Dipper", i.e. Zamba (roasted highland-barley) mixed with fried kernels and ghee at both sides of the wood box painted in colorful patterns, on which are inserted flowers made of highland-barley spikes and ghee. Besides, a bowl of highland-barley seeds are soaked to grow green shoots about 5 cm. The "Qiema" and shoots are offered on the center of the altar to pray for a bumper harvest in the next year.
When the festival is approaching, men are busy in tidying up the courtyard, and women make elaborate "Kasai", a sort of cooked wheaten food in the shape of ears, butterfly, bars, squares and rounds, painted and wrapped with granulated sugar. It is served both as artwork for the decoration of the altar, and as dishes for the guests. The assortment of "Kasai" generally stands for hardworking, wisdom and warm-heart. It is an attractive show in the festival.
December 29 of Tibetan calendar coincides with the eve of the New Year. On this day, the curtains should be renewed and the roof painted with Jing-Fan (a sort of fabric imprinted with lections, the auspicious Cross- marks are drawn with chalk on the door, balks and kitchen, in order to add animation to the festival. On the evening, all families sit together to have the dinner "Gutu", which is similar to the family reunion dinner in Hans.
"Gutu" is a sort of conjee made of "Yita" (cooked dough), mutton and ginseng. Before cooking, the hostess respectively packs in "Yita" some objects such as stones, wool, chili, charcoal and coins etc. The one who has it must spit out in public, foreshowing his fate and heart. The stones stand for cruelness, wool for charity, charcoal for evil mind, chili for plausibility and coins for fortune. With one for each, people talk to each other then start laughing, which reaches an upsurge of animation. Then, a magic woman and two bowls will be figured with "Zamba" and the residues of the "Gutu" and bones are to be dumped into such two bowls, which will be carried by a woman to throw outside. The woman is followed by a man taking a bundle of fired hay and reciting, "Come out, the demon! Show you up!" It means to let the fired hay burn the magic woman and food residues into ashes. In the meantime, children will set off firecrackers to drive out the evil and welcome a lucky new year.
On the 1st day of the Tibetan New Year, the hostess gets up first. Around 5:00 a.m., she will cook a pot of "Qianggu" i.e. highland-barley wine mixed with "Zaoba", brown sugar and raw milk, one portion for each one. Before the family members get up, they will drink off it on the bed, and go on sleeping. The hostess will seat at the window and wait for the sunrise. When the first sunrays occur in the morning, she hurries to carry the pail and fetch the first pail of water in the New Year from a river or a well. It is said that the water fetched at this time is the purest and sweetest. The one who gets it will avoid suffering from many disasters in the New Year.
The day breaks. All of the family members put on new clothes. After washing, the junior starts making the New Year's greeting to the eldership. They wish each other with good luck, and then have the breakfast. They propose each other to a toast of highland-barley wine. In pasturing areas, the hostess will prepare the cooked sheep heads according to the family members. Putting on the food table, she presents them to the eldest man of the family, who, according to the age, will distribute one for each with a sheep head and a knife. All sit around the burner and eat the sheep head meat while greeting to each other for the domestic peace, family and livestock prosperity. On the first day of the New Year, people stay at home and receive no visitors. Few road-walkers are seen in the street. The celebration and Buddhist ceremony are held only at home.
On January 2, friends and relatives start visiting and exchanging the New Year's greeting. Once paying a visit, the guests should greet to the host "Happy New Year". The host stays in front of the door welcoming the guests. The guests will pick up a pinch of "Zamba" and some grains of highland-barley by his thumb, index and middle fingers, swinging in the air to show their respect to the God; after then, they will pick up a pinch of "Zamba" and highland-barley and eat them to show their thanks for the host's kindness. Then they sit down, drink and talk. Since that day, the folk artists will go around and perform the Tibetan Opera and "Zhega" (a sort of singing-and-talking folk performance)
The richer families will make the agreement with the folk artists in advance, inviting them to perform in their families in time. Without the invitation, the artists can also offer themselves to drop around for the performance. The "Zhega" actor wear a white mask and take a crabstick, singing the impromptu lyric to please the host, such as how pretty the hostess looks, how wise the host is and the good wishes for the family in the New Year, etc. They will be rewarded with fine wine and meat generally. At the street corners and in the village, people also hold public dance parties and Tibetan operas.
Molang Qinbo Festival
It means the Large Dharma Transmission Ceremony, which is held on January 15 of Tibetan calendar. It originated from the first praying ritual initiated by the Zongkeba in Tibet in 1409. During the ceremony, the lamas from the three large temples and other monasteries will assemble in the city, reciting the scripture in groups. In addition, the examination will be given to acquire the "Gexi" scholarship degree. During February, another dharma ceremony comes off, which is named "Congjue" in Tibetan. The activities are similar to those of the Large Dharma Transmission Ceremony. The only difference between them is that "Congjue" ceremony is smaller than the other. Therefore, it is referred as the Small Dharma Transmission Ceremony.
Xuedun Festival
Each year on July 1 of Tibetan calendar, it is time for the "Yoghourt Feast". At that time, every family will make a large amount of yoghourt. Later on, the Tibetan opera was added. During the festival, many people will take ghee canister, teapot, vacuum flask and food, and go out to find a place with beautiful scenery to enjoy wine and tea.
Bathing Festival
It is one of special festivals in Tibet, which takes place on June 6 - 12 in every Tibetan calendar year, lasting 7 days, referred as the "Bathing Week".
Legend has it that in the paste a rare plague occurred in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Many people and livestock died. The merciful Kwan-yin dispatched seven fairies to fetch seven bottles of saint water from the "Jade Liquid Pool" and pour them in all rivers in Tibet. That night, people dreamed about a sick, scraggy and scarred girl bathing in the clean river, and then she recovered completely. Since then, during the seven days when the "Venus" appears every year, all of people from cities, countryside and pasturing areas will go to the shores of rivers, lakes and brooks, setting up tents and drapery, extending mats and enjoying swimming and playing in the water. Women also do bathing in water without a qualm. At noon, all family members have picnic and taste the mellow highland-barley wine and fragrant ghee tea. At the sunrise, they come here and at the sunset they return home. They spend the annual traditional festival in the free and joyful way they like.
Looking at Fruit Festival
Prior to the autumn festival of each year, people extend to each other the invitation for dinner and various picnics to welcome the autumn festival. They also celebrate the Bathing Festival, Winter Festival and other festivals.
Burning Light Festival
It is the religious activity to memorize Zongkaba, the founder of the Gelug Sect of the Tibetan Buddhism. It is held on August 15 of Tibetan calendar. On the day, all the temples and monasteries and herds from various villages will keep the ghee light burning day and night on the altars inside and outside the temples and sutra halls, no matter they are large or small. People dress up and group in front of the monastery to chant the scripture for the great masters of Buddhism. They chant aloud the "Six Characters True Scripture". They pray for themselves to the Buddha with kowtowing. Men from all villages run on horses with cypress twigs they jave prepared and gather in front of the divine altar near the tree, praying aloud. The great Weisang Ceremony will be held there. Here and there crowd the people, and small colorful banners printed with lions, tigers, dragons are thrown into the sky. After then, the riders show their horsemanship for the monasteries and villagers; men and women perform the Guozhuang Dance. The elder sit on the platform drinking and chatting. The singers sing the greeting songs while the eloquent actors chant the Tibetan folk long verses and The Story of King Gesar. It is not until the moonrise that they return home with the young and the old, reciting the "Six Characters True Scripture" aloud.
Tibetan Meadow Festival
The Tibetan Meadow Festival is also called Tibetan calendar Year. It is one of the traditional Tibetan festivals, which is similar to the Spring Festival of the Hans. It is celebrated on the early first month of Tibetan calendar. The festival lasts about one week.
Prior to the festival, every family tidies up the house. According to the customs of the Tibetans, people pour out sewage and rubbish toward the west when the sun is setting down the west. It means to have all stuff harmful to the human health disappear. Afterward, every family brews highland-barley wine, makes seedcakes and cheesecakes, and prepares blood sausage, mutton sausage, fresh milk and other festival food.
On the 1st day of the Tibetan New Year, the hostess of every family has to get up at dawn. She goes to the riverbank with a pail to carry water. She puts some fresh milk in the water and carries back. All family members wash up with the water. After washing and dressing, all enjoy playing with the "Dragon Lantern" and burn joss sticks to pray for the abundance on grassplot and water as well as strong livestock. After then, the family will have a dinner together. Prior to the dinner, each one has to take some "Zamba" flour, which means he or she is a "Zamba" eater and bears the ancestors in mind. During the first three days of the festival, it is a custom for the villagers not to go out of the village. All of them watch the sorcerer's dance in a trance, which is a kind of the traditional religious dance. The dancers wear a mask and dress cassock, dancing to the accompaniment of cymbals, gongs, drums and trumpet shells. They take a rest for a while and continue to perform until it is over.
In addition, young men and girls dance and sing to the rhythm of the sounds of gongs and drums, flute and Erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument). In three days, people bring along with the old and young to drop around in the village greeting to each other for a merry festival.
During the festival, according to the local traditional custom, the girls and married women often "rob" foods from men, who neither complain nor oppose. Young men in some villages hold the "yak race". During the game, two persons stand around 10 meters away from each other, both holding a yak string marked in the middle. The one who draws the rival over the mark will be the winner. When drawing, they keep deadlock for three minutes, then take a rest for one minute to go on. The one who draws the rival over the mark in at least 2 of 3 rounds will be the final winner. At night, girls and young men mainly gather inside or outside the village singing and dancing.
Gyantse Damma Festival
The Gyantse Damma Festival has a history of more than 500 years.
It is said that Gyantse King, Pabasangbu had a lot of prestige in the Geshar Dynasty. After his death, his disciples held the worship to memorize him. But it was interrupted because of the war. In 1408, the Gongsang Raopa King, the son of Paba Sangbu, resumed the worship.
From April 10 to 27 of Tibetan calendar, Gongsang Raopa held the worship and recreational activities to memorize his father. Activities include the display of Buddha Portrait, sorcerer's dance in a trance, wrestling and bearing contest. When the Zhaxi Raodan enthroned the Gyantse-King in 1447,the horsemanship,archery, Tibetan opera, dancing and singing were supplemented, forming the Gyantse Dama Festival still being observed today.
Saga Dawa Festival
April 15 of Tibetan calendar is a special Tibetan festival - Saga Dawa, which means the month of Shisu in Tibetan language (Shisu is one of 28 horoscopes). As it appears in April of Tibetan calendar, the Shisu is named in reference to Saga Dawa. Legend has it that the birth, accomplishment, and death of Sakyamuni all happened to be on April 15. Therefore, various activities have to be held in this month to commemorate him. As time passes by, all of these activities have formed the large Zhuanjing (turning scripture) convocation.
"Turning Scripture" means that the scripture chanter walks in circle along the fixed route, which is considered as one of the rogation rituals. In Lhasa, there are in total three itineraries: one is the inner ring about 500 meters long, and the chanter makes a round in the main hall of Dazhao Temple,where full of Wheels of Law are set up; one is the middle ring, about 1,000 meters long, encircling the Dazhao Temple, and another one is the outer ring in the total length of 5,000 meters. Turning Scripture makes the most magnificent scene during the Saga Dawa Festival. On the first day of the festival, hordes of chanters show up in the street and the upsurge will occur on the 15th of Tibetan calendar. From 2:00 am to the evening, people crowd to celebrate the festivals.
Horse Racing Festival
On May 5 of the lunar calendar, the Tibetans in the Zhongdian Autonomous County, which now has been called "Shangri-La", hold a pageant horse racing competition, which is considered as the most animated among the annual festivals in the plateau.
In mid-May, people have the best season in the year, with bright sunshine and cool breeze. Everywhere is green and all kinds of flowers in full bloom. On the early morning, people put on their best clothing, climb onto the top of Wufeng Mountain in the east of Zhongdian. They set up tents in the azalea shrubs where they prepare sumptuous picnic and delightedly spend three days there. The horse riders will take part in the traditional horsemanship and horse-racing contest. You can hear the cheer and laughter far away from the contest ground from time to time. Apart from the horserace, various art performances are held there. Some people perform Guozhuang and Xuanzi(one of the most representative dance of Tibetan folk dances, popularized in North-Tibet Kangba District), the other dance with Reba steps (a Tibetan folk dance). The spectacular scene gets better year after year. The merchants with all kinds of goods swarm here to sell different articles, enhancing the animation of the festival.
Ghee Flower Lantern Fair
It is a traditional spectacular fair in Tibetan areas. It is held on January 15 of Tibetan Calendar (March of lunar calendar). Legend has it that, Zongkaba, the founder of the Gelug Sect, used to provide ghee flowers and many ghee lamps to the statue of Sakyamuni, hence the Ghee Flower Lantern Fair. During the festival, there are some entertainment activities such as sorcerer's dance in a trance in the Dazhao Temple. Some 20-30 actors wear masks and dress in silk robes. They dance and sing to the accompaniment of large horns, suona (a woodwind instrument), cowhide drums, gongs and drums. At night, every temple is decorated with different lanterns and streamers. The ghee shelves are set up on the main streets. The ghee flowers are made of the ghee dyed in different colors, which are elaborately figured in the shape of birds, beasts, cow and horse, buildings and palaces. The Guihua and Dongzhulin temples in Diqing, Yunnan Province are decorated in the same way as those in Tibetan areas. It is really a magnificent event full of liveliness.
Flower Display Festival
It is celebrated on June 18 of the lunar calendar. On this day, every village carries out the celebration. The villagers set up tents and enjoy themselves. The entertainment lasts at least 3-4 days, even more than 10 days. During the festival, people present kha-btags to the visitors and invite them to visit their tents hospitably. At night, old or young, all of them sing the folk songs and dance hand in hand around the fire to the accompaniment of the stringed bell. The whole night is full of cheers and laughter.
Praying Festival
It is considered the grandest religious and folk entertainment festival activity in the Tibetan areas. There are two kinds of such fairs: the one is the Praying Festival of the Gelug Sect; the other is the Praying Festival of the Benbo Sect, which is the original Tibetan religion. The Praying Festival of the Gelug Sect is the same as that of Lhasa in Tibet. It is held twice per year. One is on June 15, and the other is from lunar January 1 to 3. And the latter is more spectacular than the Praying Festival in summer. There are many temples and disciples of Benbo Sect in Tibetan areas. They still retain the original religious custom. They also have two important praying festivals each year. One is on June 13 to 15 of lunar calendar.
The other takes place from January 13 to 16 of the lunar calendar. On the worship ceremony, all monasteries presided over by the Living Buddha will pray for a bumper harvest, prosperity of livestock as well as an auspicious year without any disaster. On the 15th of the lunar month, the praying festival reaches its upsurge. On this day, the pilgrims and local people will exceed more than 20,000 people. They come here to worship in the Gami Temple of the Songpanbo Fane. The pilgrims have to visit the holy mountain behind the Gami Temple - Small Western Paradise.
On the morning of January 15, the monasteries and monks of the temple will wear new cassocks, and the temple band play the accompaniment with the copper horns. Afterward, the monks from the temple gather together in the hall to chant scripture. Besides, the Living Buddha will assign duty to each monk in the temple. Near the noon, they perform the sorcerer's dance in a trance for the pilgrims and audience.
Up to date, there are many renewals to programs of the Praying Festival, such as girls and young men looking for lovers there. The temples enclosed by tents provide an opportunity to develop the booming business fair.
Zhachong Festival
It is one of the Tibetan special festivals in Aba County, and has developed from religious events to a folk and commercial holiday. The "Zha" means "the pottery", and the "Chong" means "the market". That is to say, it is a grand pottery fair.
During the festival, people from the borders of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai Provinces gather here to do business. The festival falls on May 20 of the lunar calendar, when people met to recite the "True Sutra". Today, the assembly for chanting "True Sutra" gradually developed to the spectacular folk festival.
On the fair, besides reciting the "True Sutra", it will be held many activities, such as horserace, wrestling and Guozhuang Dance, etc. At the same time, many merchants from everywhere come here to deal in the pottery business. The pottery is the favorable ware here, though there are many other articles on the market. As the pottery was the main product available in the market at that time, people termed it "Zhachong" (pottery fair).
Nowadays, a new city on grassplot has been built up at the place where the original pottery fair was held. This traditional festival of the Abas (people living in an autonomous area called "Aba") has been promoting economic prosperity in this area. In February 1985, the date of the Zhachong Festival was determined on June 15 to 17 of each lunar year under the consultation of the County's People's Government with representatives of all circles.
Water Thanksgiving Festival
It is popular in Mianning County and takes place on March 6 of the lunar calendar. The festival is mainly celebrated to pray for rain and child. A lama brings frogs, snakes and toads made of sticky rice with him. Each family sends one or two deputies. They come to the raceway together. The lama patters, placing the animal figures in the water. While returning, they open the rain gear and make a racket, indicating it has begun to rain. After then, they worship a round pagoda which contains a knife and a boiler symbolizing procreation. The married women without babies will vow to the pagoda god for a baby. The woman, who gives birth to a baby, has to repeat the worship for her vow at the pagoda.
Eagle Adoration Festival
Benri Mountain, a famous one in Tibet, is located about 6 km away from Linzhi County of Tibet. There is a temple of Ben-Sect on the mountainside. With a history of more than 1,200 years, it is one of the oldest temples, where a traditional festival -- Eagle Adoration -- is celebrated on April 30 of Tibetan calendar.
The temple was built around 757 and received endless streams of pilgrims at that time. But up to 1330, it was in decline. Very few believers came, and the lamas and monks left because of different reasons. The temple fell into desolation.
A Lama searched for all temples of Ben Sect and various denominations in Tibet, intending to compose a scripture of Ben Sect. He was recognized as Living Buddha when he was 8 years old. He started studying the Ben Sect theory, collecting and writing the Ben scripture at the age of 13. When he passed by the temple and saw the desolation, he felt upset for the Ben Sect and feared the sect would disappear if no measures were taken. Therefore, he was determined to save it by establishing the regulations and systems and teaching the knowledge on the Ben Sect what he learned in order to resume its former prosperity.
The Living Buddha was dead on a severe malady before his goal was fulfilled. At his last minute, he called on all monks in front of his sickbed and said, "After I pass away, the affairs of the temple are to be implemented in line with what I have designed and I won't be reincarnate. In one year, I would become 100 eagles and return to see you and the temple. I would show up every year. " The day coincided with April 30 of Tibetan calendar.
In the next year, on April 20 of Tibetan calendar, 100 eagles flew from the east of Benri Mountain as what the living Buddha had said. They turned around three times around the temple and flew to the southwest. Year after year, it repeated. People yearn for and appreciate what he did. They set April 20 of Tibetan calendar as the worship date. Whenever on this day, the residents near the temple will get dressed up and gather to the temple. They perform joyous dance. In addition, people will hold contest to welcome 100 eagles and pray for bumper harvest as well as prosperity of human and livestock. At last, they tell the eagles about the temple, and then go around the temple three times in groups. It is said that if it is a fine day, the devoted disciples of the Ben Sect could see one hundred hovering eagles.
Time flies. It is unknown when people started worshipping the eagles as gods and appointed April 20 of Tibetan calendar as the Eagle Adoration Festival.
Fresh Tasting Festival
Every Tibetan family in Tiebu, Sichuan Province will grind four with fresh highland-barley and prepare fresh meat when they finish the harvest. When the meal gets ready, people have to worship the Buddha and patter asking him to enjoy their offering, for they consider that the harvest is given by the Buddha. On this day, they will invite relatives and friends home for dinner.
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