Nyingchi Tour – Nyingchi Kongpo Festival

Kongpo Festival is one of the most solemn traditional festivals for Tibetans inhabited in Kongpo Area in Nyingchi (Nyingchi County, Milin County and Kongpo Gyamda County). It would be celebrated on October 1st according to the Tibetan calendar each year. All the public institutions and enterprises in this area would take a holiday for the celebration of Kongpo Festival. Tourists making a Nyingchi tour during the celebration of Kongpo Festival will have the chance to enjoy the local Tibetan dancing and singing in a hilarious festal atmosphere.

Nyingchi Tour - Origin of Nyingchi Kongpo Festival

It is said that a foreign army invaded in the border area of Tibet long time ago. To help the fellow compatriots in the border area, the local Tibetans in Kongpo Area decided to form a troop to the border for resistance. But the soldiers were quite regret for couldn't celebrate the Tibetan New Year with their family members since they have to leave for the border in before the festival. Hence, the local Tibetans in Kongpo Area decided to celebrate the Tibetan New Year in advance. To memorize the heroic soldiers, Kongpo people celebrate the New Year on October 1st since then.

Nyingchi Tour - Celebration of Nyingchi Gongpo Festival

The celebration of Nyingchi Kongpo Festival is quite different from the other Tibetan festivals since Nyingchi was relatively closed due to the inconvenient transportation in history. Compared to the Tibetan New Year celebration in Lhasa and Shigatse areas, Nyingchi Kongpo Festival has its own characteristics.

On September 30th according to the Tibetan calendar, all the local families in Nyingchi Kongpo Area would present the food especially prepared for the celebration of Kongpo Festival on a plank and then invite their dogs to taste the food. It is said the dog's selection is closely related to the harvest of the coming year. Hence, the masters would always pay close attention to their dogs on that day.

On New Year's Eve, the local Tibetans would also hold a series of devil driving-off activities so as to ensure a happy new year. After the devil driving-off ceremony, the local Tibetans would have a family reunion dinner together. Gyeda and Godo are two of the most typical foods especially prepared for the celebration of Nyingchi Kongpo Festival.

On New Year's Day, local Tibetans in Kongpo Area would hold a series of ceremonies for celebration early in the morning. The females would take their bucket with barley wine and Tsampa to the holy lake or river to pray for blessings. After that, they will pray for good harvest in their most fertile field with some prepared sacrifices.