Tibet Festival – Tibetan New Year

Tibetan New Year is the most solemn traditional festival of Tibetans. The celebration of Tibetan New Year would lasts from January 1st to January 15th according to the Tibetan calendar. Tibetan New Year is always rich in religious atmosphere since almost all the Tibetans have their own religion. It has been a festival which integrates blessing and celebration.

Origin of Tibetan New Year

It is said that Tibetans didn't take January 1st as the opening of the new year before Princess Wencheng enter into Tibet in Tang Dynasty. Princess brought the central plain culture of China into Tibet Plateau, including the Chinese calendar. There is a close communication of culture between Tibet and Tang Dynasty since then. Later, Tibetans took January 1st as the opening of a new year according to the Tibetan calendar.

Preparation Work before Tibetan New Year

Tibetans would start to do a preparation for the Tibetan New Year in early December of the previous year. They would do some special purchases and make some handicrafts for the Tibetan New Year festival.

All Tibetan families would make a Five Cereals Measure which named Chema. Chema and seedlings of cereal crops would be worshipped with the Buddhas so as to pray for good harvest in the coming year. With the approach of the Tibetan New Year, Tibetan men would clean the courtyard while the women would Kasei, a fried wheaten food. Kasei is a local Tibetan food with various shapes and colors. It is one of the most important delicacies to entertain the guests during the Tibetan New Year.

The male Tibetans would also bring some twigs of the cypress trees from the holy places before Tibetan New Year. These twigs would be used as the main fuel of the fire which was settled to show respect to the Buddha and deities. Tibetans would set a fire in their field on the first day of the Tibetan New Year so as to pray for good luck in everything in the coming year.

Celebration of Tibetan New Year

Various ceremonies and activities would be held to celebrate the Tibetan New Year, including some racings and acrobatics. The Dalai Lama would hold a big celebration in Potala Palace on the first day of Tibetan New Year. Besides, a series of sport activities would also be held, including weight lifting, horse racing and archery.

Tibetan New Year has been listed on the record of State Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. There is a large number of foreign tourists would like to make a Tibet festival tour during the Tibetan New Year so as to experience the local atmosphere of Tibetans.