Tibetan Calendar |
Tibetan Name |
Chinese Name |
English Name |
Activitities |
Jan. 1st |
Lhosai |
Zanglinian
|
New year |
Since 1027 the New Year¡¯s Day is an occasion for family reunite, relative and friend visit and a lot of celebration. |
Jan. 3rd |
Smom-lam |
Qiyuan Dafahui |
Great Prayer Festival |
The festival is celebrated in honor of Lord Buddha Sakyamuni. ? |
Jan. 4th |
Monlam Chenmo |
Chuanzhao
Dafahui |
Big Dharma Assembly |
Since 1409, Geluk monks have assembled once a year in Jokhang for prayer, followed by an open debate for higher degree obtaining |
Jan. 15th |
Chunga Choepa |
Randengjie |
Butter Lamp Festival |
To honor the victory of Sakyamuni in a debate against Heretics. People assemble at the Barkhor Street in Lhasa, worshiping the Buddha in the daytime and by nightfall. People usually light thousands of lamps filled with butter in an intriguing assortment of designs including immortals, animals, flying birds, beasts, and flowers.. The whole festive will last all night. People sing and dance in great joy throughout the night. |
a lucky day in Jan |
|
Chunbojie |
Spring Sowing Festival |
Yoke the calf first learning to work and have a try to plough with lots of rites and celebrations |
Feb. 7th |
|
Songmojie |
Exorcism Festival |
Those who dress up like ghosts will be driven to the other side of the Darxia River, and can¡¯t return within seven days |
Feb. 8th |
|
Liangbaojie |
Airing Thangka Festival |
the Monasteries will conduct scripture
chanting, show the giant Buddha and all kinds of treasures. |
late February |
Chongchu |
Xiaoqiyuan Fahui |
Small
Dharma Assemble |
The activities are similar to those of the Big Dharma Transmission Ceremony. |
Mar. 15th |
Dhingkor |
Shilunjingangjie |
K¨¡lacakravajra¡¯s Festival |
It is a festival on the fifth of the third month to commemorate the first day for the rotation of Tibetan calendar.( Fire Rabbit Year------ AD 1027) |
April 15th |
Sagadawa |
Sagadawa |
Saga Dawa Festival |
it is an anniversary of Buddha Sakyamuni¡¯s birth, enlightenment, death and Songtsan Gambo¡¯s wedding with Princess Wencheng. The people including monks and laymen, men and women in Lhapulun don¡¯t eat or drink or speak for a day and two nights, it is called "Niannai" festival. |
April 27th |
Dharma |
Damajie |
Dharma Festival |
Great celebration in Gyantse to commemorate Gyantse religious king. |
May 5th |
Samje Manla |
Yaosengjie |
Medicine Day |
People herborize and picnic because Medicine Buddha sprinkle medicine on the earth today |
May 1st |
Lingkha |
Guanglinka |
Picnic Festival |
Sing, dance, drink and eat outdoors for days. |
May 10th |
Tridahdeqen |
Lianhuasheng Danchenri |
Padmasambhava¡¯s birthday |
Every year there will be a petty celebration and every twelve years there will be a big celebration. |
Jun 4th |
Danyideqen |
chaoshanjie |
Mountain Worship Day |
A day of sermon for Shakyamuni ,Buddhist followers wear new cassocks to worship Buddha on mountains |
Jul 1st |
Shoton |
Xuedongjie |
Yoghurt Festival |
As the activities of Shoton Festival gradually changed into an activity with Tibetan opera as a major part, ?people also called it the Tibet Opera Festival. |
Jul 6th |
Kamarijee |
Muyujie |
Bathing Festival |
Bathing in the river |
Jul 10th |
Tsongrenchundu |
Saimahui |
Horse Race Festival |
Mainly in Damshung area |
Aug 1st |
Tsongrenchundu |
Saimajie |
Horse Race Festival |
Mainly in Nagqu |
Lucky day in Aug |
Onkor |
Wangguojie |
Harvest Celebration |
Dressing up, beating drums and gongs, singing in their odes and walk around the fields in prayers for a bumper harvest, followed by a horse race, arrow shooting, Tibet opera and dances, together with an outdoor banquet. |
Lucky day in Aug |
Shimoqenbo |
Tiaoshenjie |
Lama's Dance |
Once a year in Tashilhunpo Monastery |
Sep 22nd |
Lhaboduiqing |
Jiangshenjie |
Thank-mom Day |
A day when Sakyamuni sermons for his mom. Clean-up, burn joss sticks and so on |
Oct 15th |
Belha Rabzho |
Xiannvjie |
Celestial Mother Festival |
Mainly religious activitiese specially for Tibetan women to pray for happy marriage and true lov |
Oct 1st |
Gyamda |
Gongbujie |
Gyamda New Year |
Drive away ghosts, invite dogs to dinner and lots of other activities |
Oct 25th |
Geden Ngagqu |
Randengjie |
anniversary of Tsongkhaba¡¯s death |
Light? yak-butter lamps |
Dec 29th |
Kuto |
Quguijie |
Exorcising-Ghost Day |
Cleanup to welcome New Year |
