Lhasa marks the opening of the Shoton Festival with a giant Buddha thangka unveiling at Drepung Monastery, drawing worshippers and visitors.
Lhasa welcomed the annual Shoton Festival on Aug 12th, with a giant Buddha thangka unveiled at Drepung Monastery to mark the start of the traditional Tibetan festival.
The festival falls on the 30th day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar this year.
At around 7 a.m., dawn broke over Lhasa. Monks and worshippers at Drepung Monastery carried a huge rolled-up thangka from the main assembly hall to the Buddha display platform.
Meanwhile, large crowds of worshippers and tourists had already gathered and queued for the ceremony.
At around 7:40 a.m., the thangka depicting Shakyamuni Buddha was gradually unfurled in the morning light. People tossed khatas, traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarves, towards the giant thangka as they offered prayers and wishes.
Among them was Marco, a tourist from Italy. He recorded the scene on his phone. It was his first visit to Xizang. Over the previous seven days, he had travelled to places including Damxung County and the Everest Base Camp in Xigaze.
Marco said the region was more developed than he had expected. He was also impressed by its convenient transport and what he described as a harmonious coexistence between people and nature.
Yang, a tourist from Shanghai, was also visiting Xizang for the first time. She was delighted to arrive during the Shoton Festival. Yang said she had learned that the festival also features activities such as horse racing and Tibetan opera. She hoped to experience as many of them as possible.
Meanwhile, a Tibetan opera performance began below the Buddha display platform. The performers came from the Tibetan opera troupe of Cuomai Village in Doilungdeqen District, Lhasa.
According to troupe head Nyima Tsering, the performance is a traditional custom passed down through generations. “All the performers are local farmers and herders,” Nyima Tsering said. “Besides performing, they also farm and take on jobs outside the village.”
The Shoton Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Xizang. It features a range of cultural activities, including Tibetan opera and horse racing.
Additional reporting by CNS, Xinhua.
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