Exciting horse race festival

 

Horse race is an activity which Tibetan are so addicted to that; it not only a gathering when famers and herdsmen are leisure to communicate their experience, but also a showing about Tibetan spirit. Among whole traditional Tibetan festivals, practically, all of them are willing to be lack of horse race activity; what is more, this kind of activity owns long-standing history. And horse race also appears as theme form in festival among Tibetan folk-custom. What are more important, Tibetan people who set up for horse in deep emotion foundation create horse race culture which is with nationality characteristic. And there are a lot of tourists who specially come to Tibet and join the festival. Yeah, this kind of Tibetan festival tour is special and charming.

  There is an old word in china—if you want to know a place, come to spend local festival with local people. Well, if you want to get more know about Tibetan and if you can smoothly spend world doomsday (yes, what I mean is 2012), it is the right time you should have fun and plan a journey to Tibet, how about Tibetan festival tour of year 2013?

Wow, that should be so exciting and memorable. In calendar of Tibetan festival 2013, there are lots of traditional Tibetan festival will be also held. And let us witness more Tibetan festival about horse race; also prepare much knowledge about your Tibet tour. Well, you would better never miss! 

（一）      Gyangz Dama Festival

Date from 10 April to 28 April in Tibetan calendar is the traditional festival—Gyangz Dama Festival. It means horse race and shooting in Tibetan. It is said that this festival start from the Christian era 1480; and when it is to the Christian era 1477, entertainment activities of Dama Festival is more abundant; and it gets ripe step by step, program is formed. It contains exhibiting Buddhism painting, sorcerer’s dance in a trance, wrestle, and horse race, shooting and embracing stone. In meddle period of 17 century, Dama Festival time change from one day to three days or four. Also activities are religious rites, horse race, shooting race and suburbs feast activities. Until today, it increases a lot of modern activities, such as Tibetan opera. Gyangz Dama Festival has been an important form which serves for local economic construction.

 (二) Northern Tibet horse race festival

Northern Tibet horse race festival is a magnificent traditional festival in northern grassland, so it is also named “grassland grand meeting”; it is held in June of every Tibetan calendar year, by a definite date five to fifteen. In June, northern Tibet is with warm weather, fine and sunny, azure and cloud; flowers are all over the mountains and plains. Before festival, southern Tibetan herdsmen put on festival splendid attire, take barley wine and acidophilus milk; take various beautiful tents and block mats; ride horse, and come to race course from all dictions. In period of festival time, there are a lot of colorful flags in race course; and audiences always are on the west of race course; girls use yarn to cover their face, and only show two beautiful big eyes. When horse race is beginning, you can witness hundreds riders who are in yellow Tibetan cloth; and female players lead a group with flags; young players follow them and beat a drum for cheering; they are separately leaded in to horse course by their father. After they get round of a circle, they will get to start point. When ordering sounds, they raise their scourge and hit horse, gallop at full speed, and aim at finally point.

 (三) Kangting horse race festival

Kangting is a cultural, economic and political center of Xikang area. Its festival culture has less difference with other Tibetan areas. Such as Sakyamuni birthday in April is also same as another areas. However, which has the most local characteristic festival is horse race meeting that is Kangting horse race festival. Kangting horse race festival is held in May 13; it is said that in order to pray mountain gold and prevent flood, so, leader call on county people and Buddhism believers in horse race mountain. Actually, original objective is that, and nowadays, people also make it as a trade meeting. And in horse race course, generally, there are also youth. Horse race is along with Horse Race Mountain. At first, there is a gun mark sound set out in contra mountain, for a short time, there are much horses set out together in people’s encouragement sound. Because mountain road is narrow, there is some rider fall down from horse at any time. Finally, the winner will be awarded prizes by leader. Now, Kangting horse race meeting is diverted to airport, on the other hand, there is still song and dance in horse race mountain.

（四）Panpo horse race festival

Panpo horse race festival is also named Panpo plain grand meeting. It is a big and magnificent horse meeting about Tibetan, Mongolia people, Han and the Hui nationality. It is held in period of Aug. in Tibetan calendar. Climate is fine and with comfortable weather in that time, horses are fat and strong. That is a grand meeting about nation big uniting. In the morning of festival, sun is raise up from Qilian Mountain; riders, farmers and herdsmen come to Panpo plain which is peaceful and silence at beginning, but now it is with a sea of people. Out of the race course, a deafening sound of gongs and drums, colorful flags fly. Surely, horse race situation is also similar with majority horse race. And after horse race festival, following is glance horse race, risers are with strong soul, they handle rope, part to several groups, with a horse long sound, they fly with horse. With sun set down, night falls, Panpo plain is with another charming view. One and another bonfire fire together, ringing sound resound in plain. Girls and boys dance together with each other; older people set together and rise wine to congratulation. For the time being, plain is in a kind of warm, auspicious and happiness atmosphere.

　　　There are a lot of other horse race festivals, such as Tingri horse race festival. There is a directly relative in Tibetan horse race and Tibetan belief custom. Especially, Tibetan Buddhism culture, it has been the main part of Tibetan local culture. In a large extent, Tibetan Buddhism influence Tibetan history, culture and daily life. We can witness religious rites and folk custom in period of horse race; it is showing of Tibetan Buddhism’s influence. Surely, that is not main part of horse race culture. Actually, they also show there respecting to history and hero, they always follow their ancestors. In all ages, horse relate to Tibetan mental aspiring and material seeking. Tibetan’s motion to horse is deep and mellow. Horse is a kind and friendly company in their daily life, what is more, horse is life of herdsmen. Various aspects of Tibetan life are with horse, such as grazing, far journey and marrying.

Love to horse is their original characteristic; horse race is also the main content of Tibetan’s entertainment and life. So in Tibetan area, there is not only you can witness horse race in anywhere, but also horse race is necessary activity in Tibet large festival. You can have a characteristic journey in Tibet, experience horse race, and know horse race culture. Fly with horse in the snow plateau. You should be a Tibet tour, be one of Tibet festival tour; you should never miss witnessing Tibetan festival 2013.