|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Tibet lies on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of the
southwest border of China. The average height of the
whole region is more than 4,000 meters above sea
level, for which Tibet is known as "Roof of the
World". The highest peak of Tibet, also the highest
in Himalayas and in the whole world, is Everest
Peak, which is as high as 8,846.27 meters above sea
level. Although a part of China, Tibet has a unique
culture of all there own. It is mainly inhabited by
Tibetans, a minority nationality of old and
mysterious people. Tourist attractions include the
Potala Palace in Lhasa, Jokhang Temple, and a number
of Buddhist sacred places. |
|
|
|
Capital |
Lhasa |
|
Area |
12.284 million square
kilometers |
|
Population |
2.62
million (the 2000 population census)
|
|
Religion |
Mostly Buddhist |
|
Best Season |
June until Early
September |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tibet lies on the Qinghai-Tibet
Plateau of the southwest border of China. The
average height of the whole region is more than
4,000 meters above sea level, for which Tibet is
known as "Roof of the World". The highest peak
of Tibet, also the highest in Himalayas and in
the whole world, is Everest Peak, which is as
high as 8,846.27 meters above sea level.
Although a part of China, Tibet has a unique
culture of all there own. It is mainly inhabited
by Tibetans, a minority nationality of old and
mysterious people. Tourist attractions include
the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Jokhang Temple, and
a number of Buddhist sacred places.
Tibet (Xi Zang in Chinese) is to
the south of Xin Jiang Uygur Autonomous Region
and Qing Hai Province, to the west of Sichuan,
to the northwest of Yunnan and to the north of
India and Nepal. Its population of 2.3 million
people comes from a variety of ethnic groups
including Tibetan, Han, Monba and Lhota.
 Northwest
Tibet, mainly Qing Hai plateau, is home to a
variety of unusual and unique animals. Across
the northern expanse of Tibet, you can see vast
grasslands where horses, yak and sheep roam
freely. The world's lowest valley, the Grand
Yarlun-tzanpo River Valley lies in east Tibet.
Nearly all Tibetans follow Tibetan Buddhism,
known as Lamaism, with the exception of
approximately 2,000 followers of Islam and 600
of Catholicism. Tibetan Buddhism was greatly
influenced by Indian Buddhism in its early time,
but after years of evolution, Tibetan Buddhism
has developed its own distinctive qualities and
practices. A well-known example is the belief
that there is a Living Buddha, who is the
reincarnation of the first, a belief alien to
Chinese Buddhism. |
|
TIBETAN BUDDHISM:
China is home to a multiplicity of
religious beliefs, with the world's three
major religions - Buddhism, Catholicism
and Islamism - all having large
congregations, organizations and activity
venues in the country. Buddhism in China
mainly includes Han Chinese language
Buddhism, which spread into China in 2
B.C.; Tibetan language Buddhism, which
spread into Tibet in the 7th century; and
Pali language Buddhism, which spread into
China in the 13th century. Tibetan
Buddhism refers to Tibetan language
Buddhism, and is also known as Lamaism.
Tibetan Buddhism has
exerted extensive and profound influence
on the Tibetan race. Buddhism spread into
Tibet in the 7th century, and gradually
infiltrate Tibet's history, politics,
economics, culture, exchanges and habits
and customs to become the most extensively
worshipped religion of Tibetans. Prolonged
ethnic cultural exchanges also enabled
Tibetan Buddhism to make its way into the
Mongolian, Tu , Yugu, Luoba, Moinba, Naxi,
Purmi and other ethnic minority
nationalities throughout China. Buddhism
has long been widely worshipped in China's
Tibet Autonomous Region, as well as
Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai
provinces, and the Xinjiang Uygur and
Inner Mongolia autonomous regions. It has
also made its way into Sikkim, Bhuttan,
Nepal, the Mongolian People's Republic and
Buryat in the Republic of Russia.
More than 1,400 Tibetan
monasteries and other religious venues
were renovated and opened following the
peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951.
Chinese government and policies for
religious freedom enable 34,000 monks in
various monasteries to freely study
Buddhist sutras and hold various types of
Buddhist activities in their respective
monasteries. In addition, the broad masses
of religious have set up shrines, Buddha
halls and sutra recitation rooms in their
homes, and undertake pilgrimages to sacred
sites. |
Tibetan Festivals
New Year Festival(Losar)
: It is the greatest festival in Tibet.
In ancient times when the peach tree was
in blossom, it was considered as the
starting of a new year. Since the
systematization of the Tibetan calendar
in 1027 A.D., The first day of the first
month became fixed as the new year. On
the new year's the families unite "
auspicious dinner" is offered and the
auspicious words " tashi delek" are
greeted. It is the most colorful
festival of Lhasa. Monlam (great prayer
festival of Lhasa) .Known also as the
great prayer festival, this is held
midway through the first lunar month. An
image of maitreya from the jokhang is
borne around the barkhor, attracting
enthusiastic crowds of locals and
pilgrims.
Saga dawa festival (May
or June) :
It is the holiest in Tibet, there
memorable occasions coincide on this
day, buddha's birth and buddha's
enlightenment. Almost every person
within Lhasa join in circumambulations
round the city and spend their late
afternoon on picnic at "dzongyab lukahng"
park at the foot of potala.
Gyantse horse race &
archery (May or June)
:Horse race and archery
are generally popular in Tibet, and
gyantse enjoys prestige of being the
earliest in history by starting in 1408.
Contests in early times included horse
race, archery, and shooting on gallop
followed by a few days' entertainment or
picnicking. Presently ball games, track
and field events, folk songs and dances,
barter trade are in addition to the
above.
Shoton festival (august)
:It is the opera festival and the
greatest festivals in Tibet. In ancient
times pious folks went into mountain
hermitages of which yoghurt was served
for meal followed by entertainment of
folk songs and dances. Since 7th
century, opera performances were held
for days in norbu lingka. Presently,
opera contests and distribution of
prizes are held for seven days.
Harvest festival
(September) :The
farmers in Lhasa, gyantse and shangnan
to celebrating their bumeer harvest in
this time. During that time, people
enjoy with horse racing games, costume
fashion show, songs and dance archery
and picnic etc.
Bathing week :It
is believed when the sacred planet Venus
appears in the sky, the water in the
river becomes purest and cure diseases.
During its appearance for one week in
the sky, all the people in Tibet go into
the river for bathing.
Changtang chachen horse
race festival (10 august)
:As the most important
festival in north Tibet during the
golden season on the grassland, thousand
of herdsmen throng to nakchu riding fine
horses, and carrying the local products.
They form as city of tens south of
nakchu town. There will be thrilling
horse race, archery and demonstrations
of horsemanship. Songs and dance troupes
from all part of Tibet will add to the
fun.
Ganden festival :On
the 15th day of the 6th Tibetan month,
25 precious articles belonging to ganden
monastery, which are normally locked in
their treasure house, are displayed in
the main shrine hall. A grand offering
ceremony accompanies the display. These
articles consist of the images of the
sixteen arhats, akshobhya, the secret
assembly, the four great kings, the
upasaka and hashang image.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
