Ongkor Festival

Ongkor Festival, also known as Bumper Harvest Festival, is an old festival in farming of Tibet held in each August of Tibetan calendar when crops are waiting to be harvested. Major fun activities include horse racing, shooting, dancing, singing, Tibetan traditional opera, stone lifting and wrestling, etc.

The History of Ongkor Festival

It is said that Ongkor Festival has a history of more than 1,500 years. "Ongkor" in Tibetan language means "walking around the farmland". Originally in each August, the festival is celebrated in the farming areas along Yarlung Tsangpo River, allowing people for rest after a busy harvest season, and showing people’s wish for a good harvest in the following year. At present, it is held in Tsedang in the Shannan Prefecture.

The Celebration of Ongkor Festival

Early morning of the first day, when the sunshine flooded the golden cornfield, farmers will hold ears of wheat and go around the fields in which way give thanks to the god for the good weather all the year and harvest. The first row of the team are Lama and old farmers who are holding the Buddha and reading Buddhist scriptures and playing the Buddha horn. Under the leadership of a revered man and accompanied by the sounds of ritual trumpets and drums, they shout,"Yangguxiu! Yangguxiu!" ( meaning "Come back, the soul of the earth").

After walking around the cornfields, Tibetan people begin to hold fun activities, including horse racing, shooting, dancing, and singing, Tibetan traditional Opera, stone lifting and wrestling. The competitors want to beat others with great enthusiasm with their skill.

Every one prepare enough food and drink, and wear the most beautiful cloth. Some of them will have picnic on the grass around the competition square, and some will invite their good friends and relatives get together for drinking and banquet.