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>> Destination Guide > Lhasa > News |
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 The sorcerer's dance is the oldest religious festival on record in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. It originated in the eighth century, marking the construction of the Samye Monastery.According to historical records, the Tashilunpo Monastery Sorcerer's Dance Festival has been held every year in the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar since ancient times. Over the years, it has developed into a traditional annual festival in Xigaze. In keeping with tradition, on every third day of the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar the Lamas of the Monastery hold a rehearsal. They select the monks who will perform the various formal public ceremonies from the fourth to the sixth day of the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar. From then on a sorcerer's dance with a theme of driving away evil spirits began to appear in ethnic celebrations around the world. The annual festival features numerous religious rituals followed by mass singing and horse races. It has a magnetic attraction for devout Buddhists together with both domestic and overseas visitors. The most splendid of all the Sorcerer's Dance Festivals in Tibet is held on the 29th day of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar. This is also called the Festival of Banishing Evils. Each monastery will hold a grand ceremony to drive off devils for the coming New Year. All the families will clean their houses and put up new decorations. People believe in preparing for the coming year by clearing away both devils and dirt. This will help avoid misfortune and bring good weather for the crops, a happy life and a good harvest in the coming year. The Sorcerer's Dance held in the Potala Palace on that date is the biggest and most magnificent of them all. In addition to the New Year events, the various monasteries also hold their own Sorcerer's Dance Festivals usually marking the date of the founding of the monastery. Where the actual date is not known, a propitious date in the Tibet calendar will be selected instead. For example, Tibetans think eight is the most propitious number and the Sorcerer's Dance Festival of the Tashilunpo Monastery is on the eighth day of the eighth month of the Tibetan calendar. 2004/10/04 Source:China.org.cn |
