Nagqu Qiangtang Horse racing Festival

Time: August 10 to 16

Venue: Northern Plain in the Tibet Autonomous Region.



What's On: Tens of thousands of herdsmen in their holiday best go camping outside of Nagqu City. On the vast expanse of grassland are scattered many camps, lasting several miles. After a grand opening ceremony, various recreational and trade activities will start, such as horserace, yak race, tug of-war, carrying rocks, doing sgor-gzhas (Tibetan group dance), and performing Tibetan operas.

The Horse racing festival held in Nagqu is the grandest of the racing festivals and events held throughout Tibet each year. Dressed in traditional military attire, the Tibetans proudly display their riding skills, attracting enthusiastic crowds of locals and pilgrims. Lasting several days, many songs, dances, and performances of Tibetan drama take place during the festivities to celebrate the heroes of Tibet's past.

August is the peak season for Nagqu grasslands, with big wind and rain in the night and shines bright at daytime. The annual grassland horse-racing festival is held. There is a wide lawn at the north side of Nagqu. The local people called this as "Zhong Yin Ka Duo" grassland. During the horse-racing festival, there will be thousands of tents setting up on that area. It makes the grassland look like a small town. The horse racing festivals and fairs are the traditional occasion for horse trade. The buying and selling of horses at these fairs attracts Tibetans from near and far for celebrations during the colorful week of activities.

Shigatse is the second largest town in Tibet. Shigatse has long been an important trading town and administrative center. The main attraction in Shigatse is Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama. Built in 1447 by a nephew of Tsong Khapa, the monastery once housed over 4000 monks. Apart from a giant statue of the 27 meters high Maitreya Buddha, the monastery is also famed for its Grand Hall, which houses the opulent tomb containing 85 kilograms of gold and masses of jewels of the forth Panchen Lama. The temple is also famous for its gold and silver craftsmen, who still use traditional techniques to craft gold and silver products. At the same time, there is "resources exchange meeting held in Nagqu. This is a large trading event with lots of rich people there. Their necks and waists are full of jewelleries, and you will find all kinds of clothing. That is the most convenient and economic time to visit and understand the tradition of Nagqu in North Tibet.



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.

Every June, people from all over Tibet gather in Gyantse for horse racing, archery and barter trade. In modern times, ball games, racing, folk songs and dances were added. While horse racing and archery is popular all over Tibet, Gyantse is proud of being the oldest such event, being started in 1408.

Gyantse Horse Race and Archery Festival (May or June) is the most prestigious horse race and archery contest, having hosted the first event in 1408. In those early times, contests included the horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop, followed by a few days of entertainment and picnicking. In more modern times, ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, and barter trade have been added to the original schedule of events.

Horse race and archery are very 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 picnic. Nowadays, ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, barter trade are in addition to the above.

Horse Racing Festival, Gyangze: Horse racing and arrow shooting are very popular in Tibet. Horseracing appeared in the form of sports in 1408. Apart from horse racing, arrow shooting, and shooting arrows on Horseback during the festival, there are also cultural and commercial activities.

The Gyangtse Horse-race Festival, Archery contests on horseback are popular throughout the Tibetan region. The Gyangtse Horse-race Festival became events on fixed dates in 1408 when the king of Gyangtse gave a decree marking the period from April 10 through 27 of every year for prayers and sacrificial ceremony for his grandfather with entertainment offered on the 28th. By the mid-17th century, original ritual ceremonies became symbolic and contests of archery on horseback grew to be the most important events for the festival. Nowadays, with all kinds of entertainment and fairs organized it has become one of the most important festivals in Tibet.