The Shoton Festival can be called as the yoghourt festival in Tibetan. Being one of the most influential festivals in Tibet, it is also a grand meeting for commodity exchange.

To avoid treading or killing tiny lives, lamas only practice Buddhism in monasteries when April comes in Tibetan calendar. Lamas of Gelug Sect are not allowed to go out of monasteries until the end of June when they can be treated with yoghurt and opera performances.

Since 1642, the Gandain Phodrang (Paradise Palace) of the Drepung Monastery had became the political, religious and cultural centre of Tibet. Tens of thousands of people rushed there each June 30th to give yoghourt to lamas and ask for blessings. The Tibetan Opera troupes and wild yak dancing troupes all came to perform. In this way, the Shoton Festival was formed.

With the sound of sutra bugle reverberating through the valley in Gebeiwoze Mountain, about 100 lamas carry the large-scale tangke portraying Qamba Buddha (or Maitreya) out of the Coqen Hall of the Drepung Monastery and step toward the west of the monastery where a special platform is set up for the Buddha picture exhibition. At this moment, the mulberry smoke arises from all directions, bugles resound and scripture reciting goes on. The large tangka then will be slowly opened up. People rush up to offer white hada. Countless hada fly in front of the Buddha picture, forming a great scene. In no more than two hours, the tangka will be rolled up again and carried back. People will not see it until the next year. This is an important activity in Shoton Festival can be regarded as the prelude.
Opera troupes throughout Tibet assemble and stage performances and competitions for days after. Starting from the second day of Shoton Festival, Tibetan opera performers, wearing the traditional masks and colourful costumes, sing and dance to the rapid beating of the drums. The performances start from 11:00 a.m. till dusk every day at Norbulingka and the Longwangtan Park opposite from the Potala Palace. Those performances are the distillation of Tibetan Opera. Otherwise, only one opera can last for several days.

During the Shoton Festival, the Tibetans bring along the old and the young and call on relatives and friends to Lingka gardens. The Norbulingka and other parks of Lhasa are dotted with colorful tents.

When: late June and early July in Tibetan calendar (about August in the Gregorian calendar)

Where: Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery in Lhasa

Tip: Buddha Exhibition, Tibetan Opera, and Lingka are three elements of this festival.

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