Gongbo New Year celebrated in Nyingchi

Dec 3 is the Gongbo New Year celebrated in Nyingchi prefecture, Southeast Tibet. Local people welcome the traditional festival marking the New Year in Nyingchi by various activities, according to Xinhua news agency.

Located in southeastern Tibet and subordinate to Nyingchi prefecture, counties including Nyingchi, Mainling, and Gongbo Gyamda are collectively called Gongbo district in old times. The Gongbo New Year refers to the festival celebrated in this district.

It is said that in Tubo dynasty, Gongbo King was designated by Srongtsen Gampo to fight against invaders. Gongbo King was considerate enough to let his soldiers have their New Year's Day in advance, and so the local people in Gongbo celebrate the festival two months ahead of other places in Tibet ever since. The festival lasts for a week from the day of Oct 1 in Tibetan calendar.

During the festival, every family will prepare dinner for dogs. If the dog eats "tso", an offering made of zanba, or pancakes, it is a sign that indicates a bumper crop of grain; if the dog eats yak milk butter, it is a sign that indicates a harvest in husbandry.

To exorcise the evil spirits is another main activity of Gongbo people in the New Year festival. With pine torches high in their hands, local people go in each room on New Year's Eve and throw pebbles to the corners, expelling the bad luck of the coming year.

Recreational games like shooting whistling arrows and holding stones are also part of the festival. It is terrifically good fun to hear the sharp whistling produced by a small hole in the arrowhead after the arrow is shot.

Local people in Nyingchi are doing festival shopping for now. The market of Bayi county is full of people coming and going for purchases for the New Year, such as yak meats, Tibetan butter and milk grains.