5,700 dance together to celebrate Tibetan New Year

Lhasa (CNS) – Over 5,700 local residents performed the joyous Guozhuang dance on the Potala Palace Square to celebrate the Tibetan calendar's Year of the Water Dragon on Thursday, the second day of the Tibetan New Year.

Guozhuang dance in the Tibetan language simply means singing and dancing in a circle, but it is one of the three major folk dances popular among Tibetans.

With a bright and lively chorus of songs, people wished each other a happy new year. White hada (a traditional ceremonial scarf), traditional Tibetan clothing, and the happy throngs generally make the festival quite a spectacle.

A young 23 year-old called Ci Nuo didn't stop dancing even during the break. He said he didn't want to waste the rare opportunity to party, as gatherings of friends are rare now since they are all usually so busy at work. "Today my friends and I can dance together," he said, "and I feel so excited and happy."