Tibetans celebrate New Year

The Tibetan New Year, also known as Losar, is the most important festival on the Tibetan calendar. This year, the special occasion falls just a day after the traditional Chinese New Year. Let's now head to Southwest China's Yunnan Province and see how locals there are celebrating.

To celebrate Losar, the most important festival for the Tibetan people, locals put on their beautifully-decorated robes, before putting on a grand performance.

Singing, dancing, and a costume show. The performance features the profound and unique aspects of traditional Tibetan culture.

But it is not just Tibetans who celebrate Losar.

Here in Yunnan, local Yi, Naxi and Susu minorities also joined the celebration.

As night falls, the celebration gets even more merry. Villagers twirl burning torches to drive away evil spirits as they dance together, with the night being lit up by a spectacular fireworks display.

Religious activities also play an important part in Tibetan New Year celebrations. During Losar, Tibetans will wear their finest clothes, and visit temples to worship and offer gifts to monks. They also hang prayer flags outside their homes, and around the village.

Tibetan New Year is celebrated for 15 days, just like the traditional Chinese New Year. According to the Tibetan calendar, it starts from the first day of the first month to the fifteenth day. Activities are scheduled on a daily basis, but the highlight celebrations fall on the first three days.