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Horse
Racing
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.
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