A travel guide to Experiencing the Tibetan Monlam celebration in China

For four days every winter, Labrang Monastery in China’s Gansu province plays hold to a breathtaking celebration on an legendary scale, a riot of color, music, as well as even smell, all wrapped in deep spirituality as well as centuries-old tradition.

The largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Labrang draws countless pilgrims who have come to take part in these ceremonies, marking the final thought of a period of prayer as well as meditation, understood as Monlam, at the begin of the Tibetan new Year.

A huge sacred painting is unfurled down the side of a hill, ritual dancers in animal masks gyrate for hours on end, as well as monks proudly screen intricate, towering sculptures made completely of yak butter.

Read on to find more, as well as discover out exactly how to get a front-row to experience the unforgettable sights as well as seems of the Monlam festival.

Day One: unveiling the Buddha

The ceremonies begin with the screen of the monastery’s huge thangka, an fancy multicolored tapestry bearing an picture of the Buddha, on the side of a hill across the river from the monastery. just exactly how “giant” is the thangka? At 30 meters by 20 meters, it’s about as tall as Rio de Janiero’s Christ the Redeemer statue!

This is the most well-known Monlam event at Labrang, as well as the one that draws the largest crowds, both of Tibetan pilgrims as well as Han Chinese tourists. however don’t concern about discovering a great area to watch, there’s a broad field at the foot of the hill as well as the crowd never gets as well dense.

At 10:00am, the ceremony begins at the left side of the monastery’s primary hall. The thangka is brought out (rolled up) by a long, snaking procession of monks with the streets of the monastery complex. You’ll see pilgrims dash as much as touch the rolled-up thangka to get its blessing, frequently tussling with grey-robed temple guards whose objective it is to make sure the thangka shows up safely at its destination.

Around half an hour later, the thangka is slowly brought up the hill as well as just as slowly unrolled, gone along with by the stable beat of drums as well as cymbals. when the entire picture is revealed, pilgrims bow down to pay homage, with some tossing bundled-up white silk khata scarves towards the thangka as an offering.

Overall, environment is quite unwinded for a religious ceremony, as well as you’ll discover many people, both Han Chinese as well as Tibetan, are many concerned with taking the ideal photo. With the thangka on screen for about half an hour before being rolled up when again, there’s lots of time to get the shot just right.

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Day Two: dancing with the Devil

The second day features the cham dance, a ritual including lots of performers elaborately costumed as deities as well as demons, leading outsiders to dub the performance “the devil dance”. The dance is held in the broad plaza in front of the primary hall, with the “stage” attracted chalk on the paving stones.

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If you show up an hour early, around 9:00am, you’re guaranteed front row seats, however make sure to find prepared. professional locals bring a stool or a pillow to sit on. This is not only to stay comfortable during the four hour-long performance (yes, it truly does take four hours!) however likewise to stake their place, as organizers will push standing spectators even more back to fit the growing crowds.

While the costumes as well as masks of the dancers are attractive in their detail as well as color, the motion itself is sluggish as well as repetitive, backed by the steady, monotonous beating of drums as well as rattle of cymbals. It may seem a bit boring, however it’s expected to be that method – devout Buddhists take the dance as an exercise in meditation, as well as a possibility to spiritually link with the deities portrayed.

If you don’t have the stamina to make it with the entire dance, you’ll have one more possibility to see the entire spectacle in a procession that leaves the primary square heading west, to the village on the edge of the monastery.

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About a half hour after the dance is completed as well as the performers have had a well-deserved lunch (bowls of butter tea as well as handfuls of yak meat), all of the costumed dancers, together with the monks bring their horns as well as drums, make their method to a field on the outskirts of the town. This is where a bonfire as well as firecrackers bring the day’s rituals to an interesting end.

Day Three: The unexpected charm of Butter

The third day holds what may be the most gorgeous event of Monlam, a screen of colorful, fancy sculptures crafted by the monks. taking a look at these creations, it’s practically impossible to assumption what they’re made of: yak butter, a surprisingly resilient material in the frigid winter season temperatures.

Starting in the late afternoon, the towering, multi-stage sculptures are thoroughly brought out from their workshops as well as put together in front of the primary hall. around 7pm, when the sun has set, the monks hold a short ceremony in the primary plaza to begin the display.

By this time, however, the entire monastery will have been roped off, with only one narrow entrance at the far western end where crowds line as much as walk past the sculptures as well as see them up close. many pilgrims will only be able to view this on one of the huge TV screens set up at the entrance to the monastery.

The butter sculptures stay on screen long into the night, so there’s no requirement to rush to get in line. While the wait can last for hours early in the evening, after 11:00pm it can take less than ten minutes to pass from the begin of the line to the end, as well as you’ll be able to absorb the charm as well as the details of each carving without being pushed along by the crowds.

Day Four: The final Procession

After the sights as well as seems of the last few days, the final ritual of Monlam is rather low key. Starting, of course, at 10:00am, all the monks of Labrang walk in procession around the entire length of the monastery, bring a statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, in a golden sedan chair (hidden from view behind golden curtains), together with banners, drums, as well as other sacred images.

The procession begins at a little shrine to the left of the primary hall, a short walk up the hill. Treading over religious signs as well as fancy styles painted in the dust to mark the occasion, the procession goes even more up the hill as well as complies with the pilgrims’ path surrounding the monastery.

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It’s not difficult to discover a great area to view the procession, just keep in mind one cardinal rule: as a indication of respect, don’t stand higher than the Buddha. numerous tourists, photographers, as well as even pilgrims discover this the difficult way, staking out a perch on the cliffs above the pilgrims’ path, only to be shooed away by monks at the last minute, just before the procession shows up their way.

Don’t miss Monlam!

The four days of Labrang’s Monlam events are a really unforgettable experience. even the most seasoned traveler is sure to be moved not only by the spectacular rituals put on by the monks, however just as much by the deep belief as well as happy culture of the countless pilgrims who converge on the monastery during Monlam.

For anybody who discovers themselves in China this winter, a detour to this interesting corner of Gansu (or a stop right here along a longer trip across the Silk road as well as the Himalayas) is a sure to be the highlight of any type of travel itinerary.

Travel suggestions & guidance for the Monlam Festival

When to See Monlam

The thangka unveiling ceremony is held on the 13th day of the very first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. In 2017, this fell on February 9 on the Gregorian calendar. This year, it will begin on February 28, 2018. The cham dance, butter lamp screen as well as Maitreya procession will happen on March 1, 2, as well as 3, respectively.

Getting there as well as getting Around

Buses to Xiahe (夏河), the town where Labrang Monastery is located, leave from Lanzhou, the funding of Gansu province, departing the Lanzhou south bus station (兰州汽车南站) every few hours. You can likewise reach Xiahe from the Lanzhou airport, very first taking the flight terminal bus to Linxia (临夏) as well as then changing to a bus to Xiahe. The trip takes about six hours in total.

Where to Stay

Rooms fill up fast, particularly at hotels close to the monastery such as the overseas Tibetan hotel (华侨饭店) aswell as Baoma hotel (宝马宾馆, 77 Renmin Lu, +86 0941 7121 078) try to book at least three weeks in advance. If time is tight, hotels a bit even more out ought to still have lots of spaces available. The holiday weekend hotel (拉卜楞假周旅馆, 514 Buxing Jie, +86 0941 7224 999) less than 5 minutes away by taxi, is a great bet. For much more lodging choices in Xiahe, click right here to see spaces as well as evaluations on Booking.com.

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