Enjoying Gyata, a traditional delicacy.

Dressing in traditional attire.

Toasting to each other.

Shopping for new year needs.

Taking a family photo in traditional costumes.

Making Gyata.

Whistling archery performance.

Eating Gutu (a kind of soup made of flour). [Photo/ Mainling Culture and Tourism]

Kongpo New Year, also known as Kongpo Festival, as the earliest New Year celebration in Xizang and even China, has a history of more than 1,000 years. The first day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar marks the "New Year's Day" of Kongpo New Year, which falls on December 2 this year. It is the most popular and typical festival heralding the start of a new year in Nyingchi's Bayi District, Mainling City and Gongbo'gyamda County.

During the festival, local people celebrate the new year with colorful activities: presenting Chemar (an exquisite wooden box containing traditional Tibetan staple food), treating dogs for a meal on New Year's Eve, eating Gyata (a traditional local delicacy), as well as holding archery competitions.

Let's have a detailed understanding of this festival.

Origins of Kongpo New Year

Ahead of the new year, local people are busy making preparations while various goods have been offered in the market, such as yak meat, butter, cheese curd, Tsampa (roasted highland barley flour), and highland barley wine.

Why do people in Nyingchi celebrate the New Year so early? According to a local legend, a king of the Kongpo (Nyingchi in ancient times) ordered his soldiers to fight enemies around the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar. To prepare for the battle, the king commanded his people to celebrate the festival two months earlier. Nowadays, the tradition is carried on to honor the heroes who defended their hometown. Over time, this custom has been passed down, and the celebration has been enriched with songs, dances, horse races, archery competitions, drinking barley wine, etc.

Customs of Kongpo New Year

On the morning of the Kongpo New Year's day, local Tibetans dress in their best traditional attire for celebration. Known as "Guxiu", Tibetan costumes of Kongpo style is a long slipover made by local handmade woolen fabric called "Pulu". "Zhuigui", men's ceremonial dress, selecting expensive materials with exquisite workmanship, consists of two parts, the outer and the inner. The inner one is mostly made of silk, colored in white, purple and light-yellow, decorated with golden or silver thread as outlines, while the outer one is often in the same design but without sleeves.

In addition, there are various featured activities:

The host will present Chemar to welcome distinguished guests and express good wishes for the coming year.

Local people will prepare a plate of food for dogs on New Year's Eve, including Tsampa, yak meat, cheese curd and fruits. They believe certain food chosen by dogs have different significant meanings. If a dog chooses to eat grain food firstly, it indicates a better harvest of this family in the next year.

All the family members enjoy Gyata around the stove together. After baking on the stove, this traditional delicacy tastes even better. It is also a symbol for local people to show their hopes for a better life.

Carrying water and worshiping the Goddess of Harvest with gifts and wine showcase the admiration and gratitude to nature .

Besides, there are rich activities for entertainment, such as archery competitions, stone-lifting matches, and "Guozhuang" (traditional Tibetan circle dance) performances. Known as "Bixiu" in Tibetan language, whistling archery is another special tradition in Kongpo culture. Villagers stage an archery contest on open ground, with the audience watching the game singing songs together.

Delicacies of Kongpo New Year

During the festival, Kongpo people sing and dance around a campfire as the day gets darker. Folk songs such as "The Kongpo New Year", "The Pastoral Song", "Girls in Nyingchi" are very popular. Feeling tired? Then its time for delicious food.

Nyingchi is a fine place rich in natural resources and delicious food, including Tibetan pork, Tibetan chicken, yak meat and highland barley wine. Famed "yummy" pork, roasted Tibetan pork has a perfect proportion of fat and lean meat, while local people prefer air-dried flavor. As the main material of stone-pot chicken soup, boiled with mushrooms, the Tibetan chicken tastes fantastic.

The Kongpo New Year celebration lasts for 15 days from the first day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar. If you happen to travel in Nyingchi in this period, welcome to experience the earliest New Year in China.   

Reporter: Liang Lan, Wang Shan, Wang Xianqin,  Liu Feng

Translator:  Jia Dan, Liu Fang

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye