Sho Dun Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sho Dun Festival |
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| Also called | Shoton Festival, Yogurt Festival, Banquet |
| Observed by | Tibetans, Bhutanese, Nepalese, Monpa |
| Type | Tibetan culture, Tibetan Buddhist |
| Date | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 132: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Frequency | Annual |
The Sho Dun Festival (Tibetan: ༄༅། ཞོ་སྟོན།; Chinese: 雪頓節; pinyin: Xuědùn Jié) is a special yearly event. It is also called the Shoton or Yogurt Festival. This is because "Sho" means yogurt and "Dun" means banquet. The festival takes place at the Norbulingka palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. Norbulingka is also known as the "Jewel Park."
Contents
About the Sho Dun Festival
The Sho Dun Festival happens every summer. It is usually in the middle of August. The festival starts on the 15th day and ends on the 24th day of the 5th lunar month.
Why Monks Retreat
Before the festival, Buddhist monks stay inside their monasteries. They do this for about a month. This retreat helps them avoid stepping on insects. It is important for them not to harm any living creatures.
How the Festival Started
The festival began a long time ago, in the 11th century. It started with a special meal for the monks. Regular people, called laypeople, gave the monks a banquet. A main part of this meal was yogurt.
Adding Performances
Later, fun performances were added to the festival. These included summer operas called Lhamo. There were also other plays and shows.
What the Operas Are Like
The operas last all day long. They have loud sounds from cymbals, bells, and drums. Singers perform with strong voices and melodic choruses. You might see characters like hooded villains and leaping devils. Girls with long silk sleeves also dance and swirl. In the past, dancers came from all over Tibet. Today, the Lhasa Singing and Dancing Troupe usually performs.
See also
In Spanish: Sho Dun para niños
