The Shoton Festival, Great Prayer Festival, and Buddha Painting Unfolding Festival of Xigaze (Shigatse) are well known inside and outside of Tibet.

Shoton Festival

The festival is held on first day of the seventh Tibetan month. In Tibetan language Shoton means yogurt. Before the end of the 16th century, it was purely religious. In light of the monastic discipline at that time, monks stayed in retreat for dozens of days, during which they were forbidden to go out to avoid killing any insects. Afterwards, the lay people would donate yogurts to them. That was the Origin of the festival. Later on in the middle 17th century, the Tibetan opera play was gradually added as a major event, and therefore, it is also known as Tibetan Opera Festival. Since then it has been celebrated regularly, but still outside of monasteries. Until the early 18th century, the Norbulinka was inaugurated as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and also as the official venue of the annual Festival, where ordinary people were allowed access to watch the opera playing. A set of ritualized programs was thus formed. The opera troupes from different regions are gathered in Lhasa, and pay their homage to the Dalai Lama on 29th day of the sixth Tibetan month, and begin to play in the Drepungg Monastery on the next day. On the first day of the seventh month, they will play in Norbulinka. Each year prior to 1951, all officials in the Gaxag government, the local government of Tibet, would have whole day off to be the entourage of the Dalai Lama, enjoying the performance in Norbulinka. Yogurt is a must on the day. Meanwhile, people in Lhasa would adorn themselves with festive attire, and bring with them a lot of food to enjoy the day in Norbulinka. In recent Shoton festivals, besides the traditional Tibetan operas troupes in Tibet, those from other parts of China, or even from foreign countries also come to contribute their performance. It has become the art festival of Tibet.

Grand Summons Ceremony

This is purely a religious festival, and has a history of nearly 600 year. It was initiated in 1409 in Lhasa by Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelug Sect, for commemorating Sakyamuni. Since then it has been held between the 4th day and the 25th day of the first Tibetan month every year, during which monks from different places are gathered in the Jokhang Monastery to recite Budhhist sutras, lecture on Buddhism and debate Buddhist doctrines. In the meantime, monks pursuing Geshi (the highest scholastic degree of the Tibetan Monkhood), eloquently answer loads of questions raised by the examiners. The pious Buddhist followers are crowded on the platform on the second floor of the monastery, lighting butter lamps and occasionally throwing money wrapped by a ceremonial scarf to the chanting lamas. The 15th day of the first month is the Butter Lamp Day marking the climax of the festival, when the colorful lamps illuminate Barkor Street, the landmark street of Lhasa, and change it into a crystal wonderland. These lamps are actually the butter sculptures molded of multi-colored buttered dough in various shapes, such as the immortal figures, human figures, birds and animals, flowers and trees, and so on, attracting huge numbers of people bustling in the street Then on the 24th day people will be gathered on Lubo Square to participate in the ritual for expelling the evil spirits. On the 25th day, the monks of the Jokhang Monastery will carry the image of Qamba Buddha and parade along the Barkor Street in conclusion of the festival.