Damxung Race Meeting

Duration of Damgxung Race Meeting

This festival starts in July 10th in every year and ends in three days later. But the festival atmosphere will last one month.

Origin of Damxung Race Meeting

It is said that Horse Race Meeting was introduced into Tibetan by Mongolian. Until now, there are Mongolian singers sing   songs in Horse Race Meeting.

Damgxung Race Meeting is named "Zhongren Chongdu" in Tibetan Language, which means inviting Lama to chant sutra. In  fact, it was an activity to celebrate harvest, open a bazaar for farm and stockbreeding products, process culture and  recreational activities. Later, Lama Religion color and political content were added into the festival.

In the past, the organizer of Horse Racing Festival is the head of eight tribes – Numachiqiao. The head of the eight tribes were chose out by the show of horse racing and shooting in the festival. The herdsmen in Damgxung always regard Horse Race Meeting as the most important festival. In 1912, Tibetan government conferred Damgxung to Sera Monastery. Later, the head was appointed by Sera Monastery or Religious government.

The Ways to Celebrate Damxung Race Meeting

There are various activities in Damgxung Race Meeting. The main activities are:

1. The culture and recreational activities in Horse Race Meeting was held in 10th to 12th in July. Tibetans will hold horse racing competition. All the horses which take part in the competition are from the heads of the tribes, picked 10 horses and free horses. Before competition, these horses will be fed with best fodder. The competitors are between 12 and 20 years old. The place to hold the competition is the grassland before religious government. When the gun open, hundreds horse will run out. The other competition sport event is shooting. The contestants in these competitions can get different reward based on their performance.

2. In the three days of horse racing and shooting, herdsmen, especially young boys and girls, will dress festival clothes to sing and dance at here to court their lover; full of festival atmosphere. Three days later, based on the rules of Sera Monastery, dancing and all the recreational activities will be prohibited. The next month is political activities and products changing.

During Horse Racing Festival, the heads of religion and tribes will invite each other to have dinner. All the tax in a year of religion will be publish in Horse Racing Festival. The events in tribes or religion also announced at this time.

3. July and August in Tibetan calendar are harvest seasons, farmers and herdsmen will come to bazaar to change their products. This festival is also a commercial assembly. Many merchants who are from Lhasa, Shigatse, Jianglong, Nagqu and other districts will come to the bazaar. Most of the products are barley, tsampa, tea and daily necessaries. Herdsman will change their livestock products and native products. At this time, monasteries, religious government, rich merchants will come to collect debt. There are thousands people in the bazaar every day, full of exciting and bustling atmosphere.