Calendar
The unique Tibetan Calendar and 2005 -2008 celebration date contrast of Tibetan festivals
- For the seclusion and different plateau climate from the inner land, the Tibetans used their own wisdom to explore astronomic changes in their productions and daily life, and finally created a rough series of rules as their guide. Before 100 BC, the indigenous religion of Tibet - Bon marked off months according to the circle of changes of the moon. Later they calculated the recursive date of the Winter Solstice, which was then fixed as the beginning of a year. They also extracted some ideas from the Indian Calendar when Buddhism was introduced from there. In the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), Princess Wencheng was married to the King of Tibet - Songtsen Gampo - and also brought the imperial calendar (or lunar calendar) of Han people there. The Tibetan Calendar was greatly developed after absorbing these foreign essence. It was finally identified as a formal calendar in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) when Tibet was ruled by the Mongol like the inner land, and had been passed on until now.
- By the formal Tibetan Calendar, there are 12 months of 354 days a year on average, which was divided into longer months of 30 days and shorter months of 29 days. Passing 1,000 days more or less, another month intervenes to adjust the harmony between months and climate. So the Tibetan New Year and the similar Lunar New Year (Chinese Spring Festival), form a relationship of 'Circle of Three Years' with each other. That is, their dates are the same in the first year, and have a discrepancy of one day the second year and one month the third year. Then they meet again in the fourth year and are circulated like that.
- The Tibetan Calendar has a similar way of counting years as the Lunar Calendar by the connection of 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthen Branches to designate marks of order. But the Five Elements (Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) and 12 Zodiac Attributes (Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Pig) are used to replace them and either 'Solar' or 'Lunar' is appended before. For example, we can name a Tibetan year as 'Solar Water Dog'. There is a small circle every 12 years and a big circle 60 years. So 'Solar' and 'Lunar' are often omitted in use without any misunderstanding. The first circle of Tibetan Calendar began in 1027, and the year of 1982 was called as 'Water Dog' in Tibet according to this method.
- The Tibetan Calendar also uses 24 solar terms to predict the movement of the Five Planet as well as Solar and Lunar Eclipse. Besides, it can also calculate changes of weather and climate and the earthquake according to the location of the Nine Planets of Solar System, which is out of reach for other calendars. For its research on climate, weather and geography, Tibetan Calendar is also widely advocated in Tibetan Medicine for picking and making herbal medicines, pulse examination and other treatments. Tibetan festivals are also dated on this calendar.
- 2010 Celebration Date Contrast of Tibetan Festivals
FestivalsDate ContrastGregorian CalendarTibetan CalendarTibetan New Year in Shigatse AreaJan.16Dec.1Sera Monastery FestivalFeb.10Dec.27Tibetan New Year (Beginning of Earth Ox)Feb.14Jan.1Beginning of Monlam Great Prayer FestivalFeb.18Jan.4Butter Lamp FestivalFeb.28Jan.15Cham (Lama Dancing) in Tshurpu MonasteryMay.23Apr.10Saga Dawa FestivalMay.27Apr.15Cham (Lama Dancing) in Drigung-til MonasteryJun.8Apr.26Beginning of Shigatse Thangka FestivalJun.24May.13World Incense FestivalJun.26May.15Dharma Wheel FestivalJul.15Jun.4Ganden Thangka FestivalJul.25Jun.15Beginning of Shoton FestivalAug.10Jun.30Drak Yerpa Thangka FestivalAug.19Jul.10Buddha’s DescendingOct.29Sep.22Tibetan New Year in Kongbo AreaNov.7Oct.1Palden Lhamo FestivalNov.21Oct.15Butter Lamp FestivalDec.1Oct.26Philosophical Debate at Jang MonasteryDec.21Nov.15

Add New CommentComments and Questions
Reply1/19/2010 9:36:00 PMRohit Rai , Nepal
What would be an ideal gift for a Tibetian family in Nepal from a student in USA who wants to visit them?
Linda :1/20/2010 7:14:00 PM
I think something with USA flavor will be good. Just a personal suggestion.
Reply1/5/2010 10:53:00 PMnorbutshering , Nepal
please do tell me 2010 in what date it tibetan festival.
Fred :1/6/2010 6:46:00 PM
I want to know it, too. Hope the info. on above page will be updated soon.
Reply12/7/2009 11:48:00 PMRam , Nepal
Dear sir/Madam
if you don't mind would you please let me know about saka dawa festival in 2010?
thanks
ram
Robert :12/8/2009 6:55:00 PM
The Saka Dawa Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the fourth month
ram ( Nepal ) :12/9/2009 2:32:00 AM
so you means April 15th ? am i right?
Linda :12/9/2009 7:01:00 PM
Yes, you are right.
Reply8/16/2009 4:44:00 AMTshultrim , Bhutan
Our country follow tibetan calendar. so my date of birth is 28/12/1977 as per tibetan calender..can i know the date and month in gregorian calender
sory for inconvenience
Reply8/4/2009 9:39:00 AMpat chan , Malaysia
I wanted to hang flag banner in August 2009. Which is the correct date and time for me to hang according to Western calender
Reply7/12/2009 8:36:00 AMdej , Thailand
I would like to know the period of Shoton festival of 2009 in Drepung or Sera Monastry.
Thanks.
Dej
TibetTrip.com :7/13/2009 8:13:00 PM
Thanks for your inquiry. The period of Shoton Festival of 2009 will be from August 20 to 26.
Reply7/2/2009 1:05:00 PMegon , Denmark
is there any festivals around July 18 - 21st, 2009
i will arrive from Beijing on 18th
Br
Egon
TibetTrip.com :7/3/2009 1:02:00 AM
Thanks for your inquriry.
Unfortunately there will be no festival between July 18th and 21st.
Reply12/4/2008 6:27:00 PMPeter , United States
how exactly do you manually calculate when each festival is going to happen? and i want to know my birthday in the Tibetan calendar. Thanks for all the info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply12/3/2008 5:54:00 PMAna , Brazil
Is there a certain date or dates to hang wind horses?
Thank you so much for the information!
Ana
TibetTrip.com :12/3/2008 8:18:00 PM
Hi, Ana
Thank you for your question. The wind horses are believed as the medium connecting the earthliness and the invisible world. There is not a fixed date for hanging the wind horses. Usually, it is hung up during festivals or on someone's birthday.
Reply12/2/2008 7:08:00 PMBoa , China
I know that the July 8th, 2009 will be the date of birth and death of Sakyamuni. On this day, Tibetan will pray around the Lhasa City, boating and dancing at the Longwang Lake. In early July, there is also Horse-racing Festival in Gyangze County in Shigatse.
Reply10/27/2008 10:54:00 AMDag , Italy
i shoud need
Butter Lantern Festival dates
for 2009.
Tank Yoy
Dag
TibetTrip.com :10/28/2008 4:45:00 AM
According the Tibetan Calendar, the Butter Lantern Festival for 2009 should be the 9th February.