Wangguo Festival in Tibet

The Wangguo Festival is a time for Tibetan farmers to celebrate the harvest. It is one of the liveliest festivals in the Tibetan countryside. It has no  fixed date, but is usually held on auspicious days before the autumn harvest and lasts up to 3 days. The tradition dates back more than 1,500 years.

“Wang” means “field” and “Guo” means “making a circle” in Tibetan, so the “Wangguo Festival” is all about singing and dancing around fields to celebrate a good harvest.

Originally the “Wangguo” activity was a ritual with sacrifices offered to the gods to ensure a good harvest. Later on, folk activities were added such as  horse racing, arrow shooting, dancing & singing and Tibetan Opera. Farmers who have worked hard for a year look forward to having a good time during the Festival. They shoot arrows from running horses, and enjoy the happiness of the festival through song and dance. An intense autumn harvest begins once the Festival is over.