Lhasa Shoton Festival: Festival starts with unveiling of giant Buddha Thangka

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Celebrations for the traditional Shoton Festival, or Yoghurt Festival, are underway in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region. Friday morning, hundreds of thousands of local people and travelers joined the annual ceremony of "unveiling the Buddha Thangka". CGTN's Zheng Yibing reports.

In excitement, these Tibetan Buddhists carry this giant Buddha Tangka out of the ancient temple.

It's for a public show during the first day of the seven-day Shoton Festival in Lhasa.

ZHENG YIBING DREPUNG MONASTERY, LHASA "This is the grand annual event here at Drepung Monastery. So many faithful people are escorting the giant scroll of Buddha Thangka to the platform where the unveiling ceremony is about to take place."

Locals are honored and excited to help carry this 42-meter-long Thangka scroll, despite hours of rain on this morning.

And the solemn moment has come. A giant thangka of Jamba, or the buddha of the future is unveiled before the people.

Hada, pieces of silk used as greeting gifts, are dedicated. While worshippers are too devoted to say anything, travelers express themselves through admiration.

TRAVELER "I got up at 3 am just to see this grand event. And we have been really moved."

TRAVELER "We feel so cold in the rain, but we are touched by the Tibetan people who have come a long way to join the festival."

The Buddha Thangka display is a typical part of the Shoton Festival in Lhasa, and the experience as many people say is a moment of enlightenment.

After this, many locals will then join with their families, eat yoghurt, and enjoy various traditional cultural activities. Zheng Yibing, CGTN, in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.