Buddha’s Light & Sacred Cham – chinaeagletravel.com

Duration

12 days

Persons

10 - 15

places

9

Itinerary:

Beijing / Shanghai –Xining – Tongren (Rekong) – Xiahe – Hezuo – Luqu – Taktsang Lhamo Monastery – Luqu – Xiahe – Linxia – Lanzhou – Beijing / Shanghai

Journey Highlights

At the Ghyo-ku Ceremony of Wutun Lower Monastery and Guomari Monastery

watch giant thangkas unfurl across the mountainside – a living tableau of faith and artistry.

To the rhythm of drums and masked steps of the Cham dance

feel the ancient power of exorcism and blessing through sacred Buddhist music.

Step into Rebkong (Tongren) – explore Wutun Upper Monastery

Wutun Lower Monastery, and Longwu Monastery, immersing yourself in the thousand-year-old birthplace of Thangka art.

At Xichang Monastery's Treasure Exhibition

witness sacred relics paraded in solemn procession – and capture the kaleidoscope of tribal costumes, each clan in its own festive attire.

On the evening of the 15th day of the Lunar New Year

pause before the butter sculpture exhibition – where flickering candlelight reveals Tibetan Buddhist art at its most exquisite and most devout.

Design Philosophy

Amdo Tibetan region, situated at the junction of Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan provinces, is a transitional zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau – a stage where nomadic and highland civilizations have coexisted for millennia. Over thousands of years, numerous ethnic groups including Tibetans, Hui, and Mongolians have converged and blended here, giving rise to a unique and richly diverse cultural ecosystem.

The Losar Festival (First Month Great Prayer Festival) originated from the prayer ceremony held by the founder of the Gelug school, Master Tsongkhapa, in Lhasa in 1409. Over the centuries, it has taken root in Amdo Tibet and become the most magnificent annual religious event in the region. The Ghyo-ku Ceremony (Sunning of the Buddha) on the 13th day, the Cham (Sacred Mask Dance) on the 14th, and the Butter Sculpture Exhibition on the evening of the 15th – each ritual is a profound interweaving of faith, art, and community life.

Our journey follows the Losar Festival as its guiding thread. Starting from Xining, we venture into Rebkong (Tongren) – the birthplace of Thangka art – traverse the grasslands of Gannan, and arrive at Labrang Monastery – the cultural heart of Amdo Tibet. Before the giant thangka unfurled on the mountainside, amid the rhythm of the Cham dance, and by the candlelight of the butter sculptures, you will witness how faith is expressed and transmitted through art – a spiritual force that transcends ethnicity and geography.

Inclusions

1.Round-trip airfare between Beijing/Shanghai and Xining, and between Lanzhou and Beijing/Shanghai;

Excellent English-speaking tour guide service throughout the itinerary;

Lunch and dinner daily at local specialty restaurants to enjoy authentic local cuisine;

Accommodation at city hotels as listed in the itinerary;

Private vehicle service throughout the itinerary: commercial tourist coach;

Entrance fees to all attractions listed in the itinerary;

Daily bottled water and fresh fruit in the vehicle;

Domestic travel insurance.

Exclusions

Optional activities and other personal expenses not mentioned in inclusions;

Personal expenses incurred during the itinerary.

Complimentary gifts from the company

Itinerary

Day 1

6th Day of Lunar January · Arrive in Beijing / Shanghai

Arrive in Beijing or Shanghai. Free at leisure. An evening orientation will introduce the cultural background of the Tibetan Losar Festival.

Accommodation: Beijing / Shanghai Hotel

Meals: Breakfast (own expense) / Lunch (own expense) / Dinner (own expense)

Day 2