What is the origin of Tibetan Bathing Festival?

Bathing Festival is a festival for Tibetan people. Every year in late summer and early autumn, during the traditional festival, Tibetans from all over the country go to bathe in nearby rivers. Only Tibetans can take a bath as a holiday. It is said that bathing can cure diseases. So what is the legend of the bath festival? Let's get to know each other.

The "Bathing Festival" has a history of at least 700 to 800 years in Tibet, and it is called "Gama Riji" in Tibetan (abandoning the mountain star, that is, Venus). According to the Tibetan calendar, the abandoned mountain star comes out by day for half a year and comes out by night. This star is visible to the naked eye from July to early August in Lhasa Tibetan calendar. It is said that the water irradiated by this starlight has turned into a potion, so when the abandoned mountain star appeared, the bathing activity entered a climax.

Another legend, a long time ago, there was a famous doctor on the grassland. His name is Yuto Yun Dan Gombo. His medical skill is brilliant, and he can cure any intractable diseases. Therefore, King Chisong Dêzain of Tibet asked him to be a doctor to treat Tibetan kings and concubines. However, after Yuto entered the palace, he still couldn't forget the people on the grassland. He often uses the time when he goes out to collect medicines to treat people.

One year, a terrible plague prevailed, and many herders were bedridden, and some were killed. At this time, the Jade Rabbit ran on the vast grassland to treat the sick herdsmen. He collected all kinds of drugs from the old forest of the snow-capped mountains, and whoever ate them would be cured. I wonder how many dying patients have recovered. The name of Dr. Yuto is widely read on the grassland, and people call him the King of Medicine. Unfortunately, Dr. Yuto passed away.

After his death, a terrible plague occurred on the grassland, which was more serious than the previous one, and many people died. The dying herdsmen had to kneel on the ground and pray to heaven, hoping that God would bless them. Coincidentally, one day, a woman tortured by illness had a dream. In the dream, Dr. Yuto said to her, "Tomorrow night, when a bright star appears in the southeast sky, you can take a bath in Jiqu River. Just take a bath. " Sure enough, after the woman bathed in Jiqu River, her illness was immediately eliminated. A yellow and thin patient turned into a healthy person with a red face after taking a shower. After the news spread, all the patients came to take a bath in the river.

All the patients who took a bath eliminated their diseases and recovered their health. People say that this strange star was changed by Dr. Yuto. In heaven, Dr. Yuto saw that the grassland people were attacked by the plague again, and he could not come to earth to treat the people, so he turned himself into a star, turned the river into a potion by starlight, and let people bathe in the river to drive away the disease. Because God only gave Uto seven days, this star only appeared for seven days. Since then, the Tibetan people have designated these seven days as a bathing festival. At this time of the year, herders all over the country bathe in the nearby rivers. It is said that after bathing, people will be healthy and happy and will not get sick.

Tibetan bathing festival has a history of 700-800 years. Since 1 1 century astrology was introduced to Tibet, people have used abandoned mountain stars to distinguish between spring and autumn. Whenever the abandoned mountain star appears in July, the bathing activity will reach its climax. Abandoning the mountain star disappeared and the bath ended.

They think that water in this period is more effective than "holy water". Apart from superstition, it should be said that early autumn in Tibet is really the best season. Because the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is long in winter and short in summer, the ice and snow begin to melt in spring and the river is too cold. It rains heavily in summer and the river is turbid; Autumn is sunny and the river is clean and warm, which is naturally the best time to take a bath. According to Tibetan calendar documents, water in early autumn has eight advantages: sweet, cool, soft, light, clear and tasteless. Drinking it does not hurt the throat and drinking it does not hurt the abdomen. It can be seen that July is also the best season for tourism in Tibet.