This is a commemoration of the two weeks in which Skakyamuni Buddha exhibited miraculous powers. Monks came from throughout the country for prayers and public examinations. Thousands of pilgrims came from all parts of Tibet.

Tibet

People parade through the streets wearing antique armor and traditional costumes. This is a time for performing religious devotions, such as making offerings to the assembled monks and lighting butter lamps. Much time is also spent on socializing, doing business, and enjoying archery, horse-racing and wrestling contests.

Source:   Festivals of Tibet by Thubten Norbu in Journal of Popular Culture, 16, no. 1 (Summer, 1982) 126-135.

Mongolia

A Mongolian New Year observance, Tsagan Sara, the White Moon celebration, has been altered into an agricultural event under the Communist regime. The "Three Manly Games," Eryn Gurvan Nadom, are enjoyed. They are wrestling, horse racing, and archery.

Source:   i>International What's What When & Where by Ardith Nehrt. Columbus, Ohio: Shawnee International Publishing, 1965, p. 72.

On this day seven young herbs are mixed with rice in a special dish. The gathering of the young herbs is a sign of spring to come.

Japan

The Nanakusa comes on the seventh and is the first of five seasonal services of old Japan. Another name is Wakana-setsu, or Festival of Young Herbs, because of the custom of eating rice with stew made of herbs.

The origin of the feast goes back to China where the Chinese celebrated the first Rat day by gathering seven young spring herbs. An ancient record shows that in the reign of Emperor Saga (809-823 A.D.), the baby prince was served the soup of the seven young herbs. The name of the seven herbs was not important at first; it was merely collecting herbs between the end of winter and the beginning of spring to be served on the seventh of the first month. The list of the seven herbs now includes Parsley, Shepherd's Purse, Cudweed, Chickweed, Buddha's Throne, Chinese-rape, and Radish.

To get the best effects, it is advisable to pound the grasses on a willow block with a branch of the privet, being sure to pound the parsley at the hour of the Cock, the Shepherd's Purse at the hour of the Dog, the Cudweed at the hour at the Boar, the Chickweed at the hour of the Rat, the Radish at the hour of the Hare, and then to compound them at the hour of the Dragon. The mixing must be done by water drawn from the well to the east, getting what is known as the "Water of Youth."

Another story has that the grasses are to be beaten seven times seven (forty-nine times in all), and thus they get a connection with the forty-nine luminaries. Star worship is used to ward off danger and evil spirits on that day by the warrior class, especially during the Kamakura period of 1192-1219 A.D.

After over-indulging in rice cakes and sake, the digestion deserves a rest. This appears to be the origin of the custom of eating rice gruel in which are mixed many kinds of vegetables on the seventh day of the new year. Apart from the idea that the vegetables are the harbingers the eagerly awaited spring, this dish also gives us a chance to savor the gentle flavor of each kind of vegetable.

Tso-fu is a day to pay respect to the gods. Mothers of newborn sons pay their respects by presenting "new-male cakes" at the temple.

Taiwan

Tso-fu follows closely upon New Year. The various activities are coordinated by the Happiness Master. On the afternoon of the ninth day of the first month, the Happiness Master, the headman, the chief medium, and a number of other villagers "invite the gods." Accompanied by banners, gongs, a hired band, and a multitude of children, these representatives collect several gods that dwell in various shrines and private homes and carry them to the temple. Women who have given birth to sons during the year are then invited to present their his tin ping, or "new-male cakes," in the temple. In the evening, all households provide sacrifices in the temple and a community sacrifice is offered to the Heaven God and his host in the temple plaza.

The next morning, village ceremonial leaders conduct an elaborate sacrificial rite in the temple, and most villagers come to offer incense and worship the gods. At noon, all villagers 60 years of age and over, all women who have given birth to sons during the year, all neighborhood chiefs, the headsman, and important guests are feasted at the community expense. In the afternoon, the new mothers distribute their "new-male cakes," one to every village household except to those of other new mothers. The gods are then brought to the temple and returned to their respective shrines.

Source:   Kinship & Community in Two Chinese Villages by Burton Pasternak. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1972, p. 72.

Tibet

Monks of the five religious colleges of the Kumbum monastery prepare elaborate sculptures made of colored butter. Nomads, city dwellers, farmers, merchants, monks and officials come from all over Tibet to view the festivities. On the afternoon of the 14th day of the 1st Moon, the College of Religious Dane performs the Cham masked dance. On the 15th, the butter sculptures are viewed.

On the 19th, at the end of the festival, the torma and the zur are burnt in the ceremony, thus burning the evil that has been attracted to them. Though this is called the torma festival, the actual object to be thrown was called the zur. The zur was an eight or nine-foot high tripod of sticks connected with stiff prepare and decorated with butter sculptures of flames, clouds, gems and other symbols. On the top was a big skull from which flames are issued. Many ribbons or strings are tied to the top of the tripod. Inside the legs of the tripod was a torma, and depending on the purpose, its size and color varied.

Source: Festivals of Tibet by Thubten Norbu in Journal of Popular Culture, 16, no. 1 (Summer, 1982), 126-134.

The "Great Fifteenth" ends the New Year holiday season. Celebrations on this day may include kite flying, kite fighting, and straw rope tug-of-war games. In earlier times, straw figures with coins and paper prayers hidden inside were dressed in discarded clothing to represent the men of the house and tossed into the streets. There waiting boys tore them apart to get the coins. Thus the evil spirits are fooled and good luck insured for the coming year. On this day the number nine is lucky and everything must be done nine times for luck.

Source:   Customs and Manners in Korea by Chun Shin-yong. Seoul, Korea: Si-sa-yong-o-sa, Inc., 1982, pp. 18-19.

In the Kyungsang province of Korea, the moon is celebrated on the 15th day of the 1st month by viewing it through a cavern made in a burning pile. The pine trees that form the fuel are laid in such a way that the rising moon can be viewed through them. This is called the Dal-mun or "moon-gate" and the festival Dal-jip-tae-u-gee means "burning of the moon house." In other parts of Korea the festival is called Dal-ma-Ji; here too people climb a hill to build a bonfire to greet the year's first full moon, but without the "gate" element. Various signs are observed for auspiciousness on this night.

Source:   Customs and Manners in Korea by Chun Shin-yong. Seoul, Korea: Si-sa-yong-o-sa, Inc., 1982, pp. 36.