Yalong Cultural Tourism Festival

The Yalong Cultural Tourism Festival, or Yalong Cultural Festival (; ) is an annual cultural event held in Shannan Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Established in 2003 by the Shannan municipal government, the festival celebrates the Yalong Valley's status as the Cradle of Tibetan Civilization, emphasizing its historical ties to the ancient Tibetan Empire.

Culture

The festival typically occurs in July or August, coinciding with traditional harvest rituals. Key activities include Tibetan opera performances (Lhamo), thangka painting exhibitions, and recreations of the first Tibetan king's enthronement at YumbulagangPalace. Visitors can explore archaeological sites like the Tombs of Tibetan Kings and attend lectures on the region's UNESCO-listed Tibetan Zhangzhung manuscripts.

Since 2015, the event has partnered with the China Tibetology Research Center to digitize endangered oral histories. In 2022, it drew 50,000 visitors, generating $2.3 million in local revenue. Environmental guidelines now cap daily visitors at 3,000 to protect fragile sites.

See also

• Yalong Zhaxi Xoiba Tibetan Opera