"Sunning of the Buddha" ceremony held in NW China monastery

Monks carry a huge Thangka painting bearing the image of the Buddha during the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

LANZHOU, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 40,000 believers and visitors from home and abroad attended a grand Tibetan Buddhist event, known as the "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony, held Thursday at Labrang Monastery in northwest China's Gansu Province.

Some 100 lamas carried a huge thangka scroll bearing the image of the Buddha from the scripture hall to a nearby hill, followed by devout Buddhists as well as visitors.

The thangka was unveiled at around 11 a.m. on the hillside for believers to worship. Believers and tourists presented hadas, or white ceremonial scarves, to the scroll to pray for good luck.

The event ended about half an hour later.

Zhou Guangping, a photography enthusiast from south China's Guangdong Province, attended the event.

"Having heard my friends talk about the spectacular 'sunning of the Buddha' event at Labrang Monastery, I made a special trip here just to record this grand festival with my camera, experience the Tibetan folk culture, and hope that it will bring my family safety and happiness," Zhou said.

The annual event is one of the most important ceremonies at Labrang Monastery, one of the six great temples of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery was built in 1709 and serves as a top Tibetan Buddhism educational institution in China.

The event is held each year on the 13th day of the first lunar month. It is not only a grand festival for Buddhists, but also a platform to showcase the unique Tibetan culture and customs to tourists.

An equestrian team leads way for a parade during the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

Monks carry a huge Thangka painting bearing the image of the Buddha during the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

Monks prepare to uncover the large yellow curtain on a huge Thangka painting bearing the image of the Buddha during the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This photo taken on Feb. 22, 2024 shows a scene of the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

A Tibetan girl poses for photos after the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

Monks carry a huge Thangka painting bearing the image of the Buddha during the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

This photo taken on Feb. 22, 2024 shows a scene of the annual "sunning of the Buddha" ceremony of Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)