A Tibetan man milks a yak. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
Tibetans were busy making yogurt and enjoying "Linka", a get-together of families and friends, during the Shoton Festival, or Yogurt Festival, which kicked off on Saturday in Lhasa, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The gallery shows how Tibetans make their traditional yogurt.
The annual Shoton Festival, or the Yogurt Drinking Festival (Shoton means Yogurt Banquet in Tibetan), one of the oldest and most popular traditional festivals of Tibetans, kicks off at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa on Saturday. As a giant Buddha thangka is hung on the mountain, Tibetan people kneel, pray and offer khata, traditional ceremonial scarves, to the Buddha. Tibetan opera is another traditional way to celebrate this festival, which is being held at Norbulingka, and the opera performance will last for a week. (Photos: Li Hao/GT)
Locals pour the fresh yak milk into a jar. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
A man prepares to boil the fresh yak milk by pouring it into a pot. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
A man prepares to boil the fresh yak milk by pouring it into a pot. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
The boiled milk is transferred to several small bowls to help it cool down. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
(Photo: Li Hao/GT)
Locals enjoy the yogurt while sitting on blankets in a field during the Shoton Festival. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
A giant Buddha thangka can be seen during the 2018 Shoton Festival at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Saturday. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
A performer dresses up for Tibetan opera performance at Norbulingka, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Saturday. Tibetan opera is a traditional way to celebrate the Shoton Festival. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
Performers wear traditional costume for Tibetan opera at Norbulingka, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Saturday. Tibetan opera is a traditional way of celebrating the festival. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
Tibetan opera is performed at Norbulingka, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Saturday. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
A Tibetan prays during the 2018 Shoton Festival at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Saturday. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
Performers sport traditional costumes for Tibetan opera performance at Norbulingka, Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Saturday. Tibetan opera is a traditional way of celebrating the Shoton Festival. (Photo: Li Hao/GT)
