Today is the first day of the New Year according to the Tibetan calendar. Tibetans have been celebrating the traditional festival.

Cering, a Tibetan living in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, is up early dressed in his new Tibetan Robe. He hangs colorful flags, while his grandparents light a lamp, present holy water to God and pray for a good and healthy new year. The girls make milk tea and prepare delicacies.

Cering said, " Today we will have a reunion dinner. We will stay at home and celebrate with each other. Living standard has improved greatly recently, and we will sing and dance to express joy."

The Cai Ang family are in their festive gala robes. They drink wine and extend greetings to each other. The four generations of the family have been in a festive mood. The older generation even put down the prayer wheels and sing the song "favourable blessing" with the younger generation.

Gesang Yeshe, a university teacher in Chengdu, spent his first Tibetan New Year in Chengdu. He celebrated it in the traditional Tibetan custom. Friends have come over to visit him, and he presented the white Hada and exchanged New Year greetings.

In terms of New Year celebrations, there are similarities between Han and Tibetan. People usually spend the first day of the New Year with members of their immediate family. They wear new garments and greet each other with gifts of five-cereal containers and high-land barley wine. On the Second day and third days, people visit friends and other family members who do not live near by. They may also pay a visit to their local Buddhist temple, monastery or shrine and make offerings as part of the purification rituals for Losar.

(CCTV February 26, 2009)