Things to do on The Silk Road I

There are a list of top fun things such as traditional festivals & celebrations, tourist events & activities, entertainment & nightlife for travel choice.
Xian Shaanxi

1. Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple Fair during the Spring Festival;

2. Changan International Chinese Calligraphy Annual Conference, the last week in March yearly;

3. Xian Ancient Culture & Art Festval in September every year;

4. Xian City Wall International Marathon Friendly Match, the first sunday in November annually;

5. Yanan Yangko Dance Festival during Chinese Lantern Festival each year;

6. Yaowangshan Mountain Temple Fair from 2 to 21 in February each year;

7. Biking on the Xian City Wall (must-see Xian sightseeing);

8. Climbing the Huashan Mountain;

Gansu

1. Gannan Shambhala Tourism Art Festival

Time: Mid August every year

Venue: Dangzhou Grassland in Hezou City, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous prefecture, Gansu Province

Introduction: According to the Tibetan Buddhism and folk Legends, "Shambhala" means a pure land on earth. Legend has it that it is a peaceful and quiet land where people and nature coexist in perfect harmony; people's soul can be purified and sublimed; and people are bathed in happy sunshine for generations. The Shambhala Tourism Art Festival is the Crystal of the Tibetan people's pursuit for happiness and peace, and their goodwill wish for the unity and harmony of the people of all the ethnic groups. There are Sgor-bro Dance, the showcase of Tibetan costumes, the performance of a train of 1,000 horses, and so on around Sanke Grassland, Labrang Monastery, Milarepa Buddhism Tower. Tourists may go to Lanzhou of Gansu Province where part of it are must-see for Silk Road travel by air, and then change a train or a long-distance bus to Gannan.



2. Sharang Festival

Time: The sixth month by the Tibetan Calendar

Venue: Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province

Introduction: In the Tibetan language, the Sharang Festival means “cutting firewood,” and the festival refers to a picnic when people cut firewood in the mountains. In the past, the lamas of the Labrang monastery in Xiahe went out to cut firewood in hot summer every year. As the mountains were far away from the Monastery, the lamas who could not return to the Monastery on the same day had to camp at the foot of the mountains or by the rivers. More often than mot, they had to live in the open area several days running. As time went by , it has become a traditional festival loved by the farmers and herdsmen nearby.

In the sixth month by the Tibetan calendar, the Tibetan people living in the cities, towns and countryside go one after another to the mountaintops or Sangke grasslands to pitch tents, cool in the open, drink wine and enjoy themselves for several days in succession. Some villages organize various activities in the month, such as singing and dancing, horse race, running race, wrestling, tug of war, a game of chess and other cultural activities. At night, young men and women would leave the tents and gather at the expanse of grassland near a river or a lake to sing love songs, express affections and looks for their lovers.
3. The Grand Summons Ceremony at the Labrang Monastery

Time: From the 4th to 17th day of the first month; the 29th day of the sixth month to 15th day of the seventh month on the Tibetan calendar.

Venue: Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County, Gansu Province

Introduction: First constructed in the 48th year (1709) of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe (famous destination for China vacation deals) is the largest Tibetan Buddhist institution of higher learning beyond Tibet. Thanks to its large size, the monastery ranks first in the number of Tibetan Scriptures in all the Buddhist temples throughout the country. Every year, the Labrang Monastery holds seven largescale summins ceremonies, of which the Monlam Prayer Assembly in the first month and the Preaching Assembly in the seven month by the Tibetan calendar are the most magnificent. Buddhist believes from Gandu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Inner Mongolia gather here to celebrate the annual festivals.


Various kinds of Buddhist services are held, such as displaying the images of Buddha, Performing the Dharma dance, chanting scriptures, Praying, holding the butter sculpture flower fair, organizing the examinations for minks and debates on Buddhist scriptures, and celebrating the one-month Langsam Festival for the Tibetan people around Labrang Monstery，Lhamo Monastery, Bharkor City, Daligyacui Co, Daerzong Co, Dajutan Grassland, and so on.
4. Tianshui Fuxi Culture Festival

Time: The 13th day of the fifth lunar month

Venue: Tianshui City, Gansu Province

Introduction: According to ancient Chinese legends, Fuxi, the first ancestor of mankind, made outstanding contributions to the Chinese civilization. Fuxi was said be the first man who taught folks to weave nets for hunting and fishing, decided the marriage system, created the calendar, invented musical instruments, educated people to prepare and eat cooked food, and initiated the Eight Trigrams (eight combinations of three whole or broken lines formerly used in divinations), the symbolized sign of ancient Chinese culture (learn more about it via China guide). Along with the move of tribes, the ancient civilization created and advocated by Fuxi was introduced to other ethnic groups in the Yellow River valley, giving birth to the Chinese nation with Yandi and Huangdi tribes as the core, and Fuxi culture as the foundation. Legend has it that the 13th day of the fifth lunar month is the birthday of Fuxi. Tianshui is the hometown of Fuxi Culture Festival. During the festival, various kinds of folk performances are shown, of which Wushan Rotating Drum Dance and Qincheng Plywood Dance are the most attractive things go on around Western Xia Tombs, Shahu Lake, Liupan Mountain, Helan Mountain and Tengger Desert.