An immersive spring cultural feast is presented by Sakya County of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region in Shanghai’s Xuhui District during the May Day holiday.
At Xiangyang Park, amid a floral sea of peonies and tulips, Sakya carried precious intangible cultural heritage treasures and delivered a cultural feast on stage, making traditional art shine amidst the fragrance of flowers in Shanghai.
Beautiful melodies lingered in the air, which blended the snow-mountain’s purity and grassland’s vastness into Shanghai’s spring breeze.
Sakya’s unique dances made a stunning appearance. Local dancers in exquisite embroidered costumes twirled their skirts like flowing Galsang flowers, combining strength and beauty perfectly.
Flowers in full bloom at Xiangyang Park
People tour a bazaar.
At the intangible cultural heritage thangka experience pavilion, the exquisite thangka treasures vividly depict mythological stories, amazing visitors. The silver and copper wares, and clay masks capture attention with their unique shapes and textures.
In the specialty product area, Sakya’s quinoa, saffron, and handmade incense are displayed, revealing unique charm.
The AI costume-changing area is extremely popular, allowing visitors to instantly wear local costumes and pose for photos. Milk tea is served, refreshing visitors.
The fair showcases Sakya’s cultural treasures, folk customs, and natural beauty, enabling Shanghai residents to immerse themselves in the charm of it.
Flowers in full bloom
A pop-up at the park
During the fair, people also experienced incense and thangka painting creation.
An exhibition celebrating the splendid intangible cultural heritage of Sakya is ongoing at the Shanghai Duoyunxuan Art Center in Xuhui through the holiday.
About 30 thangka masterpieces are on display at the exhibition, among which are precious high-definition replicas from the Sakya Monastery collection that depict the life of Phags-pa (1235-1280), head of the monastery.
A foreign visitor takes photos at the event.
A floral scenery
Thangka, a traditional Xizang intangible cultural heritage form, is a kind of colored scroll painting on cloth, silk, or paper. Xizang thangka was included in the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage listed by the State Council, China’s cabinet, in 2006.
It is known as the “encyclopedia of Xizang,” and Sakya has played a significant role in the development of Xizang thangka as the erstwhile culture and art center of the autonomous region.
It is representative of ancient Xizang culture and is an important stop for tourists traveling to Xizang due to its history and culture, the mysterious Sakya Monastery, traditional folk art, magical folklore, and breathtaking beauty.
A boy has a delightful moment.
A performance at the park
The Sakya Monastery, which enjoys almost the same fame as the Dunhuang Grottoes in northwest China’s Gansu Province, for its large collection of Buddhist scriptures, valuable porcelain and vivid murals, has a history of over 900 years. It was listed as a heritage protection site by the State Council in 1961.
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Meanwhile, a new direct flight from Shanghai to Shigatse City (with a stop in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province), where Sakya is located, has started operation from May.
Operated by China Eastern Airlines, the route is scheduled to run from May 1 to October 25, with two flights per week – on Thursdays and Sundays, connecting Shanghai, Shaanxi and Xizang.