Reported by Tenzin Phurbu
Translated by TenGyal
Edited By Kelsang Jinpa
The Chinese Government Has Banned the Traditional Lurol Festival. Photo Credit: Lhasey Sonam 4/7/2026As celebrations marking His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday continue, the Chinese authorities have deployed a substantial number of troops to Rebgong, Amdo and are intensifying restrictions on the region’s Tibetan population.
According to information received from a reliable source in Tibet, with the Lurol festival approaching in Rebgong, Amdo, the Chinese authorities have issued directives prohibiting every village and town from organising any ceremony to celebrate the festival in the region. Furthermore, the local Tibetans have been strictly instructed not to organise any summer picnic festivals, any ceremony to celebrate the traditional family banquet or any public gatherings. Shops, restaurants and bars are not allowed to continue operations after 6 p.m.
The same source reported that Chinese authorities recently assaulted and beat several residents in Rebgong. A heavy military presence remains in place, with troops deployed around the clock. Highways are lined with police vehicles moving constantly through the area, leaving the local population deeply distressed. Yet another source said, “ There is a crackdown in Rebgong. They are searching and investigating shops and other establishments. However, people are afraid to say clearly what exactly happened.”
The sixth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar is traditionally a festive season in Rebgong, marked by vibrant summer picnics and the celebration of the Lurol festival—important expressions of Tibetan cultural heritage. However, this year, local Tibetans are experiencing deep anguish as the Chinese government intensifies efforts to suppress and abolish these longstanding traditions. Despite the prohibitions, the Tibetans remain hopeful and are making efforts to carry on with the festival.
In general, each region in Tibet has a rich and distinctive local culture, passed down through generations and deeply shaping the values and worldview of the Tibetan people. Rebgong also boasts a rich, vibrant local culture with legends of gods, folk tales and songs, performative storytelling, rituals of smoke offerings, drekar performances, opera, ritual Cham dances and horse racing. The Lurol festival is a unique celebration that is observed only in Rebgong and nowhere else in Tibet.
Tibetans in Rebong refer to the sixth month in the Tibetan calendar as the Great Month of Gods. As they make offerings and revel in different games as a way to propitiate the gods, local deities and spirits, the festival is called Lurol ( kLu lit. Revelry of the Spirits) of the Sixth Month. Some Tibetans say that since the sixth lunar month is a harvest season, people celebrate the auspicious time in their best clothes, singing and dancing. As such, it is sometimes also called Lurol (gLu lit. Revelling in Songs) Festival.
Although some villages start celebrating the festival from the seventh day of the sixth lunar calendar, it is generally celebrated from the seventeenth to the twenty-sixth day of the same month. The Lurol Festival of Rebgong is a highly significant part of the traditional culture of Tibet. It is deeply cherished and recognised by the local Tibetans as a part of their heritage. As such, any attempt to eliminate such traditions constitutes a deliberate effort to erase Tibetan identity.
