Xigaze holds ritual to celebrate New Year

The Tibetan New Year, also known as Losar, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar. The time and customs differ according to area.

It's the fifth day of the New Year. Young men bundle up and head out for a traditional ritual--one that requires strength and endurance.

Xigaze Prefecture lies in the southwest part of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. It's a major grain producing area, so water is crucial to the people.

Every year they hold a ritual to honor the precious resource.

An elder leads a group of young men to a frozen lake. Their task is bring back a huge block of ice. According to the tradition, the thicker the ice, the better the harvest in the year ahead.

The ceremony is held at a site about 3 kilometers from the lake. It could take more than an hour to get there.

Local resident Mimadunzhu said, "I think this block of ice is about 1 ton. The heavier, the better. "

Along the way, local residents line up and offer traditional food and beverage to the young men.

When the much-anticipated ice finally arrives, happiness and best wishes fill the air.

Xigaze celebrates Losar a month earlier than other parts of Tibet, in line with local climate conditions and agriculture practices.

The celebration lasts two weeks. For Xigaze, which started on Saturday, the fun isn't even half over.