Traditional customs and customs on the Xizang Plateau, Gama Riji is the bathing festival, the girl bathes naked in the river

It is said that one autumn long ago, a rare and severe plague occurred on the Xizang Plateau. A large number of livestock were infected and died, and a large number of people were taken away from their precious lives. The corpses were scattered everywhere, which was tragic. The disaster alarmed the gods in the sky, so Guanyin Bodhisattva sent the seven fairies to go to the jade pond to retrieve seven bottles of divine water and dump them into every river on the Xizang Plateau. Tibetan people received the inspiration of the gods 'dreams, so they went to the water to bathe, eliminated the patients, thereby suppressing the spread of the plague. From then on, people went to the rivers to bathe on the days when Venus appeared every autumn. Later, it was fixed as July 6th to 12th in the Tibetan calendar as a seven-day bathing festival. It was a festival unique to the Tibetan people. Tibetans called it "Gama Riji", which means the day of bathing. Bathing festivals have become a traditional custom among Tibetan people.

The Xizang Bathing Festival has a history of 700 to 800 years. Since astrology was introduced to Xizang in the 11th century, people have used Qishan Star to distinguish spring and autumn seasons. Whenever the abandoned mountain star appears in July, bathing activities reach a climax. The abandoned mountain star disappears, and the bath ends. They believe that the water from this period is more effective than "holy water". Apart from the superstitious color, it should be said that early autumn in Xizang is indeed the best time. Because the winter is long and the summer is short on the Xizang Plateau, the ice and snow begin to melt in spring, and the river water is too cold; the rain is heavy in summer, and the river water is turbid; the wind is gentle and the sun is beautiful in autumn, and the river water is clean and warm, so naturally it is the best time to take a bath. Tibetan astronomy books record that early autumn water has eight advantages: first, second, cool, third, soft, fourth, light, fifth, clear, sixth, not smelly, seventh, when drinking water, it does not hurt the throat, and eighth, it does not hurt the abdomen. It can be seen that July is also the best season for tourism in Xizang.

The Bathing Festival is a mass bathing event in Xizang. It takes place in the early days of July of the Tibetan calendar every year. The bathing festival lasts for one week. At the beginning of the bath, the elderly gathered on the shore to wash their hair and rub their bodies; young people jumped into the water and swam while washing; children crowded into the water to play; women couldn't help but jump into the water and bathe without hesitation. Rivers and lakes opened their "hearts" to accommodate the gathered people and washed them clean from head to toe. This was done every day for seven consecutive days. People not only washed themselves thoroughly, but also brought all the bedding and clothing that needed to be washed at home to clean them together.

The Bathing Festival has become the most thorough and spontaneous mass health event for Tibetan compatriots every year. As the snow water on the mountains slowly flows through the mountains and slopes covered with precious medicinal herbs such as "Snow Lotus", the active ingredients of the precious medicine are dissolved into the crystal clear snow water, becoming a kind of body cleaning, disinfection, and health care natural bath. This snow water removes dirt from people's diseases and disasters, and brings cleanliness and warmth to people's health and longevity. It is deeply loved by Tibetan compatriots.

On this day, whether it is sunny or cloudy, whether it is in cities, villages, or pastoral areas, grandparents and grandma always like to take their children and grandchildren to make butter tea, cook beef and mutton, prepare tsampa, highland barley and other food, come to the river with the most green trees to swim and wash clothes. People by the river splashed water and rubbed their backs on each other, and from time to time they heard duet songs and duets between young men and girls. Some people even married on this day. These days, people eat in the wild, play with parks and stones, and enjoy the infinite beauty of the scenery on earth.