STORY: Farmers' New Year celebrated in China's Xigaze
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 11-13, 2023
DATELINE: Jan. 13, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:42
LOCATION: LHASA, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of local markets in Xigaze
2. various of local family celebrating the festival
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident
4. various of local family celebrating the festival
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident

STORYLINE:

Residents in Xigaze, in China's Xizang, celebrated the Farmers' New Year on the first day of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, which falls on Jan. 12 this year.

Xigaze, known as "Xizang's granary," celebrates the new year one month ahead of the Tibetan New Year. 

Beyond shopping and feasting, the festival also cherishes traditions that have been passed down through generations.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident
"The customs of the Farmers' New Year have been passed down since a long time ago. We never felt that the etiquette is cumbersome. We always do our best to celebrate it, and each year we'd try to make it more ceremonious than the year before."

The festival is a time for family reunions. 

For the family of Nyima Phentok, this is their first time to spend the Farmers' New Year in their new home, a newly renovated three-story house.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident
"The family get together in the New Year, in our traditional costumes. And we chat with each other happily, and we also sing and dance. And the children wear new Tibetan clothes like us, sing Tibetan songs and dance Tibetan dances. And we play traditional Tibetan games with the children."

The community where Phentok lives runs a cooperative of Tibetan style camping. Phentok's family has received a yearly dividend of 40,000 yuan (about 5,580 USD) from it.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Tibetan): NYIMA PHENTOK, Xigaze resident
"In the New Year, I wish the family good luck and success. Now we are living in a great era. I hope the children work hard and get better and better."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lhasa, China.
(XHTV)