(LIU DONGJUN)

Locals celebrate the Tibetan Agricultural New Year, which fell on January 21 this year, in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The festival occurs on the first day of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar and is characterized by a variety of activities such as dancing, singing and instrumental musical performances. It is celebrated as the most important festival of the year in Xigaze, the main grain-producing area and second largest city in the region. In other areas of Tibet, the Tibetan New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar.