Yalong Zhaxi Xoiba Tibetan Opera

The Yalong Zhaxi Xoiba Tibetan Opera (Chinese: 雪巴藏戏; Tibetan: ཡར་ལུང་བཀྲ་ཤིས་ཞོལ་པའི་ལྷ་མོའི་རོལ་ཆས), also known as Sholpa Lhamo, is a traditional Tibetan opera form originating from the Yalong Valley in Shannan, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Rooted in 14th-century Buddhist rituals, it is distinguished by its masked dances, allegorical storytelling, and integration of Tantric chant traditions.[1][2]

Performance & Cultural Features

Performed during festivals such as Losar (Tibetan New Year) and Saga Dawa, the opera combines elaborate costumes, symbolic hand gestures (mudras), and live accompaniment by dungchen (long horns) and silnyen (cymbals).[3] Its repertoire includes The Birth of Gesar and The Deer with Nine Colors, blending moral parables with historical narratives.[4] UNESCO inscribed the art form on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009, recognizing its role in preserving Zhangzhung-era oral traditions.[5][6][7]

Since 2015, the Tibet Autonomous Region government has funded training programs at the Lhoka Tibetan Opera Center, recruiting over 120 young performers.[8]

See also

• Yalong Cultural Tourism Festival

References

1. "雪域欢歌70载·西藏启航新时代丨面具下的"藏戏第一村"——访西藏山南市乃东区扎西曲登社区-新华网". Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
2. 中囯人民大学. 书报资料社 (1993). 戏曲研究. 复印报刊资料. J52 (in Chinese). 中囯人民大学书报资料社. p. 58. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
3. 西藏文化产业发展探析 (in Chinese). 社会科学文献出版社. 2015. p. 307. ISBN 978-7-5097-5473-3. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
4. "山南市乃东区挖掘文化古韵让群众吃上旅游饭_西藏自治区人民政府". 西藏自治区人民政府. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
5. "藏戏（山南雅隆扎西雪巴）". 中国非物质文化遗产网·中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆 (in Chinese). 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
6. "山南雅砻扎西雪巴藏戏". 中国西藏新闻网 (in Chinese). 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
7. "西藏山南："藏戏第一村"里看"村晚" 社区居民欢乐迎新年_澎湃号·政务_澎湃新闻-The Paper". thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2025-02-05.
8. "文旅融合让六百年藏戏焕新". 四川频道--人民网_网上的人民日报 (in Chinese). 2024-08-30. Retrieved 2025-02-05.