Imagine sculptures made entirely out of butter! 🧈 In Xizang, people are celebrating the Tibetan New Year, called Losar, with amazing yak butter sculptures called “ziza”.
These colorful sculptures are crafted using yak milk butter mixed with bright mineral colors. Artists heat the butter so it becomes soft like clay, and then shape it into beautiful designs. These can be flowers 🌸, trees 🌳, birds 🐦, animals 🐯, or even figures of humans and Buddha. Each sculpture tells a special story from Buddhist traditions.
The yak butter sculptures are not only beautiful but also an important part of Losar celebrations. 🥳 They bring joy and symbolize good fortune for the new year. In fact, creating these sculptures is such a special tradition that in 2006, it was added to China’s national Intangible Cultural Heritage List!
Losar is a multi-day festival in Xizang. It starts with cleaning the house 🧹 on the day before the last of the Tibetan calendar. On New Year’s Day, people wake up early for a bath, offer sacrifices at shrines, and visit neighbors to exchange gifts 🎁. The streets and homes are filled with happiness, and the yak butter sculptures make the celebrations even more colorful!
Isn’t it amazing how butter can be turned into such incredible art? Next time you see butter, think about the artists in Xizang creating masterpieces for everyone to enjoy! 😊
Reference(s):
Yak butter sculptures brighten Tibetan New Year celebrations in Xizang
cgtn.com
