On the early morning of August 4th, before dawn, the reporter arrived at the Zhebang Temple located in the western suburbs of Lhasa. I thought I arrived early enough, but the square of the Cuoqin Hall was already crowded with people. The wisps of green smoke from simmering mulberry trees fill the air, adding a touch of solemnity and mystery to the ancient temple with a history of over 600 years. At 6am, the monks of Zhebang Temple went to the Cuoqin Hall one after another to prepare for the Buddha exhibition ceremony. At around 7 o'clock, under the glow of the first ray of dawn, the Dharma horn rang out on site, and the Dharma gong rang in unison. About a hundred monks carried giant thangka scrolls on their shoulders, winding up the mountain road towards the exhibition platform on Mount Genpuwuzi. Tourists and believers spontaneously followed. The giant thangka arrived at the exhibition hall, and the noise gradually faded away. Not long after, with the chanting and musical instruments played by the monks halfway up the mountain, the Buddha exhibition ceremony officially began, kicking off the annual Snow Festival. Ms. Tang, a tourist from Liaoning, excitedly took photos to commemorate the shocking scene of the Buddha exhibition. She told the reporter: "I have seen the video of the Sheraton Festival on my mobile phone before, and I am looking forward to it. This time, I took my children to Xizang to travel in the summer vacation. I came here at 4 am this morning to punch in, just to experience the splendid, thick and unique history and culture here, and also to let children learn more about it." Sheraton Festival is a traditional folk cultural event in Lhasa, and a grand Tibetan festival second only to the Tibetan New Year. It originated in the mid-11th century AD, and the festival was first formed at the Drepung Monastery. According to the regulations of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the period from June 15th to 30th in the Tibetan calendar is a prohibition period. Lamas from temples of all sizes are not allowed to go out to avoid stepping on small insects. They can only go down the mountain after the lifting of the ban on June 30th. When the lama goes down the mountain, farmers and herdsmen offer yogurt as a tribute, forming the Snow Festival. In Tibetan, "snow" means sour milk, "dun" means "eat", and "feast" means "feast". According to Tibetan interpretation, Xuedun Festival is a festival for eating sour milk, so it is also called "Yogurt Festival". Later, the Shoten Festival gradually evolved into a festival that focuses on the exhibition of Buddha and Tibetan opera performances, combining religion and entertainment, also known as the "Buddha Exhibition Festival" and "Tibetan Opera Festival". The exhibition of Buddha is just the opening scene of the Snow Festival. It is reported that in addition to traditional activities such as Buddha exhibitions, Tibetan opera performances, and equestrian shows, the 2024 Sutton Festival will also feature a fresh opening of the Fireworks Waterfall Food Market. Fireworks waterfalls, romantic lanterns, fireworks markets, and specialty cuisine add a touch of excitement and popularity to Lhasa's beautiful summer days. In addition, the 2024 Lhasa Sutton Festival Import Commodity Exhibition was officially held on August 4th, which is the first characteristic commodity exhibition in Lhasa with the theme of "import". It is reported that this import exhibition will welcome 225 enterprises and nearly 600 merchants from 29 countries, 3 regions, and China. It will also set up 5 theme pavilions in Nepal, Serbia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Mongolia, as well as 2 special exhibition areas for foreign trade comprehensive services and Lhasa goods, and 278 international standard booths. It is expected to showcase more than 1000 domestic and foreign specialty products, covering handicrafts, daily consumer goods, food and beverage, household goods, cultural and creative products, such as handmade wood carvings in Nepal, red wine from Central and Eastern European countries, and cashmere products from Mongolia. (New Society)