China News Service, Lhasa, March 9 (Reporter Zhao Lang) Next to Dapu Temple, mulberry smoke was lingering. Many people dressed in costumes sat around on a hillside and waited quietly. At about 9:50 a.m. on the 9th, The sun rises slowly, and the sunlight shines through the photometric port on the photometric stone in the center of the Dapu Astronomical Observatory.
Starting from that day, various parts of Tibet will usher in large-scale agricultural activities such as irrigation and spring plowing.
On March 9, people waited for the sun to illuminate the observatory’s photometric stone at the Dapu Astronomical Observatory in Lhasa, Tibet.
Photo by China News Service reporter Zhao Lang
The Dapu Astronomical Observatory is located in Mozhugongkar County, Lhasa City. It has a history of more than 300 years and is the only astronomical and calendar observatory still in use in Tibet.
In August 2009, the local government carried out protective repairs on the observatory, and added a protective ring in the shape of the zodiac and twenty-seven constellations around the photometric stone.
The observatory is composed of two parts: the perforation building and the photometric stone. When the sunlight shines through the daylight outlet on the west wall of the perforation building and hits the photometric stone to form three points and a line, it indicates the spring plowing and irrigation time in central and southern Tibet. arrive.
An observation group composed of 8 experts from the Institute of Astronomy and Calendar of the Tibetan Hospital of the Tibet Autonomous Region went to the site for observation. Assistant researcher of the institute, Gayong Zeren, said that at the site, the sunlight shined through the daylight outlet and hit the photometer stone, which was basically determined to be consistent with the results published by the institute. The irrigation and spring plowing times recorded in the "2024 Tibetan Astronomical and Meteorological Almanac" are consistent.
On March 9, at the Dapu Astronomical Observatory in Lhasa, Tibet, sunlight shined through the photometric building onto the photometric stone in the center of the observatory.
Photo by China News Service reporter Zhao Lang
Astronomy and calendar play an important role among ordinary people like villager Suolang Tseden, guiding all aspects of life in agriculture and animal husbandry, weddings and funerals, travel, moving, etc.
He told a reporter from China News Service that his home is very close to the observatory and he comes to watch it almost every year.
On that day, the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Mozhugongka County organized more than 20 primary school students to watch this ancient method of astronomical observation.
An observation group composed of tutors and students from Tibet Tibetan Medicine University also came to study and study.
The picture shows on March 9, primary school students in Mozhugongka County watch this ancient method of astronomical observation.
Photo by China News Service reporter Zhao Lang
It is reported that Tibetan astronomy and calendrics have a history of more than 2,000 years. Based on the relative positions and directions of the planets and the earth's axis in the solar system, weather, climate change, earthquakes and other geological disasters are calculated and predicted, and suitable farming and animal husbandry opportunities in various parts of Tibet can be calculated. , seasons, phenology, etc.
In 2008, Tibetan astronomy and calendar were selected into the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.
(over)