Tsagaan Sar
In its own language: Цагаан сар
from Mongolian tsagaan sar, meaning 'White Moon'
A Mongol lunisolar new year marked by white clothes and dairy feasts
Tsagaan Sar is the Mongolian Lunar New Year, celebrated on the first three days of the first lunar month. It is observed by Mongolic and Turkic peoples in Mongolia, Russia, and China as a time for family reunion, gift exchange, and honoring ancestors with white foods.
- Celebrated on the first three days of the first lunar month
- Participants wear white clothing for good luck and purity
- Features a lavish feast of dairy products and steamed dumplings
- Zolgokh greeting honors elders with open palms and embraces
- Nominated for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011
What it is
Tsagaan Sar, or White Moon, marks the start of the year in the Mongolian lunisolar calendar. It is a major holiday for Mongolic and some Turkic communities across Mongolia, Russia, and China. The festival blends Buddhist and shamanistic traditions to celebrate peace, harmony, and family bonds. People wear white clothes and share meals to wish for purity and good fortune in the coming months.
Where it comes from
The celebration dates back to the era of Genghis Khan, who used the twelve-year animal cycle for chronology. Historical records like the Secret History of the Mongols describe him wearing new white clothes and paying respects to Heaven and Earth on the new year's first day. Marco Polo also noted Kublai Khan's court celebrating the White Moon with white garments and gifts. After the Yuan dynasty fell, Northern Yuan rulers kept these customs alive.
How it is done
Families gather at the eldest member's home to perform the zolgokh greeting. This involves extending arms with open palms to show no bad intent, bowing, and embracing elders while holding blue silk cloths called khadag. Quarreling is avoided to maintain harmony. Before the festival, homes are thoroughly cleaned. On the eve, called Bituun, candles are burned at altars to symbolize enlightenment, and ice is placed at doorways for visiting deities.
Tools and materials
The festival relies heavily on white foods, known as tsagaan idee, which include dairy products, rice with curds, and rice with raisins. These symbolize purity of intent. Men and women prepare large quantities of buuz, which are steamed dumplings, and ul boov, a special pastry. Families also drink airag, a fermented mare's milk beverage, and exchange gifts wrapped in white or presented on white surfaces.
Tsagaan Sar, drawn and placed
- Living
- Revived
- Fading
- Historical
- Legendary
- Performed
- Lineage
- Mongolian culture
- Timing
- first three days of the first lunar month
What it is for
The holiday aims to ensure prosperity, happiness, and peace for the year ahead. It serves as a time for reconciliation, where debts from the previous year are settled and relationships are mended. Gift-giving is central, with people exchanging items to wish each other well. The emphasis on whiteness reflects a desire for clean intentions and spiritual clarity among participants.
Who does it
Tsagaan Sar is primarily a household tradition led by families and extended kin groups. Elders receive greetings and gifts, reinforcing social hierarchy and respect. Both men and women participate in preparing food and cleaning homes. In rural areas, herders also clean livestock barns. The practice is communal, involving neighbors and friends alongside immediate family members.
Peoples and places
Mongols observe Tsagaan Sar as their primary new year. Buryats call it Sagaalgan, Kalmyks Tsagan Sar, Tuvans Shagaa, and Altai people Chaga Bayram. Each group has slight variations in food and ritual but shares the core themes of white clothing and dairy feasts. The festival is recognized across different regions where these ethnic groups reside, including Inner Mongolia and Siberia.
At a glance: who, where and when
Who does it
Belief worlds
Occasions
What people believe
The festival is rooted in a blend of Buddhism and indigenous shamanism. White represents purity and good luck, while specific rituals honor spirits and deities. The Bituun eve includes offerings to Palden Lhamo, a deity believed to visit households. The use of candles symbolizes the enlightenment of all sentient beings. The calendar system used to determine the date reflects ancient astrological knowledge passed down through generations.
When it is done
Tsagaan Sar falls on the first three days of the first lunar month. The date varies annually based on the lunisolar calendar. In Mongolia, it often coincides with the Tibetan Losar, while Mongols in China align with the Chinese Lunar New Year. The eve, Bituun, corresponds to the dark moon phase. Historically, yellow horoscopes determined the date, later replaced by the Tugs Bayasgalant system.
How scholars and sceptics see it
Anthropologists view Tsagaan Sar as a key marker of Mongol identity and cultural continuity. Historians note its evolution from imperial court rituals to widespread folk practice. UNESCO nominated the holiday for intangible cultural heritage status in 2011, recognizing its significance. Scholars also study its shamanistic elements, seeing them as preserved within the broader Buddhist framework of modern celebrations.
Cautions and what is closed
During the socialist era, the government banned Tsagaan Sar after 1952, attempting to replace it with Collective Herder's Day. The holiday was revived following the 1990 Democratic Revolution. Today, it faces challenges from commercialization and urbanization, though it remains deeply respected. Some traditional practices may be simplified in modern settings, but the core values of family and purity persist.
Compare and confuse
Tsagaan Sar is related to other Asian lunisolar new years like Chinese New Year, Korean Seollal, and Tibetan Losar. While sharing timing and some customs, it is distinct in its emphasis on white foods and specific greeting rituals. It differs from Naadam, which celebrates summer virtues, by focusing on winter renewal and softer social values. The name varies across languages but consistently means White Moon.
Law and persecution
The holiday is officially recognized in Mongolia and certain autonomous regions of China and Russia. It was suppressed during the socialist period but restored after political changes. There are no legal restrictions on its practice today. Efforts to preserve it as cultural heritage have been supported by international bodies, ensuring its transmission to younger generations.
Questions people ask about Tsagaan Sar
What does Tsagaan Sar mean?
It translates from Mongolian as 'White Moon,' marking the start of the lunisolar new year. The name reflects the festival's focus on white colors and dairy foods, symbolizing purity and good fortune for the coming year.
When is Tsagaan Sar celebrated?
It occurs on the first three days of the first lunar month. The exact date changes yearly based on the lunisolar calendar. In Mongolia, it often aligns with the Tibetan Losar, while Mongols in China follow the Chinese Lunar New Year schedule.
What is the zolgokh greeting?
It is a traditional way to honor elders during the festival. Participants extend their arms with open palms to show no ill intent, bow, and embrace the elder while holding blue silk cloths called khadag. It emphasizes respect and family harmony.
What foods are eaten during Tsagaan Sar?
The feast centers on white foods like dairy products, rice with curds, and rice with raisins. Steamed dumplings called buuz and a special pastry named ul boov are also essential. Airag, fermented mare's milk, is commonly drunk.
Is Tsagaan Sar still practiced today?
Yes, it is a living tradition in Mongolia, Russia, and China. Although banned during the socialist era, it was revived after 1990. It remains a vital part of Mongol culture, celebrated with family gatherings, gift exchanges, and traditional rituals.
Good reading and sources
- Tsagaan Sar on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Tsagaan Sar", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
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