Kharam is celebrated in all the villages under Tshenkhar gewog, Lhuentse Dzongkhag of Northeast Bhutan. In the local dialect, Tsangla, "Kharam" means "Gossiping negative forces”. Villages host the festive celebration to please the local deities, and to seek protection them from unforseen disasters for their crops, cattle, and fellow local people. They also pay homage to the local deities for protecting the people, yields and the domestic life of the country by natural calamities. The annual festive event is celebrated on 27th and 28th day of the 8th month of the Bhutanese calendar. The event is celebrated by performing ritual in the morning and consequently by performing boen choe “Bonism” by the communal people in respective locality and followed by traditional games like archery and khuru (dart) competition within the village. The main performer of the celebration is the Bonpo “Chant Leader” accompanied by all villagers irrespective of age. In the past, in the evening of the first day of the celebration, people used to ward-off the negative forces by hitting a rooster against a cow. However, now the community has stopped killing roosters and the symbolism was replaced using a feather. With the performance of Kharam, it is believed that the village will prosper and have good yield in that year with less mishaps in the community.

Bumchod is an important annual religious ritual that makes offerings to the local deities in the village communities of Jarey, Wayang, and Changkhala of Jarey Gewog within Lhuentse Dzongkhag. Held at Jarey Temple for one full day on the 15th day of the 6th lunar month every year, the event consists of ritual prayers to two local deities – Nep Drakpa Gyaltshen and Tsan Kyibu Lungtsan; as well as the protective deity Gonpo Mani. The ritual prayers give thanks to these deities for their ongoing blessing and for the good health, good harvest, prosperity, peace, and harmony in the community over the past year. Bumchod also seeks similar blessings in the coming year. This ceremony is part of a divine sanction that gives the community authority and power as long as the local residents make timely and sufficient offerings to appease the deities. The event brings all Jarey residents—regardless of social status, age, or gender—together to celebrate the shared history that the ritual constructs. It offers community members a break from the trials of farming activities and raises the sense of communal co-existence and harmony. Elaborate ritual activities like Bumchod requires the community to rally as sponsors and supporters for the success of the planned works. These Tsawa or hosts carry out the organization and coordination of Bumchod. In the past, this festival was conducted by Jarey Nagtshang alone, but later the Gulibee household became one of the sponsors as the ritual branched out from Jarey Nagtshang family; and further as Jabung Bardhangpa also became sponsor being Threlpa (a tax-paying household). Thus, these three households used to conduct the Bumchod ritual in turn. Later, new households proliferated in and around Jarey, and today all these households actively take part in the Bumchod as Tsawa and even some households from Wayang and Changkhala villages participate as Tsawa in turn. Different households from three main villages – Jarey, Changkhala and Wayang– form a broad Tsawa group which is sub-divided into four groups by household wise: first group consist of Jarey Nagtshang, Manchulung, Tsabgang, Artobee, two households from Mregdong and Umling; the second group consist of Gulibee, Tashiling, Kyiranag, Manbingla, two households from Korbee, Trinta zhing, Dunphog and Godpodung; third group consist of Gonpa, Bardhang, Thekarla, Kyerchemey, Khomdhang zhing; and the fourth group is some households from Changkhala and Wayang villages. The contributions of cash and kind are collected from each household in their turn as sponsors. The food provisions collected are rice, butter/oil, cheese, vegetables, local wine, etc. and cash amounting to about Nu. 3000/- is collected to meet expenses for Chagyeb (offering for ritual performers) and for whatever needs to be purchased. On the day of Bumchod, all necessary arrangements preparing in the kitchen and serving food to ritual performers and guests have to be made by the sponsor Tsawa. In case they have a shortage of manpower, they can hire people from other households. It is customary that at least a one member from each household who are not the day’s sponsor come to pay respect to Bumchod ritual as guests of the Tsawa, at which time they make some contributions like butter, cheese, local wine and then present them to the Bumchod Tsawa; and in response and gratitude the Tsawa members host them lunch and dinner. It is also customary that each household brings freshly fruiting crops like chili, maize, rice from their field and then offers it to the local deities in the temple.

The term Tsan-choed means invoking or appeasing the deity and making various offerings in honor of the deity. Chubja Tsan-choed is an event celebrated by the communities of Bje-shigang, Damchena, Chubja-kha and Hungrel-kha. On this occasion, people from these communities pay their respects to the deity by making offerings to it, thus asking for further protection from the deity for the following year. Tsan is a local patron deity of a particular community who is worshipped by the people for their protection and welfare. These deities are often worshipped as Ke-lha (worshipped from birth as a protective deity) and Yue-lha (deity of a specific community). In addition to the specific dates designated to pacify the deity, people visit and offer prayers during illnesses, deaths, births, long journeys, or times of misfortune. The deity is also invoked by women who are barren and request the deity's blessing for a child. Often, after the woman becomes pregnant, the child relies on the deity for protection during its birth. Chubja Tsan (local deity), known as Tashi Pema/Pema Dendup, is considered deaf but endowed with the power to bestow worldly blessings. According to oral sources, the reason for his deafness was that Chubja Tsan and the Tsan of Zache-kha village had conflicts and quarreled long ago (the cause is not known). The Zache-kha Tsan hit the Chubja Tsan on his ear and made him deaf, while in return the Chubja Tsan hit the Zhache-kha Tsan on his eyes and made him blind. For this reason, even today, the people from Zhache-kha light a fire during the Tsan-choed (ritual to invoke the local deities), while the people from Chubja have to make loud "oooo" sounds in front of the Tsan's home. And the people of the two communities do not visit each other's Lhakhangs (temples). The timing of the Tsan-choed depends on the purpose of its patrons, but for Kay-lha it takes place twice a year; the first time immediately after the Paro Tshechu (Mask Dance Festival, which occurs in the third lunar month) and the second time during the autumn season. In the latter offering, a Phued (first share) of the harvest is usually offered to express gratitude for the blessing of a bountiful harvest while asking for his protection in the future.

Zhong Yuan Jie (中元节) takes place on the seventh month of the Lunar calendar. It is mostly observed by Chinese Buddhists and Taoists who believe that during this time, colloquially known as “seventh month” or 七月 (“seventh month” in Chinese), the gates of Hell are opened, releasing spirits who roam the earth. The period is also commonly referred to as “Hungry Ghost Festival”, with reference to the belief that spirits are hungry because they do not have descendants to make offerings to them. However, it is not just mischievous spirits who roam the earth during the seventh month – it is also believed that dead ancestors may come back to observe the living. Hence, there are various practices associated with entertaining and appeasing these spirits. For instance, believers will burn joss sticks, paper offerings and make food offerings. There will also be large-scale performances called getai （歌台）which provide entertainment to both the spirits and the living.

Nang-zhey or Ngang pi Zhey is a native folk dance of a particular chiwog under Chokor Gewog in Bumthang with unique dress, lyrics, melodies and steps performed only by the male artists locally called Pazer-pa (soldiers or guards). The zhey is believed to be a sacred performance composed by their spiritual master Namkha Samdrup aka Tshampai Lama. Namkha Samdrub was born in 1398 on the 14th day of the third lunar month of the 7th Rabjung to Jamyang Drakpa Yoezer, one of the twin sons of the 22nd Sumthrang Choeje Palden Sengge and his partner Bumkyi, who belonged to the lineage of Ngangpai Dung. At the age of four, Namkha Samdrub was recognized as the reincarnation of Zhigpo Trashi Sengge, the 19th successor of Sumthrang Choeje. From the age of six to thirteen, he learned the basic Buddhist teachings and received empowerments and oral transmissions from his uncle Tennyi. He continued to seek further teachings and empowerments from various masters, including Drubwang Montsepa (d.u.), Lama Kunga Palden (d.u.), Gyalwang Choeje (d.u.), 6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453), and Terton (treasure discoverer) Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478). Namkha Samdrub eventually became a high-ranking master of the Drigung Kagyu (one of the Tibetan schools) and spent much of his life in solitude in the area bordering Tibet called Longtoe District, which is why he is sometimes called Longtoe Lama by Tibetans. He later moved to Tshampa on the Bhutanese side, where he took up extensive meditation practices, so he became known as Tshampai Lama. Later, he founded the Ngang Lhakhang (temple) in the Ngang community, which consisted mainly of his followers. After the completion of the temple, the Rabney (consecration ceremony) on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month was conducted by Lama himself. During the Rabney, Lama introduced mask dances as well as Ngang-zhey, which are performed every year on the 15th and 17th days of the tenth lunar month to sanctify the physical space and bestow blessings on the audience, coinciding with the eve of Karma nyadzom (conjunction with the Pleiades constellation). Although zhey is performed, the community faces problem of finding male performers, and since it is an indigenous art, if the trend remains the same every year, there is a high probability that the performance will be discontinued.

The Mewang, or Fire Blessing, is believed to ward off diseases and other negative forces. Thangbi Mewang takes place on the first day of the four-day long festival, which is known as Thangbi Mani. ‘Thangbi Mani’ references the temple’s original consecration ceremony which was conducted in part by reciting the mani mantra. The festival is also occasionally referred to as Thangbi Drub, as some maintain the events mark the temple’s consecration ceremony. The origins of Thangbi Mewang are unknown, and no definitive records survive. Some attribute it to the 4th Zhamar Choedrak Yeshe whereas others trace it to the 8th Zhamarpa Pelchen Choekyi Dondrub. Whichever master it was, the liturgical practices and types of mask dances performed are closely related to those performed at Tshurphu in Tibet. Festival preparations begin from the 3rd day of the eighth lunar month, when mask dancers gather in the lhakhang around 3 p.m. to offer serkyem (wine libation) in the gonkhang (scared shrine of dieties). After chak dang hu (shouting Tae hu hu) the leftover wine is served to the mask dancers, who begin practicing the dances for two hours daily between 3–5 p.m. Preliminary dance practices are held for two weeks before the final rehearsal or chamjug is held on the afternoon of the 13th day. The chamjug is not a full-dress rehearsal and does not include costumes or hand implements with the exception of the Nga Cham (Drum Dance) rehearsal, which uses the drum and drumsticks. Previously, the drapas (servants) of Tamzhing Choeje performed the mask dances, though of late this role has transitioned to the five drapa households living around Thangbi village. Amongst the three villages, the mask dances have been performed only by male members from Thangbi village because they are the drapas of Karmapa, whereas the threlpa or the tax-paying households of Goleng and Kharsath act as the sponsors of the mask dance performances. a. Day One (14th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): The 14th day of the eighth lunar month marks the first day of the festival. The main mask dance performance starts after a dinner break, the champas and monks return to the gonkhang to offer serkyem. After this, the costumed dancers carry the masks downstairs to the chamkhang (dance preparation hall). The evening’s programme is performed in the following sequential order: - Drelcham (Dance of Suppression); - Yoeluema or Zhauli (Dance of Malevolent Spirits); - Gonpo Bercham (Dance of Protective Deity Gonpo Bernag); - Jinsek (Fire Offering); - Shazam Dance (Dance of the Stag); - Gektre (Ritual to Expelling Evil); b. Day Two (15th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Mewang, the Fire Blessing The second day, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, begins with the champon and champas singing a song called “Gya yul ley thon pai dardzoe dang ney-nga”. While the lama and gomchens (lay monk) perform lhabsang (cleansing ritual) in the gonkhang, the gondhar (Maha kala's flag) is once again erected in the courtyard. After lhabsang, ritual prayers dedicated to Gonpo Bernag are performed and concludes in the late morning. The remainder of the day’s programme is held as follows: - Mewang (Fire Blessing); - Zhana Cham (Black Hat Dance); - Tshog Cham (Feast Offering Dance); - Yoeluema; - Gonpo Bercham; - Nga Cham (Drum Dance); - Pholey Moley; - Atsara Dance ; - Shawa gang ley Phabpa, the episode of chasing the stag down the mountain). c. Day Three (16th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Tenwang (Blessing form the sacred objects) The same song is sung to mark the start of the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, followed by the ritual prayers. A tshechu is then performed in the Jowo Lhakhang. All participants gather in the lhakhang at around 6 a.m. during tshegug (ritual of longevity). After ritual prayers conclude around 8:30 a.m., the day’s events continue as follows: - Shazam (Dance of the Stags); - Dri Cham (Sword Dance); - Shawa Shakhyi (the episode of driving the stag out of low-lying jungle)14; - Jachung Jichung gi cham; - Atsara’s Choga (ritual performance by Atsaras); - Tenwang (Blessing of sacred objectd) - Khandromai Cham (dance of dakinis) d. Day Four (17th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Thruesol and Landab On the last day of the festival, before the thruesol (cleansing ritual), the lama and gomchens once again perform the lhabsang ritual in the lhakhang. After breakfast, thruesol is performed in all the households of Thangbi village. The procession is led by clarinet players and singers performing the lebey song, followed by the lama, champas, patselpas (traditioanl arm forces), and folk dancers. After thruesol is completed, the champas, patselpas, folk dancers and tsawas (sponsors) see off the lama and they escort him to his residence at Shugdrak Gonpa (monastery). After returning to Thangbi Temple, the new kudrung (discipline master) is appointed and the former kudrung is retired. Both the new and old kudrungs are offered khadars (scarfs) by the villagers. This remainder of the morning is filled with dances, singing, and drinking until Thangbi Mewang festival formally concludes with a luncheon.

Denoting ""carpet-washing ceremony"" (qāli""carpet""-šuyān""washing ceremony""), Qālišuyān manifests as a huge gathering in Ardehāl, at a 800m-long site, between Emāmzāde Soltān Ali ebn Mohammad Bāqer Mausoleum (abbreviated as Soltān Ali) and the holy stream beside Šāhzāde Hoseyn Mausoleum yard, where a holy carpet is washed as part of a live ritualistic procedure. Unlike the majority of Iranian rituals that follow a rotating lunar calendar, Qālišuyān is attended according to a fixed solar-agricultural calendar, requiring it around the nearest Friday to the 17th day of the month of Mehr (October 8th), called Jom'e-ye Qāli (""carpet Friday""). Thousands of people of Fin and Xāve constitute the practitioners; a greater crowd attends as witnesses. On Jom'e-ye Qāli morning, the people of Xāve gather at Soltān Ali to sprinkle rose-flower on a donated carpet they select. Having done the wrapping rituals, they, then, deliver it to the people of Fin outside. Holding neatly cut and beautifully decorated wooden sticks, the people of Fin run to take the lead in getting a grasp of the carpet, and carrying it to the running water, cleaned of pollutions and mixed with rose-water. A corner of the carpet is rinsed; the rest is covered with drops sprinkled with the sticks. The carpet is, then, returned to the mausoleum and delivered to the servants inside. The rituals are to express love and loyalty toward Soltān Ali, who is claimed to have been martyred in the same place and carried to his resting place on a carpet, instead of a shroud. Asserted, mainly, through oral history, Soltān Ali enjoyed a holy stance among the people of Kāšān and Fin of 1,300 years ago, who depended on his spiritual guidance. He was, finally, murdered by jealous governors. The story continues that the corpse was found, three days later, by the people of Fin who carried it in a carpet to the stream of Šāhzāde Hoseyn Mausoleum, Ardehāl, where the people of Xāve joined in washing and burying him. The present-day carpet-washing rituals are to commemorate the sad burial. A number of peripheral activities have emerged alongside Qālišuyān, too: - J ār: Oral proclamation of the ""carpet-Friday"" date by an elder; - Donated food: Distributed by witnessing people - Ta'ziye and other ritualistic performing arts: Performed peripheral to the main rituals; - Gatherings of people on the site, which last for several days.

Iran 2012

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Yangju Byeolsandae Nori is one of the Sandae Dogam performed by itinerary troupes based in Seoul and the capital region. Consisting of dance, pantomime, well-wishing remarks, and acrobatics, it originated about 200 years ago and came to be performed during holidays and seasonal festivals such as the Buddha’s Birthday, Dano Festival, and Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month) and during ritual prayers for rainfall. Yangju Byeolsandae Nori is known to have originated from the mask dances performed by the Sajikgol Ttakttagipae group in Seoul. Each performance consists of eight episodes, which were often preceded by a parade in which performers wearing masks would dance around a town playing music, and hold a rite consisting of prayers for the safety of its residents. The main event was essentially a satire of Korean society with 32 characters representing different social groups and stereotypes, including depraved monks, impoverished aristocrats, shamans, buffoons, servants, and commoners.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Servants of farm households in Miryang got a day off on Baekjung (July 15 on the lunar calendar) after spending months at arduous work to engage in merrymaking. In Miryang, the day was also called Servants’ Day. Their masters provided food and liquor for them. The festival is composed of Nongsinje (Rite to Farming Deity), Jakdu maltagi (a group of people carrying the person selected as the best servant in the village on a wooden structure), Chumpan (a round of merrymaking dances), and a post-event dance. This festival features comical expression of the subdued feeling of servants, who had to live a hard life. The Cripples’ dance and Obokchum dance are handed down only in Miryang. Baegimnaesawi is the main dance movement displayed in this festival. It features lively movements in which the right hand and the right foot and then the left hand and the left foot move in tandem.