A giant Thangka painting of the Buddha is displayed near the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, on Aug. 10, the first day of the Shoton Festival. The annual event, which lasts seven days, is expected to attract 1 million visitors. [Photo: China Daily/Zhang Tao]

Tibetans joined with tourists from around the world in celebrating the Shonton Festival in Lhasa, capital city of the autonomous region, according to China Daily.

The seven-day summer extravaganza that started Tuesday features traditional Tibetan opera, folk performances, and yak and horse racing.

The celebration climaxed with a 35-meter by-30-meter Thangka bearing the image of the Buddha being carried by about 100 lamas down the side of a hill near the Drebung Monastery.

Throngs of believers prayed for safety and happiness as they watched the ceremony.

The Shoton Festival is more than 1,000 years old, the word "Shoton" coming from the Tibetan words "yogurt" and "banquet" and the event marks the end of 100 days of self-analysis and meditation for monks.

Tradition calls for the local residents to offer monks yogurt as they leave the monastery.

The event has developed from an exclusively religious observance into an all-out festival for local residents and tourists.

Figures from the Lhasa Tourism Bureau show that more than one million tourists are expected to visit Lhasa during the Shonton Festival, double last year's 510,000.