Marco Polo describes a Mongolian Lunar New Year (White Moon) celebrated by Kublai Khan in the 13th century during the Yuan dynasty.

In Book Two, Part One he writes: The beginning of their New Year is the month of February, and on that occasion the Great Khan and all his subjects made such a Feast as I now shall describe.

On that day also all the people of all the provinces and governments and kingdoms and countries that owe allegiance to the Khan bring him great presents of gold and silver, and pearls and gems, and rich textures of divers kinds.

And the people also make presents to each other of white things, and embrace and kiss and make merry, and wish each other happiness and good luck for the coming year.After the Red Turban Rebellion resulted in the fall of the Yuan dynasty in 1368, the Northern Yuan dynasty continued Mongol traditions in the Mongol homeland.

Khukhuchos speaks up and reprimands Chagatai (whose name, also written Tsagaadai, incidentally means White): "Chagatai, you have spoken careless words that have frozen the warm liver of your good queen mother, grieved her loving heart, dried her oil-like thoughts and curdled her milk white spirit."

During Tsagaan Sar emphasis is placed on purity of intent or whiteness of spirit when visiting elder relatives.

During the Qing Dynasty, the Mongolians followed the "shar zurhai" (yellow horoscope) to determine the day of the Lunar New Year.

[11] During the greeting ceremony, family members hold long, typically blue, silk cloths called a khadag.

[6] After the ceremony, the extended family eats sheep's tail, mutton, rice with curds, dairy products, and buuz.

For example, the traditional food in Mongolia for the festival includes dairy products, rice with curds (tsagaa-цагаа) or rice with raisins (berees-бэрээс), a pyramid of traditional cookies erected on a large dish in a special fashion symbolising Mount Sumeru or Shambhala realm, a grilled side of sheep and minced beef or minced mutton steamed inside pastry, steamed dumplings known as buuz, horse meat and traditional cookies Boortsog.

[13] Tsagaan Sar is a lavish feast, requiring preparation days in advance, as the men and women make large quantities of buuz as a whole family, along with ul boov, a pastry reserved for both dessert and presentation.

The Tegus Buyantu astrology was developed by Mongol high priest Luvsandanzanjantsan (1639–1704), thought to be the first reincarnation of the Blama-yin Gegegen (Ламын гэгээн).