Common Etiquettes and Taboos in Tibet
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Common Etiquettes and Taboos in Tibet

Update: Apr. 28th, 2013

Presenting Hada

As an ancient nationality living on Tibet Plateau, Tibetan has its own etiquettes and taboos. Actually, most of the Tibetan etiquettes and taboos are closely related to the Tibetan Buddhism culture.

Common Etiquettes and Taboos in Tibet – Etiquettes

Tourists making a Tibet tour and pay a visit to a local Tibetan family would find that they have their own etiquettes and ways of greeting their guests. In addition to flipping the wine into the air for three times, the host will also throw few barley to the air for three times. While having dinner with a Tibetan family, the guests should not drink the wine before the host finished his first cup of wine. While drinking tea with a Tibetan family, the guests should not pick up the teacup yourself before the host serving you the first cup of tea. The Tibetan host would keep adding tea to the guests' cup, it is a manner to take one shot of the tea before you standing up and say goodbye to their family.

Presenting Hada is the highest etiquette for greeting guests in Tibet. Local Tibetans always use Hada to present their warm welcome and sincere respect to their guest. Tourists might know that local Tibetans take white as the symbol of pureness and luck. Hence, visitors could always get a white Hada once you arrive in the air port or train station in Lhasa. Except for the white Hada, there are also Tibetan Hada of other colors, such as the blue Hada, yellow Hada, red Hada and green Hada. Each color has their reference in Tibet, for example, the blue refers to the blue sky while the green refers to the water in the lakes and rivers. The colorful Hadas are always taken as the most solemn gift to the Buddhas and Tibetans would present them to the Buddha on important festivals.

Kowtow is also a common etiquette in Tibet. The local Tibetans always express their respect to the Buddhas, stupas and living Buddhas in the monasteries by kowtowing. Sometimes, Tibetans would also kowtow to their respectable seniors. There are also etiquettes in salutation in Tibet. Generally, tourists will add "la" to the name of a people to express their respect. For example, if your Tibetan guide is called Tashi, you can call him Tashi la.

Common Etiquettes and Taboos in Tibet – Taboos

There are many taboos in Tibet and Tibet Tour would like to introduce the most common ones for tourists planning a Tibet tour. Visitors should never violet the taboos in the monasteries in Tibet.

Visitors should not touch the murals, Buddhism scriptures, statues and religious instruments in the monasteries.

Visitors should not touch the head of the lamas in the monastery or step on their clothes.

It is a manner to take off your hat before entering into the monastery. No spitting, smoking or shouting in the monasteries.

Always bypass the payer flag pillar, pagoda, Marnie piles and monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism clockwise.

Visitors can't throw about any papers with Buddhism scriptures for it is a disrespect to the Buddha.

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