Tibet Tour – Customs and Taboos of Shannan Prefecture

Etiquettes and customs vary in different regions in Tibet Autonomous Region. There are traditions and taboos in every aspects of the daily life. With the development of the Tibet tourism, an increasingly number of tourists around the world enters into Tibet every year. The modern civilization does have certain influence on the Tibetan civilization, but most of their traditions and taboos are well preserved.

There is a famous saying goes that when you are in Rome, do as Romans do. Tourists should respect the Tibetan etiquettes and traditions during the Tibet tour and never violate their taboos during the Tibet tour. This article introduces the etiquettes, traditions and taboos in Shannan Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region.

1 Don't put your hands on Tibetans' shoulder when greeting them or chatting with them.

2 Don't whistle or scream during the night.

3 Don't dry your clothes at places where people pass frequently, especially the trousers.

4 It is impolite to make the rounds at dawns, especially the houses where there is a pregnant woman, puerpera or a serious patient.

5 Local Tibetans in Shannan Prefecture never press others for payment of debt in the morning or evening. People there would like pay for debt at noon.

6 Tibetan females in Shannan Prefecture would not comb or wash their hairs in the evening. They also don't go out with disheveled hairs.

7 Don't pass the besom or dustpan hand to hand. One should put them on the ground first, and the other one should pick up them from the ground.

8 Tibetan males in Shannan Prefecture shouldn't go to the grain-field with naked upper body and the females shouldn't go to the field with apron or disheveled hairs after June. The local people think these activities will lead to poor harvest.

9 Don't pick up the hat, ladle or Hada on the way while the shoes on the way should be picked up.