Tibetan Spirits Culture

Tibet has a long history and splendid culture. Tibetans had started to make wine since 1000 years ago. A special Tibetan spirits culture has been formed in the long history.

Tibetan Spirits Culture – Brief Introduction of Wine History in Tibet

There are different types of wines in Tibetan spirits culture. There were rice wine, wheat wine, port wine, metheglin and barley wine early in the ancient Tubo Kingdom Period. With the cultural exchange between Tibet and Chinese Tang Dynasty after the marriage connection between Songtse Gampo and Princess Wencheng, the multiple fermentation wine-making method was spread to Tibet. The barley wine which enjoys the similar making process with the yellow wine in eastern China enjoyed high popularity among local Tibetans since then. It has been the most typical traditional Tibetan flavor beverage at present.

Tourists making a Tibet tour would find that the wine plays important role in the celebrations in Tibet. The guests would always be served with a bowl of barley wine. It is a custom that the guest should take three sips at the very first and bottom it up after the host fulfills the bowl again. It might be taken as an impolite behavior by Tibetans if you don't drink the wine presented by the host as the listed custom.

Tibetan Spirits Culture – Wine in Tibetan Wedding Ceremony

The wine also plays important role in the Tibetan wedding ceremonies. The bridegroom must bring some wine for the bride's family as gift while proposing a marriage. If the bride agreed with this marriage, her family will invite the matchmaker and the seniors in the tribe to enjoy the Proposing Wine. In the formal wedding ceremony, a large quantity of wine would be prepared to serve the guests. The bride would drink the Farewell Wine before leaving for the bridegroom's home. The toasting song and the traditional Tibetan dances would always make the atmosphere happier.

Tibetan Spirits Culture – Wine in the Celebration of Tibetan New Year

Local Tibetans would always prepare some barley wine for the celebration of the solemn Tibetan New Year every year. On the first morning of the Tibetan New Year Festival, the housewife would take a cup of special barley wine (brown sugar, semen juglandis, tsampa were added in) to each family member before them getting off the bed. According to the tradition, the Tibetans would not pay their new year visit on the first day of Tibetan New Year. Instead, they would stay with their family members to enjoy the delicious barley wine or Tibetan butter oil tea.

Tibetan Spirits Culture – Tibetan Toasting Song & Wine Set

The toasting song is a distinctive characteristic of the Tibetan spirits culture. Most of the toasting songs connect some praising and blessings. The guests would also create a drinking song according to the specific connotation of the toasting song. Where there is singing there is dancing. The Tibetan toasting songs are always accompanied with hilarious dancing. Hence, Tibetans could always spend a happy time in the toasting songs and dances while drinking.

The pot, glass and bowl are the most common wine sets in Tibet. Some of the tourists making a Tibet tour would always like to select an exquisite wine set as their souvenir. Some of the wine sets with exquisite religious painting are of great ornamental value for visitors.