What are the customs in Tibet?

A variety of folk customs of folk houses

Living has long existed in human life. However, the formation of residential folklore, especially the construction of artificial houses, is later than the early life of human beings. Humans have gone through the historical stages of burrowing, nesting and living room. The story of monkeys turning into people, which is widely circulated among Tibetan people, involves monkeys playing in fruit trees for food and finally turning into people, which may be a reflection of Tibetan ancestors nesting. According to unearthed cultural relics, Tibetan ancestors mastered building technology in Neolithic age. Karuo in Changdu discovered the Neolithic settlement sites four or five thousand years ago, among which there are many houses with grass mud walls and pebble walls. The wall thickness is 25 ~ 30 cm. Yellow-brown soil is left at the joint of the wall. There are pillars around the house and a pit in the middle. There are stone roads and pits outside the house. It can be seen that human beings lived in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at that time and mastered certain production skills.

The story of "Seven Brothers of the Big Dipper" is circulated among Tibetans. In ancient times, the seven brothers in the East cut down trees and moved stones overnight to build tall buildings for the people to live in. Later, these seven brothers were invited to heaven to replace Gai Lou, the god of heaven, and they became the Big Dipper. This story shows that in the process of fighting natural disasters, people in Xizang is constantly improving its building technology and life style. When Nie Yongzampa, the leader of Tubo I, arrived, he built the first palace "Yongbulakang" in the Yalong River Valley, which stood on the top of a hill with dangerous terrain. After that, Zampa built a series of palaces, such as Qinggandazi and Potala. According to the concept of illusory world in Buddhist teachings, Chisong Dêzain built the first large-scale Samye Temple with complete Buddhism, Buddhism and Wang Baosheng. The traditional Tibetan housing types and structural features have formed a basic scale and form.

In pastoral areas, cattle hair tents are widely used as housing. Herdsmen spun yarn from cattle wool, woven into strips of coarse wool cloth called Ridi, sewed into two large rectangular tents, and then connected the two large tents with 10 buckles to form a tent. Tents in pastoral areas are generally square and supported by eight pillars. One end of dozens of ox hair ropes is tied to the top of the tent, and the other end is tied to a wooden branch about a foot outside the tent, which makes the tent smooth and stable. The tent area is generally 20 square meters, and the top height is about 1.7 meters. There is a gap at the top of the tent with a width of 30cm and a length of 3m, which can ventilate, smoke and dissipate heat when opened, and protect against wind and rain and keep warm when closed. There is a traction rope on the tarpaulin in front of the tent, and the door is supported by wooden poles. When the weather is hot, the door is high and the tent is cool and comfortable. Although this kind of tent is simple, it is twisted and spun from cow hair, with thick texture, wear resistance, no fear of wind and rain, no fear of snow and freezing, and easy to disassemble and transport at any time, which is suitable for herders to live by water and grass.

Tents in pastoral areas are generally black. There are prayer flags in front of the tent. There are small boxes and cabinets on one side of the tent facing the door, and sleeping mats on both sides. Near the center, the stone is buried in a pot as a stove, and tea and milk are often cooked on it. There are buckets and various animal husbandry tools by the door, and fresh or air-dried beef and mutton or a string of milk powder are hung under the tent. Build walls around the tent with straw cakes or cow dung cakes to increase shelter from the wind. There are many wool ropes nailed to the outside of the tent to tie cattle and sheep. Not far from the tent door, a mastiff unique to Tibetan pastoral areas is usually tied to protect family and livestock.

According to the traditional custom, the guest comes to the door and the man sits on the right, which is called the "guest seat"; On the left is the female seat, which can also be called the "kitchen room".

Flat-roofed houses are the most common in agricultural areas in southern Tibet. According to "Tibet Tongzhi": "Before and after hiding everywhere, the houses are flat-topped." Ordinary people live on one floor, with simple structure and stone walls. In the past, beams were used as the skeleton. The cross-section of the wooden column is circular, square barrels and supporting wood are added to the stigma in turn, and then wooden beams are placed. The rafters on the beams are covered with branches or short sticks, and the tops are covered with stones and mud. Some houses are compacted and leveled with local weathered "Aga" soil to prevent rainwater leakage. Horseshoe-shaped bungalows in rural residential areas generally face south. The roof is surrounded by 80 cm retaining walls, and the buttresses stand at four corners. During the Tibetan New Year, branches are inserted into each crib, and each branch tip is decorated with colorful wind and horse sutra flags. The Tibetan calendar is usually changed once a year to show good luck. There is an incense burner in front of the house, which is auspicious and auspicious, burning incense and offering sacrifices. There is a small Buddhist shrine above the gate, in which there are ten pictures and texts marking the integration of tantric gods and their altars to show that they pray for avoiding evil. Almost all flat-topped houses have walls. In the layout of traditional houses, there is a hall in the middle and bedrooms on both sides. The kitchen is close to the bedroom and the toilet is far away from the two corners of the house. The windows of the house have eaves, and the eaves are folded with colored squares, which can not only protect the windowsill from being wet by rain, but also increase the beauty of the house. The doors and windows of the house are decorated with black paint on both sides, which is particularly eye-catching against the white wall. Houses in rural areas are generally equipped with production tools stacking rooms, forage storage rooms and sheepfold cowshed.

Manor buildings in rural areas are very tall and gorgeous, and some are as high as 5 or 6 floors. The owner of the manor lives on the highest floor, with large glass windows facing the sun on three sides. The warm sunshine in winter shines into the room, which is very warm; In summer, you can enjoy the surrounding green fields and Woods. Vivid and detailed patterns are carved on the lintel, beam, forehead and stigma. There is a hall, a living room, a bedroom, a housekeeper's room, a storage room and so on. There are cloisters on three sides in front of the building to form a courtyard. There are large and small kitchens in the yard, rooms for domestic slaves and "Langsheng", and workshops for spinning wool and twisting yarn. Stables, sheepfolds and cowsheds are generally separated from the yard and located in the backyard.

In the forest areas in eastern Tibet, most villages are on the gentle slopes in the mid-levels and people use local materials to build wooden houses. The roof slopes are covered with shingles and the walls are made of overlapping logs. Irregular cobblestone walls are common in cloth areas. Houses are generally divided into two floors, with sawn ladders up and down. Most people live upstairs and raise livestock downstairs. The main entrance is the kitchen sink, and the central building is about 1 square meter. The whole family usually eats around the kitchen pond to keep warm. The bathhouse is the center of family activities. Tourists also sit in the kitchen drinking tea and chatting.

Generally, the housing of urban residents is mostly apartment-style flat-topped houses. This flat-topped house is a civil structure, and the 50 cm thick wall is made of regular stones (this thick stone wall has the characteristics of warm in winter and cool in summer). The roof structure and the decoration of doors and windows are similar to the flat-roofed houses in agricultural areas, which have strong national characteristics. The architectural layout is: there are buildings on all sides, with a garden in the middle. 10 families can live in a house. Each household has 2 ~ 4 houses, plus a kitchen; A well in the hospital has public water; There are public toilets on both sides of the house, and urban residents generally like to grow flowers. There are all kinds of flowerpots on the windowsill. Bloom in spring and summer. Colorful, the whole yard is full of flowers.

The temples in Tibetan areas are large in scale and luxuriously decorated. The main hall is towering into the sky, towering and towering, the palace roof is resplendent and magnificent, the cloister is curved and the sill is quiet and spacious. Some temples are located in Shan Ye, facing the mountain and the source, and the buildings are stacked one after another. There are many murals, carved beams and painted buildings in the temple, which are typical masterpieces of Tibetan architectural art. Tibetan hospitality custom

Tibetan people are hospitable. When entertaining guests with highland barley wine, first fill the glass with wine and serve it to the guests. At this time, the guest should hold the glass in both hands, then put the middle finger of the other hand into the glass, dip it lightly, and flick it with the thumb and middle finger to show respect for the gods. Next, they will come to worship Buddha for the second time and the third time respectively. This traditional habit is to remind people that the origin of wine can not be separated from the generosity of the Buddha, so we should worship the gods before enjoying wine. When the host greets the guests, he will not only dip his hand in the wine three times, but also catch some highland barley in the grain barrel and throw it into the air three times.

When drinking, the agreed custom is: take a sip first, and the host will fill the glass immediately, then take the second sip, then fill it up, then take the third sip and then fill it up. In the future, you have to drink a full glass of wine at one go. In this way, the host will feel that the guests respect him very much, and the more the guests drink, the happier the host will be. It shows that the master's wine is well brewed. When Tibetans toast, male guests usually use large cups or bowls, while female guests use small cups or bowls.

When drinking tea, guests must wait for the host to bring the tea to them before reaching for it, otherwise it will be considered impolite. Pay attention to eating when you are full, don't chew aloud, don't drink aloud, and don't be picky about food. When entertaining guests with mutton, a piece of meat with a tail at the lower part of the sheep's spine is the most expensive, so it should be given to the most respected guests. When making, leave a lock of white hair on the tail meat to show good luck. Tibetans living on the roof of the world have unique customs and taboos.

When receiving guests, whether sitting or talking, you should put the guests or elders first and use honorifics, such as adding the word "la" after your name to show respect and kindness, and avoid calling them by their first names. You should bend your knees and smile when welcoming guests. Sit indoors, cross-legged, don't straighten your legs, point your feet at people, and don't look around. When accepting a gift, you should take it with both hands. When giving gifts, bow your head and raise your hands above your head. When offering tea, toast and cigarettes, offer them with both hands and keep your fingers away from the bowl.

Tibetans are absolutely forbidden to eat donkey meat and horse meat, and dog meat is the most taboo. Any utensils containing these meats will no longer be used. They think that eating the meat of these animals is unclean and sinful, and they can't ascend to heaven after death. Some areas don't eat fish either. The shepherd's preference for horses is full of totem worship of primitive religion. They think the horse is a symbol of the road god. If you don't eat its meat, milk it or use its skin, it will naturally reproduce and die.

When Tibetans are not cooking, it is forbidden to shovel pots, push stoves and sit on stoves.

When toasting, guests must shoot a little wine into the air without touching their ring fingers for three times in a row to show their sacrifice to heaven, earth and ancestors. Then take a sip gently and the owner will fill it up in time. Take another sip and fill it up. Take three sips in a row. When you fill it for the fourth time, you must drink it all at once. This is the established rule, otherwise the host thinks the guest is impolite and looks down on him.

Don't eat, bite or drink water loudly when eating. When drinking butter tea, the host pours the tea, and the guest can only take it if the host holds it in front of him. Unfamiliar men and women are forbidden to rub and eat Baba in the bowl. Buckles are forbidden to be placed in bowls and cups, because only the bowls and cups of the deceased are placed with buckles.

On the first day of the Tibetan calendar, it is forbidden to sweep the floor, eat stuffed food, cry, swear or quarrel, and say unlucky words such as "empty", "no disease", "pain", "death", "poverty", "don't" and "unlucky", which are considered as bad omen for the whole year. Don't borrow things from others during the Spring Festival, for fear that you won't be rich all year round.

The biggest taboo of Tibetans is killing. When slaughtering in winter in pastoral areas, shepherds feel sorry for those sex animals and can't bear to start. Therefore, the western slaughter method is to use a big needle to pierce the viscera from the back to minimize the pain of the slaughtered sheep; In the central pastoral areas, sheep's mouths are tied with ropes and suffocated. Shepherds think it is not advisable to kill people with knives. Oppose killing wild animals.

It is forbidden to spit behind your back and slap others in the face. Women can't shake their skirts in front of people, thinking that they will bring misfortune to each other. When you meet religions such as temples, manidui and stupas, you must go around from left to right, thinking it would be a sin to go in the opposite direction. When crossing the top of a mountain, you can't make a sound, otherwise it will lead to snow and hail.

You can't throw bones into the fire, thinking that it will attract ghosts. Avoid whistling at home. Because you only whistle when you send ghosts. There are patients at home and visitors are not allowed. Don't take out the garbage at night. After dark, white things can't be taken out of the house to avoid the outflow of wealth. After the death of a loved one, it is forbidden to hold a happy event and sing and dance for 49 days, so that the deceased can ascend to heaven quietly.

Don't cross the vessel and brazier; Warp tubes and wheels shall not be reversed; Don't touch your head with your hands. Tibetan marriage customs

In Tibetan areas, young men and women are mostly in free love, and parents, relatives and friends generally do not interfere. As for the way of seeking love, there are different places, either bright or dark. Some express their feelings with songs and express their feelings to each other; In some places, girls will be robbed of hats, rings, headscarves and so on. If a girl doesn't want to be with her, she can ask directly or through the client. If you are silent, or speak frankly when you meet, you are willing to make friends. With the consent of the girl, the young man can go out with the girl. With frequent exchanges, the feelings of the two sides deepened, and they exchanged tokens and expressed their feelings to their parents. Only with parents' consent can they send dowry and agree on the date of marriage. In some farming and pastoral areas, the marriage of young men and women is generally "the fate of parents, the words of matchmakers." The young man took a fancy to a girl, so he asked someone to bring wine, hada and the like as a matchmaker. When the woman agrees to get married, she drinks and accepts gifts. Otherwise, the marriage is over. After the woman agreed to get married, the matchmaker took the wine to the woman's house to talk about dowry. The amount of dowry varies, but generally it should not be too much to avoid being discussed by neighbors and relatives. If the dowry has been given, you can choose an auspicious day according to the birthdays of both men and women to prepare for marriage. In some areas, the custom of private agreement between men and women is prevalent, but it has gradually decreased in recent years.

The day before the wedding, the man sent a wedding messenger and matchmaker to the woman's house to marry the bride with wine, hada and other things. That night, the woman's family baptized the girl and dressed herself. The next day, the bride finished worshipping her family gods, ancestors and parents, and the bridesmaid helped her get on the horse. The bride married the bridesmaid in tears, and then set off with relatives, matchmakers and wedding envoys. Before the bride and her party arrived at the man's house, the man sent someone to set up a road mat not far from home to toast.

When the bride comes to the door, the man spreads a new white carpet sprinkled with highland barley and wool in front of the bride's horse, and presents Hada and a toast to the matchmaker and the farewell party. Women help the couple dismount, wash the bride's face with milk and make charcoal with vinegar to clean the body and dirt, eliminate disasters and avoid evil spirits. After the introduction, the Lama chanted prayers, and the bride and groom worshipped heaven and earth, family gods and parents. After the ceremony, the bride enters the bridal chamber and the guests enter the banquet. Banquets in eastern agricultural areas are mostly located in sheepfolds. People sit on the floor, drinking milk tea and eating avocados. In some areas, guests are offered food and laughed at. Because it is a custom, the guests don't mind at all. After dinner, a thank-you ceremony was held, and the woman presented her mother-in-law with "nine hairs to save her" (hand-sewn cotton gown).

Finally, the host and guest drank warm wine, and the singers of both sides showed their singing skills and sang and laughed all night. From the next day, the man's family took turns to treat guests and give gifts for three or two days.