Jiuzhaigou is predominantly Tibetan, are there any customs to be aware of?

The Tibetan people hospitality, with barley wine to entertain guests, the first in the cup full of wine, served to the guests in front of the guests, this time, the guests to use both hands to receive the cup, and then one hand to hold the cup, the other hand's middle finger into the cup, dipped gently, with the thumb and the middle finger towards the sky a pop, meaning the God of the sky, then, and then the second, the third, were to honor the ground, to honor the Buddha. This traditional custom is to remind people that the origin of wine is inseparable from the generous gifts of heaven, earth and Buddha, so before enjoying wine, it is necessary to honor the gods first. In addition to dipping their hands in wine and playing it three times when greeting guests, hosts should also grab a bit of barley in the grains bucket and throw it into the air three times.

When it comes to drinking, the agreed custom is: first drink a mouthful, the host immediately pours wine to fill the cup, then drink a second mouthful, then fill it up again, then drink a third mouthful, then fill it up again. After that, one has to drink the full glass of wine in one gulp. Only by doing so did the host feel that the guest looked up to him, and the more the guest drank, the happier the host was. The more the guest drinks, the happier the host will be. It means that the host's wine is well made. Tibetan national toast, the male guests generally use a large cup or bowl, to female guests with a small cup or bowl.

Drinking tea, the guest must wait for the host to hold the tea in front of the hand to reach over to drink, otherwise considered rude. Eating is not full of food, chewing no sound, drink no noise, picking food does not cross the plate. Hospitality with lamb to the lower part of the sheep spine with the tail of a piece of meat is expensive, to honor the most respected guests. The production of the tail meat, but also to leave a lock of white hair, in order to show good luck.

II. Tibetan dietary etiquette and taboos

Tibetans are a very ceremonial people. Pure and simple folk customs, courtesy and humility, respect for the elderly and love for the young, honesty and non-deceit is a pure and good manners passed down from ancient times. Dunhuang ancient Tibetan Wennan, in the account of the history of the Tubo the first generation of Zanpou from the sky as the Lord of the world, so depicted the Tibetan land and folkways: "in the center of the sky, the center of the earth, the heart of the world, the snowy mountains and all the rivers of the source of the mountains, high soil cleanliness, the region of the beautiful, the people know that for the good, the heart of the heroic, the customs of the pure and simple ... ... ...to bend their backs as a sign of homage, to top their feet as a salute, and to speak to their superiors with respectful words ......". Dunhuang ancient Tibetan literature, there is a long ethical literature specializing in treating the superior to receive, deal with the cultivation of "etiquette questions and answers to write the volume", put forward the way of man, the way of politics, the way of friends, the way of the son of a wide range of ethical relations. For example, in describing the way of being a human being, the Writings of the Scrolls says:

"My brother asks: What is the way of being a human being? What is not the way to be a man?

Brother Yun: the way to be a man is to be notarial, filial, amiable, meek, compassionate, not to be angry and repay kindness, to know shame, and to be prudent and diligent.

While I am not smart and clever, if I have these things, all people will be satisfied and my relatives will be happy. The way of the non-doer is partiality, violence, frivolity, shamelessness, ingratitude, lack of sympathy, irritability, pride, and laziness. If you have these faults in your body, no one will be pleased with you."

The Sixteen Pure Laws formulated by Songtsen Gampo include filial piety and respect for parents, respect for virtue, respect for elders, sincerity and love for relatives and friends, and integrity and non-deceit as important contents, and have had a profound influence on the formation of ethical and ceremonial customs of the Tibetan people.

The dietary etiquette of the Tibetans profoundly reflects the ethical spirit of the Tibetans. In normal times, family members and neighbors get along with each other, respect the old and love the young, and treat people with honesty. The family brewed a good wine, the first wine "Qiang batch" (wine new chang - phud) to honor the gods, first by the old man to taste. Every year, new grain is harvested, and tasting the new grain is also the "patent" of the old people. Daily family meals, distributed by the housewife spoon food, the first is for the elders sheng, and then the whole family gathered around the fire to eat, happy. Tibetan people are very hospitable, hospitality, hospitality, if there are guests and friends to the door, will pour their all, come up with good wine, good tea and good food hospitality.

Tibetan tea and wine drinking rituals and customs. Usually at home to drink tea with their own tea bowl, can not just use the bowl of others. Drinking tea, the bowl of tea can not just drink dry, but to drink half or half, full and then drink, the end of the last tea can not all drink dry, but to leave a little, that tea never drink, wealth, meaning quite deep. If the guests come, the hostess will take out the collection of polished shining porcelain bowl placed in front of the guests, pick up the teapot gently shaking several times (the bottom of the pot shall be lower than the desktop), poured full of ghee tea bowed after both hands to the bowl to the guests. Guests to receive tea can not rush to open their mouths to drink, but slowly blowing away the floating oil, sipping several times after the bowl left about half of the bowl, the tea bowl on the table, the hostess will be renewed full of guests can not immediately pick up on the drink, but in the master again and again under the side of the master with the master pulling the conversation while slowly sipping. Guests will drink tea every time after the host will soon be filled, so that the tea bowl to maintain a full state. Guests to, generally need to drink tea 3 bowls, only drink 1 bowl is unlucky, Tibetan proverb: "a bowl into hatred!" Drinking tea must not be out of "sigh, sigh" sound, not to drink the bowl of tea, otherwise it will be regarded as uneducated.

Tibetan drinking rituals and customs are extremely rich. Every brew new wine, must first "wine new" to honor the gods, and then follow the "order of seniority" of the ancient teachings of the first to the home of the eldest to toast, after which the family can drink. During festivals, weddings or gatherings of many people, wine is usually first offered to the respected elders, and then toasted in the clockwise direction. The person making the toast should generally hold the glass with both hands above his head and offer it to the recipient, especially to the elders. The recipient of the first two hands to receive the cup, and then held in the left hand, and then the ring finger of the right hand gently dipped into the cup of wine, popped into the air, and so on three times, some of the mouth but also read out softly, "Zaxi Dele Pingsong Tso ......" and other auspicious kind of toast, and then drink again. Then drink. Playing wine three times is the sky, earth, God's worship and prayers to the Buddha and the Sangha three jewels.

Drinking alcohol can not drink, but to follow the "Songzhen Shada" (gsum - sgron - zhobs - dag) "three mouths a cup" system. After the gsum is played to honor the gods, the recipient should take a sip of the gsum, the gsum giver refills the cup, and the recipient takes a third sip to fill up the cup and then drinks the gsum in one go. The one who does not have a drop of wine left is the one who is most sincere. Party drinking wine vessel is everyone *** with, can drink together, its Guandi can be regarded as a family, pro with hand and foot, so drinking can not be divided into wine utensils, or be regarded as outside or look down on. In the past, butchers, blacksmiths, burial masters and other so-called engaged in the "lower professions" are generally not with everyone *** with a glass of wine, they always bring their own bowls and cups, each drinking alone.

When there is wine, there is song, and when there is drinking at a party, song is essential. When making a toast to others, the person making the toast usually has to sing a drinking song. If he does not sing, the recipient may refuse to drink. When the drinker offers wine and the recipient takes the glass, he or she can ask the drinker to sing a song. Sometimes the toaster poured a cup of wine, walked to the guests before the start of the song, sung halfway, and then the glass of wine, singing the song and then fulfill the wine ceremony and drink. In many areas, the system of wine penalty is also popular, generally divided into "Angle Qiang" (mgyogs--chang), "over Qiang" (vgor--chang), "for Qiang" (thigs--chang), "for Qiang" (thigs--chang), "for Qiang" (thigs--chang), "for Qiang" (thigs--chang), and "for Qiang" (thigs--chang). (thigs--chang) and other forms. The so-called "Jiaoqiang" means quick drinking, that is, before the toastmaster finishes singing the song, the drinker will drink the wine in the cup too quickly in advance. It is considered impolite not to have wine in the cup when singing the song, so a bad penalty is imposed. The so-called "over Qiang" means slow wine, that is, after the toast has been sung, the drinker has not finished drinking the wine in the cup, which is regarded as a slow response, and is also penalized. "Daiqiang" means dripping wine, that is, in the toast to sing the song, the drinker also happened to drink the wine in the cup, but in the bottom of the cup there is still a little wine, even if it is a few drops, but also to be punished. It was considered a sign of disrespect or insincerity to the drinker, and such a person was punished. Those who do not know how to drink, so to speak, are not usually forced to drink, and there are very few people in Tibetan society who do not know how to drink. If someone secretly pours out the wine after the toastmaster has sung the sprinkling song, it will be regarded as an act of extreme rudeness, and will incur the punishment that comes with it. The above punishment is for the drinker. If the toastmaster sings a song with the wrong lyrics or forgets the lyrics, etc., he or she is also penalized with a drink. Sometimes, if the drinker sings an excellent song, the drinker can take the glass and offer the drink to the drinker in return, which is called "leqiang" (legs--chang), meaning good wine, indicating appreciation of the drinker's singing, and the people present will unanimously ask the singer to drink the good wine. Toward the end of the drink, if the wine vessel is poured into the wine cup, just full, it is a sign of great fortune. Often there are still a few drops of wine left in the vessel, so they are poured into the hand and wiped onto one's head, which is thought to bring good fortune and good luck. Drinking wine brings endless fun to people who gather together. People will try to create all kinds of opportunities to make the other person fall into a trap and make him drink more or sing more drinking songs.

Tibetan drinking songs are melodious and beautiful, and their contents are mostly blessings and praises. Toast people sometimes sing and dance, voice and emotion, there is also that sing, witty and humorous.

Either you drink,

or you sing.

Between drinking and singing,

You can pick one,

Listen, Princess Wencheng,

Drink, Rumpo Kawa.

Either drink or sing, one or the other. The song also features Princess Wencheng, the most beloved of all Tibetans, and the famous minister Gar Dongzan Wisong, who will surely raise his glass and drink.

We are gathered here,

praying never to part.

Blessed are those who gather,

and forever free from disaster and disease.

This is a widely circulated drinking song that can be heard throughout Tibet. The lyrics of the song are simple but full of deep feelings, showing the people's expectation and cherishing of the gathering, and expressing the people's desire and deep blessing for a better life free from diseases and calamities.

The Tibetan dietary taboos are countered by taboos on certain types of food and on pots and pans.

In terms of eating meat, the Tibetans taboos are more. General people only eat beef and mutton, and never eat horse, donkey, mule, dog meat, some people even chicken, pork and eggs are not consumed. Fish, shrimp, snakes, eels and seafood, in addition to some of the towns and cities residents (mostly young people) a small amount of food, the vast majority of agricultural areas and special areas of the masses generally do not eat. Rabbit meat can be eaten in some places, but pregnant women are not allowed to eat it, and it is said that the children born from the forbidden food will become open-mouthed. Even if you eat beef and mutton, you can't eat the fresh meat slaughtered on the same day, you must eat only after a day. The day slaughtered meat called "Ningxia" (meaning "day meat" nyin - sha), people believe that livestock has been slaughtered, but its soul still exists, must be a day after the soul will leave the body. To birds, mountain chicken Tibetans never prey, especially such as "Lacha Gongmu" (lha-bya-gong-mo) such as the snow mountain chicken Tibetans regarded as a sacred bird, taboo hunting.

In the meat taboos, taboo on fish is more complex, taboo on food and closely related to the region. In the eastern region of Tibet, people almost do not eat fish, and can not touch the snake, frogs and other animals, that fish, frogs, these aquatic animals are pets of the Dragon God, if the injury or touching will be infected with disease. People generally believe that Tibetans do not eat fish is affected by the Buddhist concept of non-killing due to the eastern region of Tibet does not eat fish but has a long history and ancient traditions. Chamdo Karo site near the Lancang River, so far rich in fish, but not in the site found fishing hooks, fish markers, net pendant and other fishing tools, also did not find fish bones. This phenomenon is intriguing. Therefore, archaeologists hypothesize that the residents of Karuo (i.e., the ancient ancestors of the Tibetan people in the east of Tibet) had the habit of using fish as "forbidden food" (Taboo Food), and the concept and custom of not eating fish was further strengthened after the introduction of Buddhism, so that the residents of the east of Tibet do not eat fish to this day.

Then, the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin and the three river basins in eastern Tibet, the situation is very different. The largest tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Lhasa River basin of the Qugong Neolithic site found people engaged in fishing and hunting production of net pendant, and fish bones. Another tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Niyang River basin and the Yarlung Tsangpo River at the confluence of the Jumu site, Yunxing site, Hongguang and Galama sites and collection points have been found in the fishing net pendant, such as the Jumu site collected three pieces of net pendant. Nets are made of flat gravel. There are two types, one type will be flat gravel side into two notches; the other type will be flat gravel around into four notches." This phenomenon shows that the Tibetan hinterland area of the Yarlung Tsangpo river basin within the vast area of the Tibetan ancestors were engaged in fishing and hunting production activities, the prevalence of fish-eating practices.

The Tibetan custom of eating fish and frogs varies from place to place and from time to time. Many Tibetan leather books have recorded an interesting historical fact in the history of Tubo Wangtong. According to history, the 29th generation of Zanzhong Ning De Ru married Tabu land (Tabu is an ancient place name, today's Shannan Sangri to the east of Gacha and Linzhi Lang County area) woman Qin Sa Lu Jie for the King Consort, gave birth to a son of a terminology name McLong gun Bazaar. Wangfei first came to look good, then increasingly haggard and old. Zanpu asked the reason why the princess said she could not eat the hometown of a kind of food so ugly and old. Zhan Pu asked her to prepare this food quickly. Princess was ordered to go back to her hometown, fried many frogs to bring back to the palace, hidden in the inner library, take and eat, and soon glowing, beautiful as before. Zhan Pu thought this food has such a great effect, also want to take food, while the princess is not in the treasury to check, found that the food is the original ghee fried frogs, enough to fill a few bags. Zangpu violated the taboo, suffered from leprosy. Finally, Zanpou and consort husband and wife live into the grave, buried in the place of the Elephant and Castle. There is a poem that says: "The tomb of King Zhongning is in Xiangda, named Round Tomb of Living Burial." King and consort into the tomb, urged the prince to offer good "Nimbusangwa" of the miraculous treasure, please famous doctors to open the vital eye to take charge of the country's politics. The prince followed his advice and invited a famous doctor to cure his eye disease. When he opened his eyes, he saw ibex running on the opposite side of the Tiger Mountain, so he named his eyes "Dari Nins", (meaning "Tiger Mountain sees ibex"). Dari Ninsi (also translated as "Dari Ninsi", "Dari Ninsi", etc.) is the 30th generation of the famous Zangpo, that is, Songtsen Gampo's grandfather.

From this record, the Tibetan snow at that time, the customs of different places are big differences, Tabu area residents are still fish and frogs for food, Shannan Qiongjie, Zedang area of the fish have a taboo (at least in the Tubo royal family is so). However, until recent times and modern times, there have always existed fishermen and fishing villages in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin of Tibet, such as Shigatse, Lhasa, and Shannan, which make a living by fishing, and the local residents also eat fish in certain seasons. Today, the Weizang area of towns and cities in the inhabitants of sub-persons to eat fish, while the vast agricultural and pastoral areas, especially in the eastern region of Tibet people almost do not eat fish, shrimp food.

In the dietary taboos, Tibetans have more taboos about eating garlic. Garlic as a condiment usually people also eat, but if you want to go to worship the Buddha pilgrimage to the sacred place is absolutely not eat garlic, avoid eating garlic after the stench of staining and smudging the holy place. Some people say that the day of eating garlic can not go to the Buddha temple, some people say that it takes three days to go, and some believe that "after eating garlic, seven days should not visit temples, monasteries and other holy places. This is because it takes time in order to get rid of the bad odor of garlic." Some people of devout faith hardly eat garlic.

The Tibetans have a sacred reverence for the fire hearth, believing that there is a god of the hearth in the fire pit. Need to be careful to wait, never blasphemy offend the stove God, otherwise it will bring disaster. Strictly forbidden to cross the fire, taboo to spit in the fire, burn bones, fur and other things in the stove. The fire pit should be kept clean, and no unclean things should be put beside the fire pit; when sitting beside the fire pit, one should not rest one's feet on the fire pit; garbage should not be put into the fire pit to be burned when cleaning the garbage, and it is also taboo to grill meat directly on the fire. When pedestrians go out, they need to pray to the god of the stove for protection. In the wilderness with three pieces of stove stone built stove, also need to clean up when you leave, each piece of stove stone on a small amount of tea or food, in order to show that the God of the stove offerings. It is taboo to urinate, defecate and fart next to the stove stone, otherwise it will anger the god of the stove and lead to sores on the genitals of the violator or even extinction.