Why do Mongolians love to offer khata? What other customs do they have?

The offering of a hata is a sign of purity, sincerity, loyalty and respect from the other side. It is said that Tibetans enter the temple gate, have to offer a Hada, and then worship the Buddha, to visit the halls, sit with, to the time of parting, but also in their own sat at the back of the seat put a Hada, in order to show that although people leave, but the heart also stay here.

Hada is a ceremonial item. Offering Hada is a traditional ritual of Mongolian people, and it is necessary to use Hada for worshipping Buddha, offering sacrifices, marriage and funeral, paying New Year's greetings as well as showing respect to elders and honored guests. In the nomadic economy of the ancient Mongolians, in the way out, often to carry milk food, milk wine or other dry food, encountered a passer-by, regardless of whether they know each other or not, should take the initiative to talk, greetings, and exchange food with each other. With the passage of time, slowly developed into a set of barter customs. Later, the custom of exchanging snuff bottles and Hada was developed.

Hada, for the Tibetan translation.

Hadar is a Tibetan transliteration of "ceremonial scarf". Fangzhi "Mongolia - two volumes" in the cloud "the so-called Hada, silk. Or silk, or white, or blue, length varies, about one foot five inches or one foot two inches long, both ends of the plucked silk, about half an inch Xu, its length depending on the recipient grading." Hada length varies, embroidered on the "eight treasures" "cloud forest" and other patterns, patterns symbolizing happiness and good luck.

On the origin of the Hadar, there are a variety of existing testimonies. But the custom for the Tibetan rituals for people recognized. In the middle of the sixteenth century, Tibetan Buddhism was introduced into the Mongolian region, Ordos accepted the Tibetan Buddhist monks in the hands of the Hadar, as an indispensable item of daily rituals, and passed down from generation to generation. According to the Travels of Marco Polo: "On the New Year's Day, in the provinces and kingdoms under the rule of the Great Khan, the dignitaries who own territories or hold jurisdictions have paid tribute to the Great Khan in the form of gold, galactic gems and other precious gifts, and they should be accompanied by a white cloth, which means that they blessed His Majesty, the Emperor, with unlimited longevity, abundant wealth and inexhaustible enjoyment." It can be seen that the offering of Hada has an auspicious meaning.

Hadar is made of silk and cotton cloth. Length is usually about 5 feet, width varies. There are several feet wide, ten feet long big Hadar, generally used on special occasions, the color of green is more, because it is the color of the sky respected by the Mongolians, which is different from the Tibetan Hadar ceremonies, Tibetan Hadar is mostly white, influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, Ordos Mongolian also have a small amount of use of silver-gray, white, yellow, blue, and other colors of the Hadar, Hadar to silk for the material, generally white, light blue and yellow. Hada is made of silk, generally white, light blue and yellow. There is a certain etiquette for offering Hada. To the elders, the dedicatee slightly bent forward, hands cupped over the head, to the generation, hands raised to each other. For the younger generation, generally put the hatha on the neck. If the recipient of the Hadar is an elder, he or she can be seated to receive the gift; if not an elder, he or she must stand to receive it, and in general, the recipient of the Hadar should return the received Hadar to the host by reversing the folded mouth.

According to Mongolian etiquette and custom, wherever we meet for the first time, we must first exchange the khata. The length, quality and method of honoring depends on the identity of the recipient and the proximity of their relationship. In the old days to the princes and statues of Buddha to offer Hadar, to kneel down with both legs, both hands raised above their heads; to the honored and elders to offer Hadar, the body leaned forward slightly, both hands raised above their heads, to the recipient of the seat in front of and under the feet, in the dedication of the Hadar must be folded up, folded seam toward the elders. Otherwise, it is a breach of etiquette; for the peers, the khaddar is delivered to the other's hands or wrists; for the juniors and subordinates, the khaddar is tied around their necks.

The offering of Hada is the Mongolian people ushered in, gifts, festivals and daily exchanges in the indispensable etiquette, the offering of Hada this expression of solemnity, generosity, sincerity, they use this way to express their own welcome to guests and friends and love. Sometimes dedicate hata also recite a variety of auspicious words of praise, to render the atmosphere of respect. Now some of the tourist areas in Inner Mongolia, most of the way to welcome guests with the dedication of the Hada, but in the dedication of the law is often some discrepancies, for example, the Hada directly on the neck of the tourists, which is not right, because with the Tibetan custom is different from the Mongolian in the dedication of the Hada must not be hung on the neck. This practice was a custom of the religious community in the past, but that could only be tied for children. So, if you as a tourist, you must not be misled by this wrong practice, and correctly accept the Mongolian etiquette, you will really appreciate its cultural heritage.