What are the folk customs and taboos of the Tibetan people?
It is important to know the local customs and taboos when touring in Tibet. The Tibetan people practice many forms of social etiquette. Presenting hada is most commonly seen – on weddings, funerals, festive occasions, and when visiting an elderly or a respected person, or paying respects to Buddha. Tibetans do not address people directly by their name. Usually they attach an honorific. In Lhasa, for example, people use the suffix “la.” In xigaze, the prefix “Agyi” or “Ajog” is attached to a man’s name. On meeting an elderly or respected person, Tibetan take off their hats and bow, holding their hat just a few inches above the ground. On meeting a peer, they merely lower their head a little, and take off their hat to hold at their chest. When visiting a local family, a guest will be offered highland barley wine by the host, into which he should dip his fourth finger and then flick, three times altogether. The three drops of wine are meant for worshipping heaven, earth and Tibetan ancest
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