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 | Monday, April 24, 2000, updated at 18:17(GMT+8) | ||||||||||||
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Tibetan Customs Respected and ProtectedEvery morning, groups of Tibetan religious believers carry out the "turning the wheel" activity on a Lhasa avenue. This is part of the daily life which is free from any restrictions.Butter tea, highland barley wine, bright-colored Tibetan costume and white auspicious hada, or kha-btags, make outsiders feel the salient ethnic characteristics and the strong feature of the snow-capped region. Various types of residential houses such as cave-dwellings on Ngari Plateau and wooden structures in southeast forest areas are scattered in the snow-covered mountains and grasslands. The colorful scripture streamers fluttering over the roofs make the landscape more magnificent. In its thousands of years of history, Tibet has formed its unique customs and habits in the aspects of costumes, food, housing, marriage, etiquette and funeral. Since ethnic regional autonomy was practiced, Tibet's economic and social power has been obviously enhanced. Tibetans fully enjoy the achievements of modern civilization while maintaining their traditional customs and habits. The New Year of Tibetan calendar is the grandest and busiest festival in Tibet. From December 29 to 3rd of the Tibetan calendar, Tibetan families enjoy local food, exorcise ghosts, wear new clothes, visit relatives and friends and watch the horsemanship performances, full of the New Year atmosphere In addition, in every Sa-ga zla-ba (anniversary of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death on April 15 of Tibetan calendar), the Festival of Turning the Wheel of the Law on June 4, the Sour Milk Drinking Festival on July 1, the Seance Festival on September 22, etc, Tibetans can freely celebrate their festivals according to their own tradition. To respect and protect the local customs of Tibetan people, the legislation and administration organs of the Tibet Autonomic Region list traditional festivals such as the "New Year Festival" of Tibetan calendar and the Sour Milk Drinking Festival and other traditional festivals as the autonomous region's festive holidays in addition to the national legal festivals and holidays. Tibetans have their own choice for the funeral method. The Tibetan language and characters are in common use throughout the Region. The decisions, regulations and decrees passed by the NPC and the formal documents and announcements issued by the governments of different levels are written in both Tibetan and Chinese languages. The primary and middle schools in Tibet generally use both Tibetan and Chinese languages for teaching. Many scholars of Tibet Nationality use their own language in writing and publishing their academic achievements and literature works. Basang Wangdu, head of the Nationality Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences of Tibet Autonomic Region, said that the customs of Tibet nationality have always been respected and protected by the government. Tibetans are free from any restrictions in clothing, eating, the use of the Tibetan language and celebration of festivals.
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