The Tibetan culture
Structure Tibetan
The architecture of the transhimalayan houses:
these houses are made up of 1 or several
brick and stone stages, have
flat roofs and rectangular windows.
This method becomes the basic architecture of
each construction. In the 17th century, the famous
Potala palace is the most representative example
of this architecture.
The first temples were build in the 7th century (Jokhang).
The Tibetans appreciate the
festivities.
The most important festival is the new year or “Losar” in Tibetan. It is held over 3 days and comprises a mutlitude of rituals, popular and monastic. Three days during which the Tibetans eat, drink, present their wishes, make offerings and pray.
Other festivities less important are also held during the year, like the festival Saga Dawa, which celebrates Bouddha, or the festival of harvest.
There can’t be festival without calendar; the
Tibetan calendar is somewhat different from ours. Indeed, the Tibetans months are shorter, which forces the Tibetans to carry out some calculations in order to catch up with the Western calendar.
If you plan to go Tibet, it would be also important to know the do’s and don’t, the
rules of courtesy to be respected. Some will sound familiar and others a little less.
Among the most familiar ones: don’t point your finger to anything or anyone, or be lightly dressed in the monasteries. Among the most exotic ones: to avoid stepping over people or certain objects.
Another important aspect of the Tibetan culture is the
medicine, extremely different from the Western medicine.
The Tibetan Medicine, which is of more than 2500 years old, uses primarily the plants and the minerals. It refers to the
Four Tantras, created in the 8th century by the famous doctor Yutok Yonten Gonpo.
Tibetan Mandala
The Tibetan Art is also expressed through the mandalas.
Some mandalas are illustrated of some kind of labyrinth (which represents the
hard tests of life), whose center represents the point to
to reach: nirvana or “past beyond the suffering”.
Some mandalas are made of yak butter and others are made of sand
to show that nothing is eternal.
The Tibetan language, as you undoubtedly know, is very different from the Western languages, it’s written using signs.
More than 6 million people speak it.
