In
the centre stands a magnificent thickly snow clad mountain, which
represents the great nation of Tibet, widely known as the Land
Surrounded by Snow Mountains.
Across the dark blue sky six red bands spread representing the
original ancestors of the Tibetan people: the six tribes called
Se, Mu, Dong, Tong, Dru and Ra which in turn gave the [twelve]
descendants. The combination of six red bands (for the tribes)
and six dark blue bands for the sky represents the incessant enactment
of the virtuous deeds of protection of the spiritual teachings
and secular life by the black and red guardian protector deities
with which Tibet has had connection for a very long time.
At the tip of the snow mountain, the sun with its rays brilliantly
shining in all directions represents the equal enjoyment of freedom,
spiritual and material happiness and prosperity by all beings
in the land of Tibet.
On
the slopes of the mountain there proudly stand a pair of snow
lions blazing with the manes of fearlessness, which represent
the country's victorious accomplishment of a unified spiritual
and secular life.
The beautiful and radiant three coloured jewel held aloft represents
the ever-present reverence respectfully held by the Tibetan people
towards the Three Supreme Jewels (the Buddhist objects of refuge:
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).
The two coloured swirling jewel held between the two lions represents
the peoples' guarding and cherishing the self discipline of correct
ethical behaviour, principally represented by the practices of
the ten exalted virtues and the 16 humane modes of conduct.
Tibetan
is spoken by about 1 1⁄2 million people in Tibet. Another
3 million speakers live in the Chinese provinces of Szechwan,
Tsinghai, and Kansu. Additionally about one million people in
Nepal speak Tibetan as a second language.
Of the major languages of Asia, Tibetan has the most in common
with Burmese. The two languages belong to the same branch of the
Sino-Tibetan family. The Tibetan alphabet dates from the 7th century
A.D. It is based on the Sanskrit, having been adapted by a Tibetan
minister sent to study Sanskrit in Kashmir.
Tibetan
is an ancient nationality. According to historical records, early
before the Qin and Han dynasties, the ancestors of the Tibetans
gathered along the banks of the middle reach of the Brahmaputra.
Due to the vast grasslands and lush pastures, sheep, goat and yak
were easily fed and stock breeding gradually became their main economic
support. They also engaged in agriculture and highland barley, a
grain that is the material of zanba and ghee. Wheat, peas and canola
are also planted.
Zanba, mutton and beef are the staple food of Tibetans. In some
areas, rice and noodles are also a regular part of the diet. Tea
with butter or milk, sour milk and cheese are the favorites of all
Tibetans.
Tibetans
have their own language and letters. The wide use of Tibetan language
promotes the economic and cultural exchange between the Tibetan
and their neighbors. Tibetans also have their own calendar. The
exact date for the new year changes every year but its mostly around
the months of February and March. The Tibetan New Year for 2004
was on February 21st. The period from the 10th century to 16th century
was the golden age of Tibetan culture. Tibetan art has a dual character:
on the one hand, it seems related to Indian art, with its artistic
patterns and stress on deep red, blue and green; on the other, it
is distinctively Tibetan, different from both the East and the West.
Herders of yaks, sheep, and goats and farmers of barley, peas, and
tubers, the Tibetans sparsely inhabit a high, desolate region surrounded
by mountains and barricaded on the east by the canyons of the Yangzi,
Mekong, and Salween Rivers. The advent of Buddhism in the seventh
century led to a theocratic state. Serfdom was abolished, government
secularized, communes established and mechanized agriculture and
other modernizations begun. Surface transportation is as yet rudimentary.
They are part of the Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman ethno linguistic
group.
The
English word "myth" comes from the Greek word "mythos"
which means
word or story. Humans have used myths to describe or explain things
that they couldn't have comprehended otherwise. Questions like:
why
do the seasons change?
where did the first human beings come from?
or
why does the sun travel across the sky?.
Myths
served as the basis for rituals by which the ways of humanity and
those of nature could be psychologically reconciled.
Myths are an important part of every society, including our own.
Without at least a basic understanding of a cultures myths it's
impossible
to fully understand that culture because myths express a societies
beliefs
and justify it's institutions, customs and values.
Early
Tibetan literature was
heavily influenced by Shamanism,
Buddhism
and
Confucianism. The early literature, which began as an oral tradition,
depicted a love of nature and man and held that man was a part of
nature. Good was rewarded and evil was punished and values like
loyalty to the King, filial piety, respect for one's elders, true
friendship and chastity were emphasized.
Dancers
from Yushu Prefecture performing at the summer
Khampa festival, which attracts Tibetans from all over eastern Tibet.
Tibetan
New Year (February or March)
It
is the greatest festival in Tibet. In ancient times when the peach
tree was in blossom, it was considered as the starting of a new
year. Since the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027
A.D., the first day of the first month became fixed as the new year.
On the New Year's day, families unite " auspicious dipper"
is offered and the auspicious words " tashi delek" are
greeted.
Saga
Dawa Festival (May or June)
It
is the holiest in Tibet, there memorable occasions coincide on this
day, Buddha's birth and Buddha's enlightenment. Almost every person
within Lhasa join in circumambulating round the city and spend their
late afternoon on picnic at " Dzongyab Lukhang" park at
the foot of Potala.
Gyantse Horse Race & Archery (May or June)
Horse
race and archery are generally popular in Tibet, and Gyantse enjoys
prestige of being the earliest in history by starting in 1408. Contests
in early times included horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop
followed by a few days' entertainment or picnicing. Presently,ball
games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, barter trade
are in addition to the above.
Changtang
Chachen Horse Race Festival (10 August)
As
the most important festival in North Tibet during the golden season
on the grassland,thousand of herdsmen throng to Nakchu riding fine
horses,and carrying the local products.They form as city of tens
south of Nakchu town. There will be thrilling horse race, archery
and demonstrations of horsemanship. Songs and dance troupes from
all part of Tibet will add to the fun.
Shoton
Festival ( August)
It
is the opera festival and the greatest festivals in tibet.In ancient
times pious folks went into mountain hermitages for penance, and
on the last day of which yogourt was served for meal followed by
entertainment of folk songs and daces. Since 7th century, opera
performances were held for days in Norbu Lingka. Presently, opera
contests and distribution of prizes are held for seven days.
Harvest
Festival (September)
The
farmers in Lhasa, Gyantse and Shannan to celebrating their summer
harvest in this time. During that time, people enjoy with horse
racing games, costume fashion show, songs and dance, archery and
picnic etc.
Bathing
Week (September)
It
is believed when the sacred planet Venus appears in the sky, the
water in the river becomes purest and cure deseases. During its
appearance for one week in the sky, all the people in Tibet go into
the river for bathing.
Kungbu
Traditional Festival (November of December)
Long
long ago,when Tibet was in danger of large scale invasion, the Kongpo
people sent out an army to defend their homeland.It was in September
and the soldiers worried that they might miss the New Year,highland
barley wine and other good things.So people had the Tibetan New
Year on 1st October ahead of time.To memorize those brave soldiers
Kongpo people present three sacrifices an stay up at night from
then on. And now it has become the Kongpo Festival for entertainment
like Kongpo dancing, horse race, archery and shooting.
Tens
of thousands of Tibetans and visitors flocked to
the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital
Guoxie
(meaning "village" in Tibetan) is a group dance popular
in rural areas of Tibet. The participants dance hand in hand and
sing in rotation. The dance is often seen in villages, on open squares
and threshing grounds. At festivals people dance and sing from sunset
to sunrise. They mark the rhythm by stamping their feet.
Guoxie is performed to a 2/4 beat with the stress on the first beat.
The steps are steady and vigorous, characterized by a marked tempo
and a strong sense of people's labour and life. The underlying characteristic
of the dance is the expression of collective enthusiasm and joy.
This dance is found everywhere in Tibet, but the most renowned version
is found in the Shannan area. The form is largely as follows:
At festivals men and women stand hand in hand in two lines around
a big vat of highland-barley wine placed on open ground. The two
groups first sing and walk from left to right in a circle. When
they finish singing, the xieben, or organizer of the dance, leads
in shouting, "Xiu, xiu, xiu, xiu," and starts the dance
with rhythmic steps. This rhythmic shouting is called xiege in Tibetan,
or "beginning of the song," which is followed closely
by quick-tempo singing and dancing. The two lines of men and women
compete in their dancing. After repeated dancing the xieben leads
in shouting, "Xiu, xiu, xiu, xiu," or sings alone while
the others dance to his tempo. This part of the dance is called
xiexiu, or finale.
Xiege thus is both the beginning of the song and the initial dance
steps to shouts of "Xiu, xiu, xiu, xiu," or "Ci,
ci, ci, ci." The dancers' shouts are very similar to "One,
two, three-- everybody dance!" As many people participate in
Guoxie and it usually does not have any instrumental accompaniment,
it is hard to attain uniform dance movements. Xiege is designed
to arouse people's enthusiasm and get them moving together. Xiexiu,
the finale, is usually the climax of the dance. Xiege sparks the
participants' enthusiasm in their concluding climatic dance steps.
A solo popular in the Shannan area goes, "Ah, jia, hei! Nowhere
else on earth can match our beautiful homeland. No house is as comfortable
as my house. No other young people are as happy as we are, and no
other people are as lucky as we are." The people dance during
the solo, then shout in chorus, "Xiu, xiu, xiu, xiu,"
to conclude the dance.
Water
has the properties of soaking and descending
Fire both heats and moves upward
Wood allows it form to be shaped into straight and curved pieces
Metal can be melted, molded and then hardened
Earth provides nourishment through sowing and reaping
