Splendid Tibetan culture

 

Splendid Tibetan culture

 

Agudengba looked at the snow-capped yaks in the distance, and chatted with Lacuo about Tibetan customs and customs.

Agudemba said:

Tibet is home to many ethnic groups such as Tibetan, Qiang, Hui, and Han. Since ancient times, all ethnic groups have shared a common destiny and shared a common destiny. Their multicultural cultures learn from each other and promote each other, and their national emotions are interconnected. It is an ethnic group in the northwest and southwest regions of China. It is a major channel of integration and a major corridor of national culture.

Tibetans mainly live in Zoigai, Hongyuan, Aba, Rangtang, Markang, Heishui and other counties (cities) and in most areas of Jinchuan, Xiaojin, Li County, Songpan and Jiuzhaigou counties. Tibetans also live in Wenchuan and Mao counties. According to their respective areas of residence, they can be divided into Anduo area (pastoral area in northern Aba Prefecture) and Jiarong area (Da and Xiaojinchuan basins west of the Qionglai Mountains and along the Dadu River, Li County, Wenchuan and other areas east of the Qionglai Mountains). and Baima area (Townships such as Wujiao and Caochao in Jiuzhaigou County). According to its production and lifestyle, it can be divided into agricultural areas and pastoral areas.

Tibetans have their own spoken and written language. Anduo dialect is spoken in pastoral areas and some agricultural areas in Aba, Hongyuan, Ruoergai, Rangtang, Jiuzhaigou, Jinchuan, Xiaojin, Markang, Songpan and other places, and Jiarong dialect is spoken in parts of Markang, Jinchuan, Xiaojin, Lixian, Heishui and Wenchuan. Dialect, the Baima Tibetans in Jiuzhaigou County speak the "Baima dialect".

Tibetan has a long history and is a pinyin script. It consists of 30 letters and 4 vowel symbols. It is read horizontally from left to right. The pronunciation has certain differences in different regions. The writing form is consistent with the written language.

Tibetan was created more than 1,300 years ago and is still in use today. It has a rich vocabulary and is the first language among ethnic minorities in the country to enter the international network system of the Internet through international encoding.

Agudemba said:

Tibetans are a nation that is good at singing and dancing. The melodies of Tibetan national music are high and broad, and can be roughly divided into Buddhist music, court music, folk song and dance music, and Tibetan drama.

Tibetan folk songs mainly include "Lu", "Xie" and "Zairou". The music is high-pitched and loud, and sounds like the vast blue sky of the plateau. The tunes are melodious, and the music is based on pentatonic music. It is worth mentioning that they include all human religions, joys and sorrows, joys and sorrows, labor and love themes. The forms of singing and dancing include "Xie" and "Zhuo". Harmonies include: "Re Harmony", "Kang Harmony", "Dui Harmony" and "Aga Harmony". Dance, like music, is inseparable from singing, so "Xie" and "Zhuo" summarize all types of dance in Tibetan areas. They just have different local characteristics, but the content they express is roughly the same.

Agudumba added:

Tibetan areas mainly use cow-hair tents, which are wear-resistant, windproof, warm in winter and cool in summer, and easy to dismantle and carry. There is also a white cloth tent shaped like a "human", which is used for the elderly, young people and guests to live in, or for outings.

In winter, each household in the settlement has a winter house with a civil structure, usually one floor, divided into four or five rooms.

Tibetans in rural areas generally live in mountain villages, and their houses have different architectural features. There are blockhouses made of stone masonry, wooden houses with a bucket structure, and earth buildings made of high walls made of rammed loess. Most of the houses are three stories.

Lacuo said:

I have lived in Myanmar and Bangladesh for a long time and have had contact with Tibetans. Traditional Tibetan clothing includes robes, shirts, boots, felts, fur hats, top hats and corresponding decorations.

Agudemba said:

The differences between Amdo Tibetan clothing and Jiarong Tibetan clothing are mainly reflected in the clothing style, material texture and thickness, and patterns and decorations. Amdo Tibetan clothing is wide in style and made of thick materials, mostly leather and Pulu; women's clothing has few patterns and is simple.

Jiarong Tibetan clothing is slightly narrower in style, made of woolen cloth and laminate products, and is slightly light and thin; women's clothing has more embroidery and is bright and beautiful in color.

The Baima Tibetan clothing is self-contained. The men's clothing is single in color, only black and white. The collar and brimming hat are decorated with multi-color stripes and are made of linen and wool. The blouse is gorgeous in color and has exquisite floral decorations. The upper part is the same as the men's shirt. The same, the lower part of the dress is tied with a white waistband.

Agudumba added:

Due to differences in climate, geography and production activities, Tibetan people have certain differences in their eating habits. The Amdo Tibetan diet mainly includes tsampa, ghee, finger meat, blood sausage, dried meat, yogurt, milk residue cake, ginseng fruit cake, monk buns, milk residue steamed buns, Tibetan dumplings, noodles, fried noodles, oil Fried buns etc. Jiarong Tibetan diet mainly includes five-flavored tsampa, fire-roasted steamed buns, fried steamed buns, multi-grain rice, fragrant pork legs, pickled vegetables, etc.

In terms of marriage customs, before getting engaged in pastoral areas, the groom's family must calculate the woman's "birthday and horoscope"; when proposing marriage, an old man who is familiar with marriage etiquette and customs must be found to act as a matchmaker. There are two types of engagement ceremonies in rural areas: "Inner Lang Green" and "Outer Beer Green". "Langlv" in Tibetan means an internal ceremony, which is limited to family members; "Beerlu" means an external ceremony, in addition to family members, other members can also participate. All participants will receive a small gift.

The main burial methods include sky burial, cremation, water burial, tree burial, and earth burial. Tower burial is mostly the burial custom of monks. Whether it is the grassland pastoral area or the Jiarong area, the funeral methods are similar. No matter what kind of burial style is used, after the funeral ceremony is held, white, yellow, and red cloths should be purchased and printed with various scripture flags to save the souls of the dead and ward off evil spirits, and place them in front and behind the house of the deceased, and around the burial site. This is used to pay homage and save the souls of the dead.

The Tibetan New Year is the most important festival for Tibetans. Before the New Year, every household must make various preparations: cleaning the house, stocking up on cypress branches, frying various oily fruits, making butter cakes, etc. On the first day of the first lunar month, housewives go to the river to grab the "auspicious water". From the second day of the Lunar New Year, people begin to visit each other, pay New Year greetings, and treat each other. From the fourth to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, various temples will also organize temple fairs. During the Spring Festival in Jiarong area, entertainment activities such as dragon lantern dancing, lion dancing, and pot dancing are generally organized, and people go from house to house in the villages to pay New Year greetings. In addition, the Mountain Turning Festival, Flower Picking Festival, Yadun Festival, Yak Festival, Xianglong Festival, Zambala Festival, Zhachong Festival, Dairu Festival, Tiori, Flower Viewing Festival, Ink Painting Festival, etc. are also rich local characteristics of Aba Tibetan people. festival.

In social interactions, it is a common etiquette to greet someone and send them a khata. There are mainly two kinds of Hada: silk weaving and white linen weaving. They are available in red, white, yellow, and blue, and are generally two to three meters in length. The exquisite silk hada is woven with pictures of the eight auspicious treasures, pictures of the lotus cloud seat, blessing words, etc. Hada must be presented with both hands, and the other party must also receive it with both hands.

Lacuo and Agudengba talked a lot about Tibetan ethnic customs and folk customs.

Agudengpa sang the song "Tibetan National Style" from the Western Regions:

 

Snowy Tibetan ethnic style,

The great integration between Tibetan and Qiang people and their return to Han Dynasty,

The eagle spreads its wings and is high-spirited,

Yak roam the pasture.

 

Folk songs are loud and loud,

Buddhist music is melodious,

Can sing and dance to praise the sun,

Good weather with blue sky and white clouds.

 

The most beautiful time is hidden in the calendar year,

Every household is having fun,

Visiting each other from house to house,

Be delighted with the gift of Hada.

 

Visiting guests, attending temple fairs,

Zanba ghee air-dried meat,

Fried steamed buns with milk dregs,

There is no end to Tibetan food.

 

Village after village dances in Guozhuang,

The Yak Festival of going around the mountains to pick flowers,

Aba Tibetan people have many festivals.

The snowy land sings endlessly.

 

灿烂的藏族文化（雪域寓言）

 

灿烂的藏族文化

 

阿古登巴望着远处的的雪山牦牛，与拉措又闲聊起西藏风情和习俗。

阿古登巴说：

西藏聚居着藏、羌、回、汉等多个民族，自古以来，各民族同身共命、同气连枝，多元文化互鉴互促，民族情感互联互通，是中国西北与西南地区的民族交融大通道，也是民族文化大走廊。

藏族主要聚居在若尔盖、红原、阿坝、壤塘、马尔康、黑水等县（市）和金川、小金、理县、松潘、九寨沟县的大部分地区，汶川和茂县也有藏族。按其各自居住的地域，可分为安多地区（阿坝州北部牧区）、嘉绒地区（邛崃山脉以西的大、小金川流域和大渡河沿岸，邛崃山脉以东的理县、汶川等地区）和白马地区（九寨沟县勿角、草地等乡镇）。按其生产生活方式，可分为农区和牧区。

藏族有自己的语言文字。阿坝、红原、若尔盖、壤塘、九寨沟、金川、小金、马尔康、松潘等地牧区和部分农区通用安多方言，马尔康、金川、小金、理县、黑水、汶川的部分地区通用嘉绒方言，九寨沟县境内的白马藏族讲“白马方言”。

藏文历史悠久，属拼音文字，由30个字母和4个元音符号组成，自左至右横向读，读音在不同地区有一定区别，书写形式和书面语统一。

藏文早在1300多年前创制并沿用至今，词汇丰富，是全国少数民族文字中第一个通过国际编码，进入因特网国际网络系统的文字。

阿古登巴说：

藏族是个能歌善舞的民族。藏族民族音乐的歌曲旋律高昂辽阔，大体上可以分为佛教音乐，宫廷音乐和民间歌舞音乐以及藏族的戏剧组成。

藏族民歌主要包括有“鲁”、“谐”、“再柔”音乐高亢嘹亮，听起来就有高原蓝天辽阔的气象，曲调悠扬，是以五声为主音乐。值得一提的是它们囊括了所有人间宗教、喜怒哀乐、悲欢离合、劳动爱情题材。歌舞形式有“谐”、“卓”。谐包括：“热谐”、“康谐”、“堆谐”、“阿伽谐”。舞蹈也和音乐一样，都离不开歌唱，所以“谐”和“卓”概括了所有藏区的舞蹈种类。它们只是地方特点各异，而表达的内容大致相同。

阿古登巴又说：

藏区以牛毛帐篷为主，其具有耐磨、防风、冬暖夏凉、便于支拆驮运的特点。还有一种“人”字形的白布帐篷，供老人、青年和客人住，或出行野游之用。

冬季时，每户人家在定居点有土木结构的冬房，多为一层，内分四五间。

农区藏民一般居住在山寨，房屋建筑特点各异，有片石砌筑的碉房，有穿斗结构的木板房，还有黄土夯筑高墙而成的土楼，住房多为三层。

拉措说：

我长期生活在缅甸和孟加拉，也与藏人有接触。藏人传统藏装分为袍、衬衫、靴、毡、裘类帽、礼帽及相应装饰物。

阿古登巴说：

安多藏族服饰与嘉绒藏族服饰的差异，主要表现在服装款式、用料质地与厚薄及花纹图饰上。安多藏族服饰款式宽大，用料厚实，多为皮革与氆氇；女装少纹饰，且简洁。

嘉绒藏族服饰款式稍窄小，用料呢布和毪制品，稍微轻薄；女装刺绣较多，色泽艳丽美观。

白马藏族服饰自成一体，男子服色单一，仅黑色和白色两种，衣领及边帽饰多色条纹，以麻布、毪子制成；女衫色彩华丽，花饰精美，上部式样与男衫相同，下部连衣裙，裙面系白色围腰。

阿古登巴又说：

因气候、地理和所从事的生产活动不同，藏族人民饮食习惯上有一定差异。安多藏族饮食主要有糌粑、酥油、手抓肉、血肠、风干肉、酸奶、奶渣糕、人参果糕、和尚包子、奶渣包子、藏式饺子、面块、油炸面果、油炸馍等。嘉绒藏族饮食主要有五香味糌粑、火烧馍馍、油炸馍、多谷饭、香猪腿、酸菜等。

婚俗方面，牧区定亲前，男方家要测算女子的“生辰八字”；提亲时，要找一位熟悉婚姻礼俗的老者做媒人去说亲。农区定亲仪式有“内朗绿”“外啤绿”两种。藏语“朗绿”意为内部仪式，限家族成员参加；“啤绿”意为外部仪式，除家族成员外，其他成员也可参加。参加者都要送一份薄礼。

丧葬方式主要有天葬、火葬、水葬、树葬、土葬，塔葬多为僧人葬俗。无论是草地牧区，还是嘉绒地区，丧葬方式均相似。不管采用何种葬式，举行丧葬仪式后，要买来白、黄、红布印上各种超度亡灵、避邪挡鬼的经文幡旗，插于死者家的房前屋后、葬地周围等，以此祭奠和超度亡灵。

藏历年是藏族最重要的节日。过年前，家家户户都要作各种准备：清扫房屋、储备柏树枝、炸制各种油果子、制作酥油糕等。正月初一，主妇要到河边抢“吉祥水”。从初二起，人们开始相互走访、拜年、请客。初四到十五期间，各寺庙还会组织庙会活动。嘉绒地区春节期间普遍组织耍龙灯、耍狮子、跳锅庄等娱乐活动，在村寨中挨家挨户拜年。此外，转山会、采花节、雅敦节、牦牛节、祥隆节、壤巴拉节、扎崇节、代汝节、骀日、观花节、涂墨节等也是阿坝藏族极富地方特色的节日。

在社交中，迎来送往赠送哈达是较常见的一种礼节。哈达主要有丝织和白麻织的两种，有红、白、黄、蓝色，一般长度为二三米不等。精致的丝绸哈达，织有吉祥八宝图、莲花云座图、祝福词等。哈达必须用双手捧献，对方也须用双手领受。

拉措与阿古登巴谈起了不少关于藏族的民族风和民间习俗。

阿古登巴唱起了西域的歌《西藏民族风》：

 

雪域西藏民族风，

藏羌回汉大交融，

雄鹰展翅气昂扬，

牦牛漫步游草场。

 

民歌高吭声嘹亮，

佛教音乐曲悠扬，

能歌善舞赞太阳，

蓝天白云好气象。

 

最美时光藏历年，

家家户户闹得欢，

挨家挨户互拜年，

赠送哈达喜洋洋。

 

走访请客赶庙会，

糌粑酥油风干肉，

奶渣包子油炸馍，

藏族美食说不完。

 

村村寨寨跳锅庄，

转山采花牦牛节，

阿坝藏族节日多，

雪域欢歌唱不断。

The Legend of the Tibetan Sacred Cow

 

The Legend of the Tibetan Sacred Cow

 

The wise man Agudengba and the caravan leader Lacuo looked at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. There were several yaks walking on the snow-capped mountains.

Agudengba said to Lacuo:

Many people don't like winter very much, because most people have poor cold resistance and are very afraid of the cold. But there are animals in the world that are more resistant to cold. The animals that we are familiar with that have strong cold resistance are probably polar bears and penguins, because these two animals live in the extremely cold Arctic and Antarctic. But there is another animal in China that is more cold-resistant than polar bears. This animal is the yak. Yak is mainly distributed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In the hearts of Tibetan people, yak is a "sacred cow".

It can be said that the whole body of the yak is a treasure. The Tibetan people cannot live without it for food, clothing, housing, transportation, and farming. People can drink yak milk, eat yak meat, and even cow dung can be used to make fires. Yak hair can be used to make clothes or tents, which can withstand severe cold, and its skin is a good material for tanning.

In plateau areas, yaks can also be used for farming and as means of transportation on the plateau. In plateau areas, yaks are indispensable "livestock" and people cherish them very much. It is said that there are nearly 16 million yaks in the world, of which China has more than 15 million, making it the country with the largest number and variety of yaks in the world.

Lacuo said:

This yak is full of treasures, but it is easily frightened, rough and wild, so be careful when coming into contact with it.

Agudemba said:

You're right. A bullfighting competition is held in Bailang, Bailang County, Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet. This is an annual bullfighting festival and traditional national sports event. I once attended a bullfighting festival.

It was on the Jiangxiong Grassland in Zhexiaxiang, Bailang County, Shigatse Region, at an altitude of more than 4,500 meters. The strong breeding yaks were draped in silk and satin. Amid the cheers and blessings of the audience, the participating yaks held a traditional entrance ceremony in turn, and then The competition is conducted in a single elimination format. Some of these battles determine the outcome in an instant, while others last for more than 20 minutes. The final winner becomes the "Yak Supreme" on Jiangxiong Grassland this year.

Tibet is the hometown of the yak, and many pastoral areas hold yak racing events every year. This organized bullfighting in Bailang County is unique and is the highlight of the Bailang Bullfighting Festival.

It is said that the Bailang Bullfighting Festival appeared during the reign of Songtsen Gampo in Tubo. At first, it only held the "counting sheep heads" activity of shepherds comparing their wealth. Later, as time went by, the scale of the activities became larger and larger, and the content became more and more rich. , gradually formed today's traditional national sports festival mainly featuring yak fighting.

The strongest and roughest breeding cow in each herd is the "seed player" who charges into battle, and a dozen other cows and calves are responsible for "emboldening and cheering" the breeding cow. The competition adopts a single-elimination system, with 8 cattle herds divided into 4 groups, and the winning 4 breeding cattle are drawn by lots for the semi-finals and finals.

In the semi-finals, two breeding cattle were preparing to go to the "battlefield", covered in brocade silk and satin, panting heavily surrounded by cows and calves, with a heroic spirit. The host and helpers were not relaxed either. Their necks were hung with auspicious hadas, and while they sprinkled tsampa, they made "ho ho" sounds to drive them away.

After a while, the two bulls suddenly rushed towards each other, with their four horns pressed together, and their eyes widened with anger. Amid the cheers of the audience, the winner of the game was indistinguishable, and the battlefield was rising. The dust moved from one end to the other, forcing the audience to scream and retreat.

After a few minutes, one of the bulls finally couldn't bear it anymore and ran away. The crowd burst into cheers, and the owner of the other bull jumped with joy.

Breeding yaks usually fight for dominance in the herd. The loser often never recovers from the fall, and the winner becomes the "Yak Supreme" of that year. When the bullfighting competition was the largest, there were more than 30 participating bulls, and the most intense fight lasted for nearly an hour between two bulls.

Agudengba said to Lacuo:

Bailang Bullfighting Festival also holds traditional national sports such as "Wuerduo" target shooting and sandbag holding from time to time.

In addition to the yak racing activities that are popular throughout Tibetan areas, in the Huarui area, there are also cultural and entertainment activities based on the white yak, a rare breed in the world, such as hymns and dances. According to historical records, the origin time of the White Yak Dance is said to be in Tubo or in the 17th century AD. The White Yak Dance can be performed by 4 people, 6 people, or 10 people at most.

The White Yak Dance is actually a reflection of the ancient traditional culture of the Tibetan people. It shows the spiritual realm of the Tibetan people's harmonious coexistence with nature. In their minds, the white yak is considered a constellation in Tibetan myths and legends. White can purify the soul and bring happiness. Therefore, the aura of God and the spirit of the snow-capped mountains were fused together and attached to the white yak, thus forming a unique white yak culture.

The primitive yak existed in the Pleistocene more than three million years ago and was widely distributed in northeastern Eurasia.

The yak is one of the unique and rare cattle species centered on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China and adjacent to the alpine and sub-alpine alpine areas. The yak is called Yak in Tibetan, and is commonly known as "yak" in the world, which is the Tibetan transliteration. The yak's sound is like the sound of a pig, so it is also called a pig sounding like a cow. In Western countries, it is also called Tibetan cattle because it is mainly produced in the Tibetan areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The yak's tail is like a horse's tail, so it is also called horse-tailed ox.

From ancient times to the present, the Tibetan people's totem worship of the yak has continued to develop and evolve, but it has never died out. It has become a sustenance for the Tibetan cultural spirit.

According to Tibetan historical documents: Nie Tri Zanpu, the son of the God of Heaven, descended from the sky and became the ruler of the Yak Tribe of Tubo. In the history of Tibetans, there have been customs such as enshrining bull-headed statues and enshrining bull heads on walls and roofs. To this day, yak skulls can be seen everywhere in Tibetan areas, including houses, wall corners, mountain passes, bridges, mani stone piles and temple altars.

Tibetans believe that the cow head is the host of the cow's soul, a symbol of the entire yak spirit, and a sign of the dignity and power of the god. Various yak patterns can also be seen in Tibetan religious art and folk crafts, and bull head masks are worn to perform sacred cow dances during religious sacrifices and ritual activities, etc., which all prove that the historical customs of yak totem worship are deeply rooted in the cultural life of the Tibetan people. . The yak totem is the soul of Tibetan culture.

Agudengba looked at the snowy yaks in the distance and sang a snowy song "Snowy Sacred Cow":

 

Yake, Yake, Yake,

Yak, Yak, Yak,

The yak is the snowy sacred cow of our plateau.

 

Nie Chi Zanpu, the son of the god, descended from the sky,

What he does is to be the yak master of Tubo.

From now on we worship the image of a bull-headed man,

Yak skulls are enshrined on the walls and roofs.

 

Yaks take advantage of alpine grassland forage resources.

It has strong adaptability to the ecological environment,

Yak is resistant to cold and hard work in the face of thin air.

Live calmly and comfortably in harsh conditions.

 

We believe that the cow head is the host of the soul,

This is also a symbol of the entire yak spirit,

It is also a sign of the dignity and power of the gods.

The yak totem is the soul of Tibetan culture.

 

Yake, Yake, Yake,

Yak, Yak, Yak,

The yak is the snowy sacred cow of our plateau.

西藏神牛传奇（雪域寓言）

 

西藏神牛传奇

 

智者阿古登巴与马帮领队拉措望着远处的的雪山，雪山上有几头牦牛在散步。

阿古登巴对拉措说：

很多人都是不怎么喜欢冬天，因为大部分的人抗寒性比较差，所以很怕冷。但世界上却有抗寒性比较厉害的动物，我们熟悉的抗寒能力强的动物，应该就是北极熊和企鹅了，因为这两种动物都是生活在极度寒冷的北极和南极的。但是在中国还有一种抗寒能力比北极熊还强的动物，这种动物就是牦牛，牦牛主要分布在青藏高原地区，在藏族人们心中牦牛可是“神牛”。

牦牛可以说全身都是宝，藏族人民衣食住行烧耕都离不开它，人们可以喝牦牛奶，吃牦牛肉，就连牛粪都可以用来烧火。牦牛的毛更是可以做衣服或帐篷，可以很好的抵御严寒，并且它的皮是制革的好材料。

在高原地区，牦牛还可以用于农耕，并且又可作高原运输工具，在高原地区牦牛是不可缺少的“家畜”，人们对于牦牛是非常珍惜的。据说全世界现有牦牛近1600万头，其中中国有1500余万头，是世界上拥有牦牛数量和品种类群最多的国家。

拉措说：

这浑身是宝的牦牛，却比较容易受惊吓，并且粗暴、性野，所以接触时要小心一点。

阿古登巴说：

你说的没错。在西藏日喀则地区白朗县白朗举行斗牛比赛，这是一年一度的斗牛节和民族传统体育活动。我曾经参加过一次斗牛节活动。

那是在在海拔4500多米的日喀则地区白朗县者下乡江雄草原上，强壮的种牦牛披绸挂缎，在观众的欢呼和祝福中，参赛牦牛依次举行传统的入场仪式，然后以单淘汰的方式进行比赛。这种角斗有的瞬间分出胜负，有的则持续20多分钟，最后的胜者成为本年度江雄草原上的“牦牛至尊”。

西藏是牦牛的故乡，很多牧区每年都会举办赛牦牛活动，白朗县者下乡这种有组织的斗牛则是独一无二的，也是白朗斗牛节的重头戏。

据说，白朗斗牛节出现于吐蕃松赞干布时期，最开始只举行牧人比富的“数羊头”活动，后来随着时间的推移，活动规模越来越大，内容也越来越丰富，慢慢形成了今天以斗牦牛为主的民族传统体育节日。

每个牛群中最强壮粗野的种牛是冲锋上阵的“种子选手”，其他十几只母牛和小牛负责为这只种牛“壮胆助威”。比赛采取单淘汰制，8个牛群分成４个组，胜出的4只种牛再抽签进行半决赛和决赛。

在半决赛中，准备上“战场”的两只种牛披着锦绣绸缎，在母牛和小牛的簇拥下呼呼喘着粗气，一副舍我其谁的英雄气概。主人和帮手也不轻松，他们脖子上挂满了吉祥的哈达，一边洒着糌粑，一边发出“嗬嗬”的驱赶声。

没一会儿，两只种牛突然冲向了对方，四只牛角死死地顶在一起，瞪大了的牛眼充满了愤怒；在观众的加油声中，比赛难分胜负，战场在扬起的尘土中从这一头转到了那一头，逼得观众惊呼连连、不断后撤。

几分钟后，其中一只种牛终于扛不住，扭头落荒而逃，人群中爆发出一阵欢呼声，另一头种牛的主人会高兴得跳了起来。

种牦牛通常以角斗来争夺在牛群中的支配地位，失败的一方往往从此一蹶不振，胜出者则成为当年的“牦牛至尊”。斗牛比赛规模最大时曾有30多个参赛牛群，最激烈的一次两只种牛斗了近1个小时。

阿古登巴对拉措说：

白朗斗牛节还不定期地举行“乌儿朵”打靶、抱沙袋等民族传统体育项目。

除了整个藏区普遍盛行的赛牦牛活动外，在华锐地区，还有以世界稀有畜种白牦牛为题材的文化娱乐活动，如赞歌、舞蹈之类。据史料记载，白牦牛舞的起源时间有吐蕃说，也有公元17世纪说。白牦牛舞有4人表演、6人表演的，最多的由10人表演。

白牦牛舞实际上是藏民族古老传统文化的反映，它展示了藏民族与自然万物和谐共存的精神境界。在他们心目中，白牦牛，在藏族神话传说中被认为是天上下凡的星座。白色能净化心灵，带来福祉。所以就将神的灵气、雪山的精神融合在一起，附着于白牦牛身上，由此形成了独树一帜的白牦牛文化。

原始牦牛在距今三百多万年前的更新世生存，广布于欧亚大陆东北部。

牦牛是以中国青藏高原为中心，及其毗邻高山、亚高山高寒地区的特有珍稀牛种之一，牦牛的藏语叫雅客，世界通称为“yak”，即藏语译音。 牦牛叫声像猪鸣，所以又称猪声牛。西方国家因其主产于中国青藏高原藏族地区，也称西藏牛。牦牛尾如马尾，所以又名马尾牛。

从古至今，藏民族对牦牛的图腾崇拜，在不断发展和演化，但从没有消亡，它已经成为藏民族文化精神的一种寄托。

据藏族历史文献记载：当初天神之子聂赤赞普从天而降，做的就是吐蕃的牦牛部主宰。藏人史上就有供奉牛头人身像、墙上和屋顶供奉牛头等习俗。至今，藏区屋宅、墙角、山口、桥旁、嘛呢石堆和寺院祭台上仍处处可见供奉的牦牛头骨。

藏人认为，牛头是牛灵魂的寄主，是整个牦牛精神的象征，也是神灵尊严及威力的标志。藏族宗教艺术和民间工艺中，也可以看到各种牦牛图案，宗教祭祀和法事活动中佩带牛头面具演示神牛舞蹈等，均证实牦牛图腾崇拜的历史风俗根深蒂固地留存在藏民族的文化生活中。牦牛图腾为藏族文化的灵魂。

阿古登巴望着远处的的雪山牦牛，唱起了一首雪域歌《雪域神牛》：

 

雅客，雅客，雅客，

Yak，Yak，Yak，

牦牛是我们高原的雪域神牛。

 

天神之子聂赤赞普从天而降，

做的就是吐蕃的牦牛部主宰。

我们从此就供奉牛头人身像，

墙上和屋顶供奉牦牛的头骨。

 

牦牛利用高寒草地牧草资源，

对生态环境具有极强适应性，

牦牛面对空气稀薄耐寒耐劳，

在恶劣条件下生活坦然自如。

 

我们认为牛头是灵魂的寄主，

这也是整个牦牛精神的象征，

也是神灵尊严及威力的标志，

牦牛图腾是藏族文化的灵魂。

 

雅客，雅客，雅客，

Yak，Yak，Yak，

牦牛是我们高原的雪域神牛。

Tibetan funeral customs

 

Tibetan funeral customs

 

When it comes to Tibetan funeral customs, people always talk about sky burials that surprise the world. Sky burial is the most common funeral custom in Tibetan areas. The simplest way to put it is to "send the corpse to the cemetery to feed the eagles." That is to say, the body of the deceased is eaten by vultures.

When the wise man Agudengba and the caravan leader Lacuo chatted about sky burial with Tibetan Buddhist characteristics, Agudengba said: In fact, there are many Tibetan burial methods, and not all of them adopt sky burial.

Agudemba said:

There are five Tibetan burial methods, namely sky burial, water burial, cremation, earth burial and tower burial. The most common is funeral culture, which is a complex of multiple idiosyncratic cultures in human-created social activities related to death. Its content involves physical objects, beliefs, psychology, ethics, morals, and art, and has been extended to form Such as hospice care, will culture, death education, death concept, funeral customs, funeral culture, burial culture, sacrificial culture, funeral economy, funeral technology and other related activities.

Agudengba told Lacuo about the Tibetan tree burial custom:

In some areas of Tibet, you can see various small boxes hanging on the trees on the banks of the intersection of three rivers. These boxes are tied along the trunks, ranging from 50 cm to 80 cm in length, with different shapes, but They were all sealed. Some have 4 or 5 small wooden boxes hanging on a tree, while others only have 1 or 2, which look like beehives built by beekeepers. This is tree burial.

Earlier funerals used wooden boxes, but now some use plastic boxes or buckets instead, and some even use a strong cloth bag tied to the treetops.

If a child under the age of 13 dies, the family will put the child's body in a fetal curled-up position, put it in a birch bark barrel or a small wooden box, and the lama will hang it in the dense woods at the confluence of the two rivers on a day chosen by the lama.

The location of the tree burial is very strict. First, it is at a T-junction or crossroads. Secondly, it is at the intersection of two or more rivers. Thirdly, the selected tree must grow on the grass dam in the center of the intersection or the intersection of two rivers. The tree must Strong and tall, with lush branches and leaves.

If the child mortality rate is high at home, people hang wooden boxes at high places. After the death of a baby girl, they usually hang it at the bottom of the tree. Some cremate the body and put it in a clay jar before hanging it on a cedar tree.

This approach may seem unacceptable, but to the locals, it symbolizes the deep love for the deceased and the hope of family prosperity. They believe that tree burial can help the dead child always have someone to accompany him. The river is the mother's milk, flowing continuously into the child's heart, just like returning to the mother's arms. It can be reincarnated and ascend to heaven as soon as possible, and it can also prevent the next child from encountering mishaps.

Lacuo said to Agudengba:

Water burial is a custom in India and Bangladesh, and it should be the same in Tibet.

Agudemba said:

Tibetans do have the custom of water burial.

Water burial is actually an older burial method in the world, which involves throwing the body of the deceased into rivers, lakes and seas. In Tibetan areas, the concept of water burial has many similar views to the ancient Bon religion. For example, throwing the corpse into the water to feed the fish is a sacrifice to the river god. In the legendary story about the cannibalism of the river god, it is required to throw boys and girls into the river regularly every year to prevent the river from flooding. This is the same example of offering sacrifices to the river god.

The formation of water burial was mainly due to religious factors. Later, the descendants of Buddhism had some similarities with the sect's theories, so they preserved them.

In some Tibetan areas, people who die from infectious diseases are buried in water. Oxen are used to carry the corpse to the riverside, where the lama chants sutras and beats drums to save the soul.

The water burial platform is usually located on a high bank by the river or on the bushes in front of the water burial platform. After a person dies, he is moved to the high bank by the river, and then the body is thrown into the river for water burial.

Water burials include whole corpses and dismembered corpses. Some bundle the corpse into a ball, put it into a wooden basin and other objects and throw it into the river. Some break the corpse into pieces and throw it into the river. Amidst the lama's prayers, the body was cut into pieces and then thrown into the roaring river. The fish then swarmed and gathered in front of the water burial platform to grab food.

Agudengba said to Lacuo:

In addition to sky burials, water burials, and tree burials, Tibetans also have a funeral culture called pagoda burials. Pagoda burial means placing the remains of eminent monks and living Buddhas in a pagoda.

A long time ago, after the death of an eminent monk and living Buddha, his body was first cremated and then buried in a pagoda. Pagoda burial is one of the funeral customs of Tibetans in China. It is the most noble, highest treatment and highest standard burial style among Tibetans. It is also called pagoda burial.

When eminent monks or living Buddhas pass away, the internal organs of the body are taken out through the mouth or anus, treated with spices, and then enshrined in a gold, silver, copper, wood or clay pagoda according to their status.

It is said that after Sakyamuni passed away, his disciples cremated Sakyamuni's body and formed many bright, colorful and unbreakable five-color beads, called relics. It is called "Rensai" in Tibetan, which means something that lasts forever. And they were buried in the "Eight Great Spirit Pagodas" for worship.

Since Buddhist believers worship Sakyamuni Buddha and cannot worship his true body, they turn to the pagodas where the Buddha's remains are buried to show their piety and belief. Such pagodas are called "spiritual bone pagodas". Commonly known as "Buddha".

From the end of the 10th century to the beginning of the 11th century, the remains of Guge King Yixiwo and Milarepa's teachers Marpa and Tsongkhapa, as well as Gongga King Yichel, were all buried in this way.

Buddhist believers regard the stupa as the stupa where the Buddha is located. Later, King Asoka established the Buddha and built 84,000 stupas, which became a prosperous place.

In the 1790s, after the death of the fifth Dalai Lama, the construction of the "Ling Pagoda Hall" and Buddhist hall in the Potala Palace in Lhasa began. The hall is divided into three floors, and the walls are painted with murals of the deceased's activities during his lifetime. The "spiritual pagoda" consists of a "tower base", a "tower bottle" and a "tower top". Made of red hardwood, covered with gold sheets and inlaid with pearls and jade, it is extremely luxurious and gorgeous. Later, the pagoda halls of the 7th to 13th Dalai Lama were successively built next to this pagoda hall, with varying sizes.

The pagoda hall of the 13th Dalai Lama, built in 1936, is the latest pagoda burial building in Tibet.

Agudengba sighed:

According to Tibetan Buddhism's pagoda burial custom, only high-ranking living Buddhas who have passed away are eligible for pagoda burial, while ordinary monks and even minor living Buddhas can only be cremated or buried in the sky. This has become a custom.

Lacuo was speechless and said nothing more.

Agudengba looked at the snow-capped mountain pagoda in the distance and sang a song "Lighting the Blessing" composed by the eminent monk Xindao:

 

Every time I visit a Buddhist holy place,

I will go around the tower and light lanterns to bless you.

I pray that all monks and monks will make progress in their spiritual pursuits,

Good health and achievements in Buddhist studies;

I pray that all the believers will be well and prosperous,

Pray for world peace and no disaster.

 

The disciple who was accompanying me asked me curiously,

Why do you go to the Holy Land every time?

Just light up a lamp every chance you get?

I told him that during the time of Buddha,

Ananda once asked the Buddha a question:

What was the origin of Analu’s previous life?

So that he can obtain the heavenly eye in this life?

Buddha said that he was once a thief,

He went to the temple to steal property,

When he saw the lights in front of the Buddha,

The lights will soon go out,

He then used his sword to straighten the wick of the lamp.

The lights returned to brightness.

He felt the power of the Buddha lamp.

How could I have any reason to steal?

From then on, he gave up the idea of stealing.

Gradually get rid of the original habits,

With increased blessings, you can also meet Buddha.

And he became a monk and became an Arhat,

His divine eye sees everything clearly.

 

Analu still lights up blessings,

All can achieve extraordinary results,

Not to mention lighting lamps in front of the Buddha to make offerings to people,

The merit will be infinite.

Lighting a lamp in front of the Buddha can extinguish a thousand years of darkness.

Increase immeasurable intelligence and accumulate merit.