tea manners in Tibet

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. You are recommended to know certain table manners when being a guest in a Tibetan family if you can arrange yourself a family visit during your Tibet tours. In this article I’d like to tell you something about the tea manners in Tibet. Generally, the Tibetans drink the butter tea and if you are a guest in a Tibetan family, the hostess will take out her treasured and luminous looking china bowl and put it before you; then, she shall hold tea pot up and shake slightly for several times (bottom of the teapot is below a table). After the butter tea is poured into the tea bowl, it would be carried with both hands presenting to you, at the same time the hostess would bow to you. You are not supposed to drink it at once when you have just got it from the hostess. You should blow the floating oil slowly, and take several sips till half of it left in the bowl. Put the bowl onto the table. The hostess is going to fill it up and you can’t take it immediately but are supposed to sip it slowly and keep taking with her. After drinking each time, bowl is to be filled up soon so as to keep it full. Generally, you need to drink three bowls. When drinking, do not make any noise. Not even drink it up, otherwise, it will be regarded as ill breeding. You are supposed to leave a little tea in the bowl which represents that there shall always be enough tea and wealth. Now, do you want to have some tea in a Tibetan family? You may not be sure as how to travel to tibet, listen to me, you can have a Tibet travel by air or by taking the train to tibet, in any way, it is feasible and convenient. By the way, you should apply for the tibet travel permit first before your tours to tibet.