Local traditions and culture in Tibet

Hello - Tashi delek

Good morning - Nga to delek (also used for good afternoon and good evening)

Goodbye - Kha leh phe (if you are the one leaving) or Kha leh shu (if you are the one staying)

Sorry - Gawn da

Thank you - Tujay chay

Don't mention it - Shu goyak yaw maray (responding when someone has thanked you)

Help! - Rog nang da!

King Songtsen Gampo is probably the most prominent figure in the Tibetan history, who is responsible, among other things, for the construction of the Potala Palace in the 7th century AD. The king has united Tibet and made Lhasa its capital (a move from Lalong). He is also believed to be an incarnation of Chenresing, or Avalokiteshvara (much as the Dalai Lamas). He ascended to the throne while still a boy after his father had been poisoned.

The king's other achievements include the expedition to India to devise a script for the Tibetan language, more advanced laws and the court system, introduction of silk and other artifacts, the building of Jokhang temple. The most important, however, has been the introduction of Buddhism into Tibet.

The legend most frequently told is that of his marriage. While relatively little is known of his Tibetan wife, his Nepalese wife - Princess Bhrikuti - and his Chinese Wife - Princess Wencheng - are much better represented, and their images usually flank that of Songtsen Gampo himself. The historians believe, however, that the actual list was somewhat longer!

One of the things you constantly hear in Tibet is 'The monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and subsequently restored' - this was the case for even the more famous temples and monasteries (like the Jokhang). In the 70s, when the Chinese government made an offer to the Dalai Lama to return, an investigative mission was set up to travel to Tibet and examine the conditions there. Its two trips have revealed, among other things, that over 6,200 monasteries, temples and shrines have been destroyed. It's often said that the only building to have survived intact was the Potala which was protected by the Chinese troops themselves on the explicit orders from the government of the day.

The more famous monasteries have since been restored (including Sera, Tashilhunpo, Gyantse, and the Jokhang temple), but countless smaller ones remain in ruins. The index to the guidebook lists about a 150 monasteries or so, and fewer temples and shrines - most of those are still in ruins. We've passed tens of these on our way down the Friendship Highway (despite this being the most developed part of Tibet and the one most likely to attract tourists).

That said, since mid-1980s the Chinese government has invested substantial resources in the rebuilding of the monasteries, cleaning up of the murals damaged by fire and smoke, in re-establishing the monasting communities (although these remain firmly under ideological control and any images of, for example, Dalai Lama, are banned in Tibet)

While some Tibetan buildings prohibit interior photography (most notably, Potala, Norbulingka, and Jokhang), the others are quite happy to permit you to take pictures inside provided you pay the specified fee. The fees are usually per chapel and can range from 10RMB (some of the chapels in the Sakya monastery) to 150RMB (more famous chapels of the Tashilhunpo) per chapel. The best value is probably the 10RMB fee which allows you to take pictures in all the chapels of the Gyantse Kumbum. It will sting much more if you want to video your visit - a chapel visit can cost up to 1,800RMB.

The monks generally enforce the rule quite strictly, although from what I've seen some of them may allow you to take a quick snap for free.

There are 4 main schools of Tibetan Buddhism:

- Nyingma: the oldest of the four schools, based on the Buddhist scriptures translated from Sanscrit into Tibetan (the process which has also led to the creation of the Tibetan script)

- Karma Kagyu: headed by the Karmapas, who over the centuries have been the spiritual advisors to the Chinese emperors. The Karmapa is also known as the 'Black Hat' Lama

- Sakya: the Sakya monastery abbot is the head of the order. Unlike the Dalai and the Panchen Lamas, the Sakya abbot title is hereditary.

- Gelugpa: with the abbot of Drepung as the titular head. However, it is the Dalai Lama, also of the Gelugpa order, who wields the strongest influence over the order and Tibetan Buddhism in general. The Panchen Lama is also of the Gelugpa order.

Since the 20th century the traditional religion of Tibet, Bön, has been adopted as the fifth school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Westerners are typically recommended not to carry pictures or books by Dalai Lama - any display of these is illegal in Tibet and will not be looked upon kindly by the Chinese authorities. The same applies to pictures of the original 11th Panchen Lama.

In line with the prohibition, you will not see any of their pictures on the walls. For example, the Tibetan family house we visited had only the photo of a previous, 10th Panchen Lama, and the 13th Dalai Lama. Along with a poster of Mao...

It's inevitable, however, if you travel with a local Tibetan guide, that you will be asked about Dalai Lama - whether you can show a picture, whether you heard him speak, read any books (especially if your guide is of a younger generation, as I noticed - older generation in their 50s is more careful). I found it was fine to answer questions at this point - especially if you trust the guide. For them it's often the only way to find out

Tibet’s lands have precious mines but as they believe that the soil has a soul and mining disturbs it. So, Tibetan people don’t do mining and now lots of foreign companies have mines in Tibet. You’ll see women with huge turquoises (I mean HUGE!) on their hair, gem decorated statues… I think they are all found on the ground, taken by waters etc.
Tibetan people don’t like the mountaineers for the same reason. They don’t want to disturb the nature.

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What is the exact definition of this stuff? Tibetan architecture has colorful decorations. Generally the wooden parts around the doors and windows were painted in black and decorated with all the colors of nature. Bright and powerful sun, strong winds and dust can give severe damage to decorations. I think this is why they use curtain-like fabrics over the doors and windows. The ordinary curtains inside the houses exist but also they use these exterior curtains. Their most common decoration is Shrivatsa, the endless knot. I have one with the same design.