A Study In The Ethical Significance On Celestial Burial Culture Of Tibetan

The culture of celestial burial which exists in snow-covered plateau for a history of thousands of years is a long history funeral culture of Tibetan. Even today, more than 90 percent of Tibetans still accept and implement it in Tibetan areas. Different geographical environment breeds in different national psychology and culture. Because of the religious requirements of the traditional burial customs in the vast Qinghai-Tibet plateau, it is remote and mysterious to other nations. Mystery generate association and speculation, while word or two of introduction and little knowledge of note is easily misleading. Since some people do not understand the culture connotation of celestial burial, they make improper comments on its unique ways and rituals. These misunderstandings are not conducive to national amalgamation and culture transmission, but also hurt the feeling of the Tibetan people.The culture of funeral is a reflection of social culture, but also a product of a certain role in the natural environment. Unique geographical environment creates a unique culture and there are reasons for the culture's exciting and continuing, so is the culture of celestial burial. The production of the burial culture not only adapt to the special geographical environment of the sonw-covered plateau, but also because of the Tibetan people's unique religion, ecological ethics and simple materialism. Because of the great contribution to the Tibetan's society and natural environment, its entire existence lasts thousands of years.With the purpose of disseminating national culture, strengthening national communication, thus promoting social harmony and through the ethics angle, this article focuses on the aspects, including religious ethics, environment ethics, bioethics and professional ethics etc, to discuss on the celestial burial culture. This article will argue the rationality and science of open-air burial culture, including its creation, existence and continuance. The direct result of implementing open-air burial is saving land, cleaning environment, maintaining ecological balance, protecting natural resources and it is a enlightenment to other nations who have done serious ecological damage today. Meanwhile, the open-air burial makes a significant contribution to the development of Tibetan medicine and other aspects of Tibetan society. All in all, open-air burial culture which has special significance in promoting the social civilization should be understood and respected.