Tibetan Gift Exchange Etiquette In Qinghai

Etiquette of gift exchange and the principle of mutual benefit have been significant interests of national and international academic studies. Scholars have given brilliant expositions from the angels of social status, power, and reputation etc that exist in the nature of gifts and gift exchange. In terms of research results, scholars in China have achieved significant contribution which has laid a solid foundation for the future study. Yet, previous studies have not paid attention to the Tibetan etiquette of gift exchange. Therefore, this paper takes the custom of gift exchange in Chikain Tibet as a case to do a comprehensive analysis and study of the Tibetan etiquette of gift exchange.The paper takes gift exchange custom in Chika as a center of study, makes a comprehensive and detailed exposition about the process of gift exchange in Chika such as exchange khada, tea, wine, cloth and food as well as cultural taboos with emphasis on the in-depth analysis of the unique cultural characteristics of Chika gift exchange etiquette. For instance, the unique characteristics of Tibetan that has been logically inherited in the gift exchange etiquette in Chika area; the important role of Tibetan women in daily production activity, which indicates the respect for women in Tibetan society; the sincere mutual support and unrequited personality between gift exchangers that reflects the simple value trend among Tibetan people; kinship-based gift exchange indicates Tibetan people have deep feelings of human ethics; the pursuit of practical gifts instead of seeking wrapping or packaging, displays Tibetan people's honesty and forthrightness;"returning partial gifts"indicates a friendly relation of Tibetans in Chika area that mutually benefits the giver and the taker.To sum up, the custom of gift exchange in Chika as an important way of inheriting, developing and deriving Tibetan traditional culture is the focal point of the continuation and evolution of Tibetan people. It is a folk culture inheriting activity formed in the process of ethnical development, adaption of changing environment and life skill transmit to the future generations. It shows the stability and complexity of the Tibetan social networks, which reflect their material and cultural interaction with other ethnic groups in their social life and as well as the generous personality of Tibetans such as warmth, simplicity and ability of absorbing other cultures. It also indicates cultural meaning and value trends such as world view, thoughts, religious faith among common Tibetan people, which play a significant role in the life of Tibetan people. The simple and honest personality of Tibetan people makes the custom of gift change very unique. Studying of this research topic will help us better understand Tibetan folk customs and the rules of social interactions that hidden behind many Tibetan folk customs in Tibetan society. Thus, it will help us to have a more comprehensive grasp of the Tibetan cultural psychology. One purpose is to restore the true face of Tibetan traditional cultural custom. Another is to provide realistic and detailed first hand information for building a civilized and harmonious socialist society, and to promote harmonious social development.