1893.] S. C. Das— Marriage Customs of Tibet. 15 



As soon as the astrologer declares that the thun-tsi, i. e., the circum- 

 stances of harmony necessary in the marriage are favourable, the 

 parents consult their friends and relations in order to ascertain the suit- 

 ability of the match, and send one or two bar-mi (go-betweens) to ascer- 

 tain the views of the maternal uncle of the maiden selected regarding her 

 marriage. He generally withholds his opinion under various excuses. 

 According to the customs of the country the Shangpo (maternal uncle) 

 of a maiden is the real arbiter of her fate in the matter of marriage. No- 

 thing can be settled without reference to him. When his leave is secured 

 the marriage proposal can be formally made to the maiden's parents. 



The bar-mi with the permission of the Shangpo, on an auspicious 

 day during the increasing lunation of the month, proceed to the house 

 of the parents of the maiden to present them with the long-chang 

 (in Sikkim nang-chang) and therewith formally make the proposal 

 of marriage. The word long-chang is derived from long, to beg or apply, 

 and chang, wine, meaning the present of wine to apply for marriage, 

 In Sikkim the candidate for the maiden's hand accompanies the bar-mi. 

 but in Tibet the case is otherwise. On the way they observe omens and 

 prognostics. If they see any empty vessel they turn back. 



The long-chang consists of the following : at least a gallon of wine, 

 a silk scarf, five silver coins, and five or nine kinds of things placed 

 on a tray. The long-chang is required to be carried by a man who has 

 been the father of several sons and daughters. Under no circum- 

 stances is a widower, or one who is childless, or whose children have died, 

 allowed to carry it. The parents of the maiden receive the bar-mi 

 with politeness, and serve them with wine and tea. After emptying one 

 or two cups of tea the bar-mi present them with a scarf, and beg for 

 leave to state their mission. The parents at first shew some indiffer- 

 ence to their request, and try to turn the conversation on some current 

 topics of the day. The bar-mi press the point they are interested 

 in, and say that they have come with the long-chang to beg for the 

 gem (their daughter). They are then told that the giving up of the 

 norbu (gem) is no trifle, and so they should not be too sanguine about 

 getting it. 



If, after repeated entreaties, they succeed in getting any assurance of 

 good will from the maiden's parents they open the wine bottle belonging 

 to the long-chang and pour wine into the cups of the friends and 

 relations of the parents who happen to be present on the occasion. At 

 this stage the parents make the following remarks : — 



"According to the common saying of the country the maternal 

 uncle is the owner of one half of the person of his niece or nephew, just 

 as half the cloth of a robe belongs to the sleeves. Accordingly if the 



