LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN TIBET 



303 



Photograph by Dr. A. L. Shelton 



PART OP THE LIBRARY IN THE LJTANG LAMASERY 



In Kham the sacred Buddhist writings are printed from blocks such as were first used 

 in China, or are written by hand. The printing of religious books is one of the principal 

 industries of the town of Litang. The Buddhist Bible is a work of 108 volumes and the 

 companion commentary work is of equal bulk (see page 320). 



ing at hand the materials for a hasty 

 meal. 



In preparing the other principal article 

 of their diet the Tibetans first make a 

 strong liquid by boiling the coarse Chinese 

 tea which they prize most highly. The 

 concoction is strained into a churn and to 

 it are added a lump of butter, more or 

 less stale, and a handful of salt. The 

 queer mixture is then churned into an 

 emulsion. 



The typical meal among the valley folk 

 of Tibet, and among many of the nomads 

 as well, begins with the drinking of two 

 or three cups of butter tea — a beverage 

 which the Caucasian feels a constant in- 

 clination to speak of in quotation-marks, 

 for to him it is neither tea, soup, nor 

 gravy, but a combination of the three. 



As the Tibetan drinks his hot butter 

 tea, he continually blows back from the 

 rim of his bowl the film of butter that 

 rises to the top. After several bowls of 

 the beverage have been drunk, there is a 

 considerable accumulation of butter. The 



bowl is then half filled with the tea emul- 

 sion. Into the hot liquid, rich in butter 

 fat, tsamba is now poured, to be kneaded 

 by the fingers into lumps and eaten. 



THE WOODEN BOWL, IS LICKED CLEAN 

 APTER EACH MEAL 



Knives, forks, and spoons are unknown 

 in Tibet — all eating is done with fingers. 

 The wooden bowl is carried in the sheep- 

 skin garment next to the skin, and each 

 time after being used it is licked clean 

 with the tongue and replaced in the gar- 

 ment. 



To an observer from Europe or Amer- 

 ica it seems impossible that the Tibetans, 

 leading a fairly active life in a country 

 of rigorous climate, could be satisfied on 

 tsamba and butter tea year in and year 

 out. Their queer foods must constitute 

 a fairly well-balanced ration, however, 

 for they thrive on them. 



When the occasion and their economic 

 status permit, Tibetans also eat meat. 

 Especially is this true of the nomads liv- 



