Barley Liquor,Zhongdian

Having the name of Tibetan Beer, Barley Liquor is the wine favorite to Tibetans and is a necessary part at festivals, marriage feasts and on some other important occasions. It is similar to yellow rice wine, which appears light yellow and tastes pure sweet and a little bit sour. The Tibetans regard toasting barley wine as a sincere courtesy when entertaining honored guests. If you sojourn in a Tibetan home, the host will entertain you with barley liquor. When the host presents you a cup of wine, you should dip your ring finger in the wine and flick the wine in the air three times to express your respects to the heaven, the earth and the ancestors before sipping the wine. The host will fill the cup, and you take a sip of the wine again. After the host fills your cup for the forth time, you have to bottom it up. Tibetans toast each other with songs wishing people well, good health and so on. The person who is being toasted empties their cup when the song is finished.