Well-known for their hospitality, the Tibetans often treat their guests with highland barley wine. First they fill up the wine cups and hold to their guests, when the guests shall take the cup with both hands. Then, with one hand holding the cup, the other hand shall dip a little wine with the middle finger and thumb and flip to the air so as to toast the gods in heaven. Similarly there shall come another two flips to toast the earth and the Buddha respectively. This is a traditional custom to remind people of the fact that we have barley wine to drink owing to the generous bestowal from the heaven, the earth and Buddha. When drinking the barley wine, the conventional custom of the Tibetans is: the guest shall take a drag first when the host fills up the cup at once, then another two drags with the motions repeated. After that the guest shall drink off the cup so as to please the host. The more the guest drinks, the happier the host will be since it proves the fine taste of the wine. When the Tibetans make a toast, big cups or bowls are given to male guests, while smaller ones are given to females.
From cultural-china.com
