Marrige
People in north Tibet enjoy free marriage, largely because they are widely dispersed. Nonetheless, the parents have a very important say in this matter and relatives of friends will be asked to serve as match makers. Weddings are arranged according to the economic might of both families. On the wedding day, both families burn aromatic plants to worship the deities. Wealthier families always set out southwestward, no matter which direction they end up taking. The procession is headed by people holding a map of Eight Diagrams. The husband's family will hang hada scarves from ropes used to tighten the tent. On both sides of the tent gate are bags of dried cow dung and full kettles of milk. Where the bride is going to dismount lays a piece of white felt, on which is drawn an auspicious pattern in qingke barley. When the bride gets closer to the tent, young women present her with chemar and qingke barley wine, and greet her into the tent. Both the bride and the bride groom are presented with zholma zhesi (groma food flavored with butter). This is followed by relatives and friends presenting hada scarves and gifts to the newly weds, their parents and other important people present for the occasion. Two people are selected to represent the families of the bride and groom to sing praises of the bride or groom. After this, people sing and dance to their hearts' content. The wedding ceremony lasts generally for one to three days, during which the newly weds stay with parents of the bride. Celebrations are also indispensable. Only after all these traditions is the wedding ceremony over.

Funeral ceremony.
Funeral ceremonies are held in accordance with the status of the dead when he/she was alive. If the deceased was a noble or a Living Buddha, he/she was cremated. If the dead was a Grand Living Buddha or one with a high reputation, he/she was buried in a dagoba. If the dead was killed or died of contagious diseases, he/she was buried in a tomb of varied scales. If the dead was a child, he/she was buried in a stone coffin, a pottery jar or earth. All other deceased are subject to celestial burial, in which their bodies are sliced apart to feed vultures. All of these customs take place according to the order of the celestial burial master. When one dieds, eminent monks are invited to chant sutras to redeem the sins of the dead. Buddhist rituals are arranged in accordance with the result of divination. In the pastoral area in north Tibet, when one dies, the whole village or tribe holds mourning activities, and relatives and friends present cash gifts and other objects to console the suffering family. Members of the suffering family will refrain from combing their hair, laughing or attending recreational activities for an entire year. Wealthier families will hold Buddhist activities once a month in the first year. On the death anniversary, rituals will be held for two to five days for the whole family to wash their hair and change their clothes to mark the end of the mourning anniversary.