What is Sky Burial? Unveiling Tibet’s Unique Sky Burial Ritual

   In recent years, many travel enthusiasts enjoy visiting Tibet. However, those unfamiliar with sky burial should never go to a sky burial site, let alone watch the ritual being performed—doing so can have serious consequences.
   Below, HowToTrip editors will discuss the customs surrounding Tibetan sky burial:

   Sky burial is a traditional funeral practice among ethnic minorities such as the Mongols and Tibetans, where the deceased's body is offered to vultures. After the vultures consume the body and fly into the sky, Tibetans believe the deceased has successfully ascended to heaven.

   The core of sky burial lies in the immortality of the soul and the cycle of rebirth. Death is seen as merely the separation of the undying soul from the worn-out body—a transformation into a different realm. Tibetans revere sky burial because offering the "fleshly vessel" to the bearded vulture is considered the most noble form of almsgiving, embodying the highest level of Mahayana Buddhist practice—selfless giving.

   Records of sky burial can be found in ancient Chinese texts. For example, “Ancient burials involved wrapping the dead in cloth and placing them in the wilderness without mounds or trees”—from the *Appendices to the Book of Changes*, and “There were indeed those who did not bury their deceased kin; when their loved ones died, they were simply cast into a ravine. Later, when passing by, foxes devoured the bodies while flies and mosquitoes sucked at them.”—from *Mencius*. This practice still exists in parts of the Tibetan region today.

   Sky burial takes place at a designated sky burial site, with fixed locations across various regions. After death, the body is kept for several days, and lamas are invited to chant scriptures to choose an auspicious day for the funeral.

   The sky burial site is rectangular, oriented east to west, and constructed from thick, raw rectangular granite slabs. On the western side stands a stone pillar about as thick as a bowl, adorned with a khata, likely used to secure the deceased’s head. On the eastern side, two large stones, each about 50 centimeters taller than the platform base, stand side by side. One of these stones holds an axe. Scattered on the western slope are sharp knives and blades—the tools used by the sky burial master. The site is stained with blood and radiates an eerie atmosphere.

   Upon arriving at the sky burial site, the master first starts a fire using dried cow dung carried with him. Once the fire is lit, tsampa (roasted barley flour) is added, producing curling smoke that rises into the sky. Then, the master sits cross-legged, chants scripture for the deceased's soul, shakes a prayer drum, and blows a horn made from a human bone. Hearing the sounds of the drum and horn, the vultures hidden in the surrounding mountains soar into the air, circle above the site, and gradually descend to gather around the master in a circle, silently observing his every move.

   The sky burial begins with the master opening the shroud and laying the body face down on the platform, securing the head with a khata to the stone pillar. The first cuts are made on the back—three vertical cuts followed by three horizontal ones, signifying: “Rest in peace!”

   Next, the limbs are dismembered and cut into small pieces, and the internal organs are removed. Once this preparation is complete, the master signals to the surrounding vultures. At his call, the vultures swarm forward, and within moments, all the flesh and organs are completely devoured.

   The master then crushes the remaining bones, mixes them with tsampa, forms them into balls, dries up the blood on the ground, and feeds everything to the vultures until nothing is left behind.

   After completing these steps, the master goes down the mountain to wash his hands and tools, marking the end of the entire sky burial process.

   Laws and Regulations on Protecting Sky Burial

   Some may ask: “What if I don’t watch the sky burial but just visit an unattended sky burial site?” Uh, why seek out bad luck? Others might say, “So what if I do watch? Is that illegal?” Sorry, but in Tibet, it actually is.

   In 2005, the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region issued a notice on interim regulations for managing sky burials. This marks the third time since 1985 that the Chinese government has specifically released announcements and notices to protect Tibetan sky burial sites, demonstrating full respect and protection for this millennia-old funeral custom of the Tibetan people.

   Article 4: Sky burial is protected by law. No organization or individual shall engage in the following activities:
   (3) Gathering around, taking photos, recording videos, or filming the sky burial site;
   (4) Publishing, broadcasting, recording, or reprinting text, images, or reports related to sky burial via newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, or the internet;
   (5) Organizing visits to sky burial sites for domestic or foreign tourists as tourist attractions.
   Article 10: Those who violate these regulations and cause serious consequences will be punished by the civil affairs or public security departments of county-level or higher governments in accordance with the law.
   Sky burial may seem mysterious, but it is not cruel. From an environmental perspective, it is not only an act of giving but also an environmentally conscious funeral practice, playing a significant role in preserving the environment of the Tibetan region.
   Tip: If you want to see a sky burial site, you can visit Sertar in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, where there is an open sky burial site for visitors.