Exhibition showcases Tibetan cultural progress

In southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, nearly 90 artistic treasures are going on display in honor of the 60th anniversary of the region's democratic reform. Some of them will greet the public for the first time.

At the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, the local cultural heritage bureau is preparing for an unprecedented exhibition. On the third floor of the Potala Palace Treasure Hall, the 87 exhibits will present a microcosm of the glorious historical and cultural legacy of the region.

"The piece we are unpacking right now is a vase bestowed by the central government during the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century. It was a well-established practice back then for the court in Beijing to send valuable gifts to the Tibetan monks. This piece was for a senior priest of the Sakya School," Tang Congli, with the Museum of Tibet Autonomous Region, said.

Ranging from official seals and porcelain to jade sculptures and Buddhist statuary, the cultural relics bear testament to the region's close ties with the central government through the centuries. The influence of Han Chinese culture has been a constant source of vitality and diversity of the highland communities.

"Today Tangka paintings are widely known as a tradition in Tibetan fine arts. Now it has been included in China's intangible cultural heritage list. But such images used to be more diverse in materials and origin. Some of them were actually created through embroidery or brocade weaving and other techniques popular in China's eastern provinces. This brocade Tangka was commissioned by the Ninth Panchen Lama in the 1920s. It was designed and created by artisans from Hangzhou city on China's eastern coast," Tang said.

The exhibition also features an array of artifacts from the early years of the Tibetan culture, with several sacrificial bronze vessels dating back to over four millennia ago. The show will open in early April and run for three years.

(CGTN)