Explore the “Golden Treasure”

(An exhibition, entitled “Golden Treasure” that showcases Tibetan cultural relics dating back thousands of years, is currently drawing large numbers of visitors in Beijing. Some of the items are making its debut, and for most, the first time appear outside Tibet.)

On entering the Chinese History Museum on the eastern side of Tiananmen Square, I was faced with an attractive model of the grand Potala Palace and I was instantly transported onto the mysterious Tibetan plateau. And indeed, the whole exhibition hall has a strong Tibetan flavour, with narrow flags and vividly coloured tapestries decorating all of its four walls. Moving along the corridor, I became immersed in an ocean of ancient, glorious culture, and I felt compelled to stay for a long time in front of every exhibit, savouring their unique appeal.

The Tibetan Cultural Relics Exhibition is currently on display in the Chinese History Museum. Starting from August 9th, over 140 cultural relics, significant both from an historical and religious point of view, are on display until October 9th. As such, this exhibition is the largest one ever held in China showing the cultural treasures of Tibet. Many of the exhibits, which have been kept on the plateau for years, are now exposed to the public for the first time. The Deputy Director of the Cultural Bureau of Tibet, Suo Na, explained to us why they decided to bring these cultural relics to Beijing to hold an exhibition.

“In the past we emphasised the preservation of the cultural relics. Now, we’re trying to let more people to know about them, so that they can better understand the culture and history of Tibet.”

Suo Na says that they initially brought this exhibition to Shanghai in May, causing a sensation in the metropolis. She believes the exhibition in Beijing will undoubtedly be successful once again, and be a suitable means of marking the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, as well as the birth of the People’s Republic of China on October 1st.

And the exhibition is indeed worth a visit. Tibet is a place in which great importance is attached to the Buddhist religion, and so it is natural that most of the cultural relics from the plateau depict images from Buddhism.

As soon as you move into the main exhibition area, you will be immediately attracted by the colourful wall hangings that line either side of the hall. These are known as Tibetan Tangka, and are one of the most unique forms of ancient religious art in existence. They are hand-painted by Buddhist devotees, and the designs, which effectively represent sermons presented in visual form, have been passed down for thousands of years. Tangkas serve as aids to meditation, their miniature detail is filled with the symbolism of ancient Tibetan Buddhism. A striking Tangka is believed to bestow blessings and protection on those who respect it, and plays a significant role in Tibetan religious culture.

Whereas the Tangkas are expressions of the respect of Tibetan people toward Buddhism, the Buddhist sculptures are designed to kindle feelings of awe amongst monks and laymen alike. Different from the Buddhist sculptures of the Han people, they are mostly gold-plated, and therefore are luxuriant in appearance. Well-displayed under the lights that have been specially set for the exhibition, they are especially impressive for their exquisite and consummate craftsmanship.

Another distinctive cultural relic in the exhibition is a Pattra-Leaf Sutra. It is the earliest version of Buddhist sutra and can be traced back to ancient India. The sutra was written on pattra leaves and then compiled into book form. Although the Pattra-leaf sutras originally came from ancient India, none of them are kept in the country nowadays due to various reasons, including climate. In the Potala Palace, however, there are over 500 pattra leaf sutras, all of which are very precious. They are invaluable resources for studies into the history, religion, and culture of ancient Tibet, as well as unique first-hand material for examining Buddhist culture and translating the original versions of various Buddhist sutras.

Among all the exhibits, however, probably the most eye-catching is a pair of ivory sculptures that depict the story of the Buddha’s birth. It is amazing that 21 groups of figures are engraved on the 174-centimeter length of ivory. The treasure has been kept in the Summer Palace of Dalai Lama ever since it was completed in the Qing Dynasty. This is the first time for it to be removed from the palace and placed on public display.

Of course, the cultural splendour of the plateau is not only limited to Buddhist art. This exhibition of Tibetan cultural relics also includes precious blue and white china, as well as a number of daily utensils, musical instruments, ornaments and medical tools. Throughout the exhibition, there are numerous indications of the historical and cultural interaction that has taken place between Tibet and the rest of China in the past.

Renqing Ciren, an official with the Cultural Relics Bureau of Tibet, explains:

“Many cultural relics in Tibet reflect the ties between Han and Tibetan people. For example, there are many imperial edicts and royal seals of central government that have been used to ordain the religious leaders and top officials in Tibet.”

Renqing Ciren adds that, since Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty was married to Songtsam Gambo, king of the Tubo Kingdom in Lhasa in the 7th century, Tibetan culture has been greatly influenced by the culture of the Han people in the areas of music, dance, clothing, and so on. In addition, many words from Chinese have been incorporated into the Tibetan language.

Even on leaving the exhibition hall, I found the beauty of the Tibetan cultural relics still lingered in my mind. Although I have visited numerous displays of this type before, this exhibition at the Chinese History Museum is really unique. Most of the exhibits draw you into a world of Buddhism where, whatever your belief, you are left with a sense of respect for Buddha, while the others provide a real reflection of the dexterity and wisdom of the Tibetan people.

Above all, each one of these cultural relics has been preserved so well that it is hard to believe they were produced hundreds of years ago. It is now the responsibility of each one of us to look after them well into the future; this is not only to the advantage of the Tibetan people, but also for the benefit of mankind as a whole.