Treasured Tibetan Relics Exhibited

(A large scale exhibition of treasured historical relics from Tibet opened Thursday in the China National Museum of History. The exhibition features more than 140 precious original relics selected from a collection of museums in Tibet. "A panorama of history and religion in Tibet, the exhibit manifests both artistic gems and the historic changes of Tibet," said Zhu Fenghan, curator of the museum. )

Zhu disclosed that many of the displays will be shown to the public for the first time.

They involve many aspects of religion, fine arts and crafts, literature, traditional Tibetan medicine and paintings. The oldest relics on display date back 4,000 years to the Neolithic Age.

A large portion of the exhibition is devoted to thangka, the ancient Tibetan art form of scroll painting. Primarily depicting sacred images, the thangka works also cover other subjects such as Tibetan medicine.

The most treasured relics, according to the exhibition's supervisor Chen Yu, include a 1,300-year-old sutra roll, a handwritten copy of "The Life of King Gesar," an ivory carving and seals of office bestowed by emperors of the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties upon Tibetan religious and other leaders.

The exhibition also offers a rare opportunity to view and appreciate the artifacts of Buddhist statues of various dynasties from the eighth century to the Qing Dynasty, as well as many exquisite porcelain and imperial utensils from inland areas.

One of the most treasured artifacts on display- "Ivory Jataka" - has been privately stored in Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's summer palace. On the 174-centimetre piece of ivory, 21 groups of figurines are vividly carved, illustrating Sakyamuni's ascetic practices and the history of Buddhism. It is on public display for the first time.

The exhibition, running for a month, also marks the 50th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet.(China Daily)