A Collection of some of Tibet's finest art treasures has been assembled for an exhibit at the Shanghai Museum from May 27 to October 31. This is the first time such a collection has been seen outside Tibet.
It took eight years and eight visits to Tibet by museum specialists to select over 160 religious relics and artifacts of everyday life for the show. The pieces are from the period from the seventh century to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Ten tankas, one of the most representative art forms of Tibet, will be included in the exhibition.
Tanka is painting on silk, brocade and paper, usually depicting scenes of Tibetan Buddhism, local history, and Tibetan medicine. Tankas are generally thought of as the encyclopedia of Tibet. A seminar on the Tibetan treasures will be given at the Shanghai
A conch carved with sitting Buddhas and trimmed with gold, given as a gift to the Dalai Lama by the Qing emperor in the 18th century
(Shanghai Star 05/28/2001)
