Tangka treasures of Yonghe Palace

Author: Commission of Tangka Treasures of Yonghe Palace / Tang Bobo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: Yonghe Palace, known in Tibetan as "Ganden Khyilrin," translates to the magnificent and splendid Tushita Palace in the heavens, or the heavenly palace on earth. Located to the northeast of the Forbidden City, Yonghe Palace has a history of over 250 years since the Qing Dynasty emperors transformed it into a Tibetan Buddhist Gelugpa monastery in the 18th century. The Yonghe Palace Museum is a renowned museum of Tibetan Buddhist art in China, housing a vast collection of artifacts from various dynasties in China from the 10th to the early 20th century. These include statues, tangkas (thangkas), ritual objects, ceremonial vessels, textiles, ethnic daily necessities, and Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture. Some were used in the religious lives of Qing Dynasty emperors; others were gifts exchanged between Mongolian, Tibetan, and inland eminent monks; some were imperial decrees bestowed upon high-ranking monks of the monastery; and many were tributes and gifts presented to emperors and the palace by high-ranking Tibetan officials, as well as successive Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas. These treasures are uniquely charming gems in China's cultural heritage. This book is rich in content, beautifully printed, and exquisitely bound, recreating the magnificent achievements of Tibetan tangka art and is suitable for appreciation and collection.