With a history of more than 1,000 years, Thangka is a unique Tibetan art form that uses silk embroidery on a scroll. An exhibition featuring traditional Thangka painting has opened in Lhasa, the capital of south west China’s Tibet autonomous region.

The exhibited Thangka artworks feature a mix of rich colors, depicting historical figures, landscapes and traditional architecture. More than 30 paintings are on display, and different art schools are represented at the exhibition.

Often called “scroll-paintings”, Thangka paintings are crafted as illustrations of the divine. They visually depict a moral tale or deity’s story and are used as teaching aids by monks who carry the scrolls from monastery to monastery.

In 2006, Thangka was listed as part of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. Three years later, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.