Monasteries in China's Tibet

Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and those of the indigenous Bon religion, abound in the Tibet Autonomous Region. They are distinctive in architectural style, and have had a great influence on the region since ancient times. However, many of the old buildings remaining in Tibet are monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism. Historians classify the period from the reign of Songtsan Gambo to that of Darma as the 'Early Period of Buddhism' and numerous monasteries were constructed during this period. Great changes took place in Tibetan monasteries in the Later Period of Buddhism (the period of the renaissance of Buddhism and the emergence of the sects) in both their architectural styles and their social functions. Buddhist Sutras and other ancient books were also the source of much folk art in Tibet and include Thanka scrolls, frescoes, bronze sculptures, wood and stone carvings, and gold and silver ornaments. This book consists of seven parts: Monasteries in Tibet, Statues of Buddha, Thanka, Frescos, Sculptures, Implements Used in Worship and Religious Activities.