Art treasures of Tar Monastery

The murals are rich in content and elegant in style. Most of them depict Buddhism stories. Figures in the murals are in different postures, looking extremely true to life. The pictures of the image of flying Bodhisattva clad in transparent fine gauze are the masterwork among the temple murals. Mountains and rivers, flowers and trees, pavilions and terraces fit well together, displaying a serene landscape.

 Barbolas

They are made of colorful silk-fabric cuttings. These cuttings in the shape of Buddha, man, flower, plant, bird, wild animal, insect, fish etc. are sewn on a large silk fabric, in-between stuffed with wool, cotton or other woolly materials, to achieve a three-dimensional effect.

The oblong sheets or streamers of silk fabric with barbolas of Buddha, scripture etc. hang from the ceilings or upon pillars all over the places in the monastery. They constitute a dazzling silk gallery. Artists of barbolas pay particular attention to projecting the lines and contours of an individual figure. This fully demonstrates the artistic style and skill of Tibetan culture.

Two large-sized barbolas are hung on the wall of the Great Scripture Hall, with one focusing on the story of 16 disciples of the Buddha sakyamuni and the other the Chinese legend of Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.