Thang-Kga Art in China

Zhao Rong studied at Northwest University and holds a PhD from Peking University. He is a professor at Northwest University and a PhD" supervisor. He was previously the director of the Shaanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics. He has long been engaged in historical geography， archaeological research， and the protection of cultural relics， and has published many monographs.

Zhao Qian is a curator and researcher at Regong Art Museum in Huangnan Prefecture， Qinghai Province. He is an expert in Regong Art research and protection.

Thang-Kga art is the primary type of Tibetan Buddhist art. It is deeply loved by people for its exquisite imagery， highly refined techniques， and the vivid stories that it tells. This book consists of a selection of more than 100 Thang-Kga artworks （groups） from the Regong Art Museum in Huangnan Prefecture， Qinghai Province. The book focuses on the biography of Shakyamuni， Bodhisattva， Dharmapala， Buddhist scriptures， divine beings， and other Buddha statues. It also includes Tibetan astrological charts and paintings of idols， history， culture， and stories. It briefly introduces the origin， spread， and flourishing of Thang-Kga art and its great artistic achievements. It unveils the expansive Tibetan culture and the exquisiteness of Tibetan art.

Sixteen Arhats otherwise known as sixteen sthaviras. The content of this Thang-Kga is based on the story of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty who invited the Sixteen Arhats of India to the Tang to preach for the Great Dharma. Those Arhats were the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. They were instructed by Shakyamuni Buddha before he attained Nirvana to perpetuate the Dharma in the world. The Sixteen Arhats had sworn that after Buddha's attainment of Nirvana， until Maitreya comes to the world， that they would protect Buddhism through its growth as well as promote and present the Buddhist Dharma， helping guide people to the ways of Buddha.