Languages: Chinese and English
Related network resources: The Khubilghan: The Incarnated Lamas of the Qing Dynasty and Related Artifacts
Buddhism started to spread to other parts of Asia in the 3rd century BC and reached Han Chinese regions in the early 1st century. The religion was introduced into Tibet a few hundred years later in the 7th century. While Tibetan Buddhism mostly inherited the characteristics of late Mahāyāna Buddhism, which has its origins in India, it also incorporated some elements of Chinese Buddhism and native customs to form a unique belief system. This special exhibition catalogue presents artifacts relating to the incarnated lamas of the Qing dynasty, and provides a systematic view of the Qing court's interactions with important khubilghans as well as the features of Tibetan Buddhist works of art in the Qing imperial collection.