Art from the Mountains of Himalayas

A Thangka is a religious painting made on cotton canvas or silk, mostly from western China near India. The word ‘Thangka’ means ‘that which can be rolled up’. It is usually a scroll, which the monks use for teaching or travelers use to ward off evil. To this day Buddhist Lamas use these scroll artworks in their ceremonies. While thangka's have religious value for Buddhists, others treasure them for their design and beauty.

Ru Yi Bao in the Panjiayuan area carries a large selection of Thangkas, with varying patterns and sizes.  The shop is very popular, as evidenced by their bustling day-to-day business. All the thangkas come from the Himalayan region—the “roof of the world”. Each Thangka has a different pattern. I first noted a thangka of a small Medicine Buddha, which are used for health (RMB 6000). There was also large one thangka depicting the White Tara, who was the mother of all Buddha. It is priced at RMB 50,000.

All the thangkas are hand crafted by Himalayans, insuring their quality and originality. The store offers a 20% discounts for some of its products, but there is no haggling room.

What I appreciate

Large selection of thangkas

What customers appreciate

Large selection of thangkas and exquisite workmanship