LHASA (July 22) XINHUA - A Buddha image exhibition in Sagya Temple, one of the major Tibetan Buddhist temples in Tibet, has held this year for the first time in 35 years. after more than three decades' of suspension.

The temple, located 450 km west of Lhasa City, was built in 1073. It has long enjoyed almost the same fame as the Dunhuang Grottoes for its large collection of Buddhist scriptures, valuable porcelains and vivid wall paintings.

Over the past 900 years Buddha image exhibitions were held at the temple on religious occasions every year, with the putting up of a large Tangka, or a large scroll painting with a Buddha image.

The exhibition was suspended in 1961 and the original Tangka was destroyed during the turmoil of the Great Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

The recent exhibition was held on July 19, and attended by thousands of Tibetan Buddhist believers amid a serene and gleeful atmosphere, together with lingering smoke of incense and melodious religious music.

"With the support of the government, the exhibition ceremony has at last been restored, and we are extremely happy about this," said Bandian Lama, young director of the temple's Democratic Management Committee.

The new Tangka, 34 meters long and 21 meters wide, was made by craftsmen in Sichuan Province, with financial support from Gunggar Qoisam, former director of the temple's Democratic Management Committee.