Culture Insider: What you should know about Thangka

The Thangka on display in Maizhokunggar county in Lhasa on June 28, 2013 was recognized as the world's largest Thangka. [Photo/Xinhua]

The world's largest Thangka:

An embroidered Thangka, 120 meters high and 85 meters wide, was on display in Maizhokunggar county in Lhasa on June 28, 2013. It had 19 painted Buddhas. The creation of the Thangka took 9 years and was recognized as the world's largest Thangka, also the world's largest handicraft.

The world's most expensive Thangka:

The embroidered Thangka bought by Liu Yiqian several days ago for about $45 million is seen as the most expensive Thangka so far.

The Thangka Liu bought was from the period during the reign of Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. It is the largest Tibetan embroidered Buddha Thangka from ancient times with a theme of driving out evil spirits. According to Christie's, there are only three pieces of Yongle Thangkas existing and the other two are both in Jokhang Temple in Tibet.