Thangka, seen in every monastery and family shrine in Tibet, is actually a kind of Tibetan unique religious art form that belongs to the Tibetan culture. Usually, the content of Thangka has various subjects such as historical events, personage biographies, religious doctrines, Tibetan natural conditions and social customs, folklores, mythical stories, images of Buddhas, and Jataka stories of the Buddha, etc., involving politics, economy, history, religion, literature and art, social life, Tibetan astrology, pharmacology, theology and many other respects. 

The Tibetan New year, also known as Losar, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar. It is celebrated over a period of 2 weeks, generally during the months of Tibetan calendar December and January. In Lhasa, the preparation for Tibetan New Year starts in early December of Tibetan calendar. Generally, the first three days of celebration are the main parts of the festival observance. These three days are celebrated with lots of customary traditions.

Photo shows that Lhasa citizen Puebla Tsering is purchasing prayer flags. A lot of preparation work shall be done before the Tibetan New Year. Firstly, the concrete time of Tibetan New Year, as well as the auspicious day and direction of year-end house cleaning must be made clear. Secondly, purchase things needed for the New Year festivities. Each house shall present Dega(various foods) on the cabinet or table at the Tibetan New Year's Eve. At the same time, new Tibetan curtains shall be hung up. At last, while the bell of Tibetan New Year rings, everyone is blessed with “loser Tashi delek” which means “wish you all a Happy New Year, good luck”.

Prayer flags are one of Tibetan people’s must during New Year. Tibetan residents shall replace their prayer flags with new ones every year to pray for a good harvest and prosperity in the new year. According to this year’s Tibetan astronomical almanac, 7:00 am and 9:00 am of the second day as well as 10:30 am of the fourth day after Tibetan New Year are auspicious time for putting up prayer flags.