Lhasa, an old and mysterious city and the capital of Tibet, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in recent years.

Tibet has a total population of three million residents. However, one can easily observe on the street that Tibetans have become minority in their own city due to the presence of Chinese merchants and tourists.

With the growing number of Chinese merchants in the region, consumer culture of today is encroaching on the legacy of the ancient history and unique religious practice of Tibet.

One of the most poignant expression of spirituality is art. Tibet’s proudest religious art form is Thangka, paintings of the Buddha on canvas. Thangka is going through rather aggressive changes as the market landscape is centering on the influx of tourists. But there are still Tibetan artists who try to resist the encroachment and struggle to hold on to their tradition.

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