Every inch of its interior -- pillars, door lintels, beams and walls -- is bursting with vibrant color, design, images and stone-carvings. In the main hall are enormous gilded statues of Sakyamuni, Avalokite shvara, Bodhisattva Manjusri, Buddha's warrior attendants and the four deva-kings. The statues are almost engulfed by tiers upon tiers of spectacularly beautiful murals and thangkas. Each painting seems to be more gorgeous than the last -- the colors glowing and illuminated by generous touches of gold. Skillfully carved and painted niches and brackets divide the different murals, each illustrating a tale from Buddhist lore and pictorial lessons.

Regong Art Museum

Within walk distance from the Longwu Monastery is the Regong Art Museum. It is a palace of Regong art treasures, collecting and exhibiting various masterpieces of thangka, barbola, sculpture, and sand table design. Here, you can systemically learn the main types of Regong art and how the gorgeous arts take shape.

Regong art goes global

In the villages of Tongren, many locals have opened their own shops selling Buddhist art along the roadside, attracting tourists both from elsewhere in China and overseas, such as the United States, Japan, and France. Their artworks sell well not only on home market, but also are hits in overseas markets.

Over the last several centuries, Regong artists have traveled far and wide, from Qinghai to Gansu, Sichuan and Tibet in China, and to as far as Mongolia, Nepal, India, Thailand, and America. They have put the word out that Regong art has something to offer the world.