In Tibetan, the small clay Buddha figures and miniature stupas pressed from molds are known as tsha tsha, a form of art that has quietly accompanied the faithful for over a thousand years. Carrying profound religious significance, they are often found at sacred mountains, holy lakes, prayer flag mounds, circumambulation paths, or placed inside larger stupas as sacred relics of consecration.

Sculptures, a volume in the Tibetan Folk Art Series, offers a comprehensive introduction to this unique art form. Edited by Zhang Ying and Li Shumin, this bilingual catalog features over a hundred color plates in 143 pages, organized into five sections: Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Guardian Deities, Eminent Monks, and Stupas. The imagery is diverse, including shrines for displaying tsha tsha, Shakyamuni, the Three Long-Life Deities, the Buddha of Limitless Life, Akshobhya, and various other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The book masterfully captures both the solemnity of religious art and the freedom of folk expression. In this art, the materials are often simple—clay and a copper or iron mold—but the creations are immensely heartfelt. More than a visual catalog, Sculptures explores how a tradition spanning thousands of years seamlessly blends daily faith with artistic love, making each small clay image a timeless witness to the living spiritual culture of the Tibetan people.

Fully illustrated in color photos, text in Chinese.

2001, Chongqing Publishing House, softcover, 143 pp., 22*29cm, in a very good condition.