Just like any other art form in Tibet, the creation and distribution of prayer flags is promoted by its religious motif, and at the same time, acts as a medium for religious followers to communicate with the world of spirituality and divinity.

Legends

There is a legend about the creation of prayer flag: Once a monk obtained an important scripture from India, but unfortunately while he was returning back home, the scripture got wet in a river. Having laid the scripture open to dry in the sunshine, the monk then sat and meditated with his legs crossed under a big tree.

Suddenly, gongs and horns rang out and the sound of Sanskrit reverberated in the air. As the gentle breeze was stroking his face under the blue sky, the monk felt utterly refreshed and all of a sudden, seemed to understand everything in the universe completely. Slightly opening his eyes, the monk found the scripture had been blown all over the sky, the tree, and the river. He let out a loud laugh and disappeared in the distance, leaving behind the flying scripture and the bursts of the sound of Sanskrit.

From then on, the Tibetans began to print lines of the scripture on cloth or paper and hang them in the air in commemoration of the monk's attained enlightenment and as a tribute to the Buddhist scripture.

Symbolic meaning

Prayer flags have many different meanings. Hanging them on birthdays and festive days is believed to be capable of bringing auspicious and peaceful blessings to heaven, the earth, human beings, and livestock. Herdsmen fasten prayer flags in the hope of being blessed when moving from one place to another. Pilgrims cross the desert with prayer flags on their shoulders hoping for a safe and problem-free trip. People living by a lake or river place prayer flags along the water's edge to show their reverence for the god of water while those living among mountains and forests suspend prayer flags to fulfill their obligations to the god of mountains.

When a Living Buddha passes away, it is a rare and grand occasion. People express their condolences and respect for the Buddha by hanging prayer flags on the roof of every home.

As an important folk cultural art form with a religious theme, prayer flags have gained their unique characteristics in the course of their development. Like many other folk arts in Tibet, such as fresco painting, thangka (religious painting on scrolls), and Tibetan sculpture, prayer flags are another exotic flower in the folk art of the Tibetan holy land.