Tibetannet

Recently, Tibet’s Architectural Heritage and Innovation Forum took place in Lhasa, the first forum of such kind held in the autonomousn region. More than 100 experts from culture, art and architecture circles attended the forum, China Tibet News reported.

According to Wang Shidong, director of the Tibet Architectural Survey and Design Institute said, the theme of the forum was to discuss how to maintain the distinctive features of Tibetan architecture in the increasingly diversified architeratural culture today.

According to Tibetan historical records, Tibetan architecture dates back to the first palace of the Tubo Dynasty(618-842 A.D.) - Yumbulagang. With the incoming Princess Wencheng and introduction of Mahayana Buddhism, Tibetan architecture took on the superior techniques and artistic features of the Central China in the Tang Dynasty(618-907 A.D.), forming its unique architectural characteristics of "high houses with flat roofs". Buildings constructed during this period, such as the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, the Samye Monastery and others, all reached great heights in terms of technical and artistic standards.

Up to now, the Chinese Government has invested more than 300 million yuan(47.25 million U.S. dollars) in conservation and restoration of iconic Tibetan buildings, such as the Potala Palace, the Sagya Monastery and others.

Minyak Chokyi Gyaltsen, chief engineer for historical buildings of Tibet Architectural Survey and Design Institute and Director of its Historical Buildings Institute said, "we must also continously train the successors for the protection and restoration of ancient buildings and raise public awareness in this respect."