The Ming Dynasty edict displayed at the Xizang Museum Photo: Chen Xi/GT

As the Xizang Autonomous Region celebrates its 60th founding anniversary, the Xizang Museum in Lhasa has become a must-visit landmark, drawing crowds with an exhibition that puts an over 600-year-old imperial edict at the center of attention. 

Ciren Quzong, a docent at the Xizang Museum, told Global Times on Sunday that the exhibitions from the museum have attracted a large number of visitors, with a steady flow of around 6,000 to 7,000 people per day.

This relic, issued in 1413 by Zhu Di, the Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is not just a piece of ancient history, but also a tangible symbol of the enduring cultural and political bonds between Xizang and the rest of China, said He Xiaodong, director of the museum's collection and research department.

Inside the museum's temperature and humidity-controlled vault, the edict rests gently, its 6-meter-long, 33-centimeter-tall scroll crafted from five-colored jacquard brocade.

The fabric shimmers with intricate cloud and dragon motifs, while the top of the scroll features four embroidered Chinese characters in seal script: "Fengtian Gaoming," which can be translated as "the imperial edict declares."

What strikes visitors most is its symmetry: On one side, the text is written in elegant, regular script Chinese, while on the other, it is in Tibetan.

Both versions convey the same message: The emperor's appointment of Namkhav Lsipa, son of a prominent Tibetan Buddhist leader, as the "Assistant Prince of the Doctrine," recognizing his legitimate rule over parts of Xizang, according to the relic's introduction.

A red imperial seal, printed with "zhi gao zhi bao" (seal of imperial edicts), stamps the end of the Chinese section, sealing its authority. "Heavy with historical weight, this edict reflects the Ming Dynasty's governance philosophy toward Xizang," He said.

He explained that the court adopted a policy of "multiple enforcements," granting titles to leaders of major Xizang religious sects and local forces. Recipients received imperial seals, edicts, and gifts, with their titles passed down through generations. They paid regular tributes to the central government, a system that ensured Xizang's close ties to the imperial court.

He noted that the policy was a continuation of China's long-standing approach to governing Xizang. "This shows that successive central governments recognized and upheld Xizang's place within China's administrative system."

Integration through ages

The edict is not an isolated example. The museum's collection spans millennia, with other relics tracing the roots of Han-Tibetan fusion.

One such artifact is the double-body pottery jar, unearthed from the Neolithic Karub Ruins in Karub district, Qamdo city, Ngari Prefecture. With its unique shape and intricate patterns, it represents the peak of Karub culture's pottery-making skills and holds clues to early cultural exchanges.

"Its design is remarkably similar to double-linked jars found in the Dadu River basin in [Southwest China's] Sichuan Province," He explained.

"This is no accident. It proves that as early as 5,000 years ago, people in eastern Xizang were already exchanging cultural ideas with inland regions. This prehistoric connection laid the foundation for later interactions."

Even during periods of political division, cultural ties remained unbroken. A Buddha head from Aiwang Temple in Kangmar county, dating to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is a case in point.

At the time, Xizang was divided into small principalities after the fall of the Tubo Kingdom, while inland China was split among the Song, Liao, Jin, and Western Xia dynasties (960-1227). Yet the Buddha head's robes and craftsmanship strictly follow Chinese Buddhist art traditions from Central China.

"These statues were likely created by artisans from Central China who traveled to Xizang," said the guide Ciren Quzong. "Their existence shows that even when political borders shifted, cultural exchanges between Han and Tibetan people never stopped."

People visit the Xizang Museum on May 20 2025. Photo: Chen Xi/GT

Technology preserves past

The Xizang Museum boasts a rich collection of cultural relics, among which more than 40,000 pieces (sets) are classified as precious.

These relics cover 18 categories, including prehistoric cultural artifacts, seals, letters patent and imperial edicts conferred by central governments of successive dynasties to the Xizang region, ancient Tibetan books, Thangka (Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings), statues, porcelain, jade artifacts, and silk fabrics.

"Possessing immense historical, artistic, and scientific value, the work of protecting and managing these cultural relics carries great responsibility and a glorious mission," Mima Zhuoma, curator of the Xizang Museum, told Global Times.

To preserve these treasures and make them accessible to more people, the Xizang Museum has embraced technological innovations.

Since its new building opened in July 2022, following a 660-million-yuan ($92 million) renovation, the museum has established specialized studios for Thangka restoration, ancient Tibetan manuscript preservation, and metal artifact repair. It also uses an advanced environmental monitoring system to protect delicate relics.

Cutting-edge tech has also transformed how visitors experience history. The "Painting of Emperor Taizu of Ming Receiving Blessings," a 49.68-meter-long scroll that is too large to display in full physically, is now shown via high-definition digital scrolling.

Guide Ciren introduced that visitors can watch as the entire painting unfolds, which depicts a 1407 Buddhist ceremony in today's Nanjing attended by a prominent Tibetan master invited by the Yongle Emperor. This serves as a vivid example of multicultural integration.

"This digital display lets visitors see details they would never notice in a traditional showcase. Our goal is to make relics 'come alive,' to help people not just look at history, but understand it," said Mima Zhuoma.