Every January 15th in the lunar calendar, a grand butter sculpture lantern fair is held in the Kumbum Monastery, also known as Ta'er Monastery located in Qinghai Province. Along with the tranquil Buddhist music, the butter sculptures, a rare gem of Tibetan Buddhism artistry, are on display attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors.

The butter sculpture, along with murals and embroidery, are considered three artistic treasures of Kumbum Monastery. Then how exactly are the butter sculptures made?

The process is painstaking and challenging due to its high artistic standards. As yak butter turns solid when getting cold and melts when getting hot, so butter sculpture could only be made by the artisans in the coldest room in the coldest time of the year.

During the process, the artisans have to first make flower racks using wires and tape them to the craft board, and then place a bowl of ice water next to the rack. The artisan has to slowly add the yak butter piece by piece, which are dyed in different colors, to the rack and sculpts them.

Whenever touching the sculpture, the artisans have to soak their hands in freezing water so as not to melt them with their body heat.