Butter sculptures, together with prayer wheels, colorful prayer flags and piles of prayer stones, were endorsed by ancient Buddhist masters in Tibet as a flexible approach to helping illiterate commoners practice Buddhism.

The sculptures made of white yak butter and mineral dyes depict scenes from the Buddha's teachings and show the sculptors' reverence for the Buddha and their wishes on the special day.

It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council in 2006.

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

Photo shows finished butter sculptures in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the markets, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures et well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]

A craftsman makes a butter sculpture in Kangxung Township of Rinbung County in Shigatse, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. With an increasing demand of butter sculpture in the market, more than 100 butter sculpture craftsmen working on it in Kangxung Township, which makes the inheritance of butter sculptures get well protected.[Photo/Xinhua]