Embossed embroidery is a kind of monastic art belonging to the thangka family.

Embossed embroidery uses different colored cotton and silk cut into a variety of design patterns that are then carefully stitched to form a complete image and embroidered with colored thread.

The themes used in embossed embroidery are also extensive, with the main themes being images of the Buddha, Buddhist scriptures and stories of Arhats. 

In 1996, the Ta'er Monastery created a large embossed embroidery thangka with 22.28 meters in height and 16 meters in width for the Puning Temple in Chengde, north China's Hebei Province.

For many years the monastery has organized special artisan monks to create thangka paintings and embossed embroidery, allowing this unique traditional craft to flourish till today.

Editor: Tommy Tan.