Color in Tibetan Buddhism Communication Via Mani Heaps

Abstract

This short article presents our preliminary work on color usage and distribution in Mani heaps, a form of Tibetan folk art and a physical means of visual communication in Tibetan Buddhism and culture. We have collected visual images of 70 Mani heaps in Ding Qing County, one of most heavily Mani heaps concentrated regions in Tibet. By quantifying the color distribution and identifying the dominant colors, we could further our studies to investigate different branches of Tibetan Buddhism and their color preferences.