About the Tibetan Flag

Historical Background
During the reign of the 7th century King Songten Gampo, the Tibetan empire was one of the mightiest in Central Asia. Tibet had an army of more than one hundred thousand men and each regiment has its own banner. These military banners were used until the 13th Dalai Lama created a new design in the early 20th century and issued a proclamation that it be adopted by the entire Tibetan Army. This banner then became the Tibetan national flag.

Symbolism of Tibet’s National Flag

Across the dark blue sky, the six radiating red bands represent the original ancestral tribes of the Tibetan people called Se, Mu, Dong, Tong, Dru and Ra. The combination of the six red bands and six blue bands, which represents the sky, stands for the unceasing enactment of the virtuous deeds of Tibet’s spiritual teachings and secular life.

In the center stands a triangular thickly snow-clad mountain which represents the nation of Tibet, also known as ‘The Land Surrounded by Snow Mountains.’ At the peak of the snow mountain is the rising sun with its rays brilliantly shining in all directions. The sun represents the equal enjoyment of freedom, spiritual and secular happiness and prosperity by all beings in the land of Tibet.

The flaming three-colored jewels represent the ever-present reverence respectfully held by the Tibetan people towards the Three Supreme Jewels (the Buddhist objects of refuge: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).

On the slopes of the mountain stands a pair of snow lions, their manes blazing with fearlessness, which represents Tibet’s victorious accomplishments of a unified spiritual and secular life.

The two-colored swirling jewels held between the two snow lions symbolizes that Tibetans guard and cherish the self-discipline of correct ethical behavior, principally embodied in the practice of the ten exalted virtues and the 16 human modes of conduct.

Lastly, the three-sided yellow border symbolizes the teachings of the Buddha, which is like pure, refined gold, unbounded in space and time as it persistently flourishes and spreads into the world.

Historical Reference
The National Geographic Magazine issue, volume LXVI in September of 1934 highlighted the Tibetan National Flag. The main article, Flags of the World by Gilbert Grosvenor and William J. Showalter on page 383 shows the national flag of Tibet, looking exactly as it does today. Between the flags of Switzerland and Turkey, the description was straightforward, “Tibet – with its towering mountain of snow, before which stands two lions fighting for a flaming gem, the flag of Tibet is one of the most distinctive of the East.”