A visitor enjoys the Thousand-hand Bodhisattva exhibited at Hunan Provincial Museum in central China's Changsha, capital of Hunan Province on Dec. 27. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Visitors enjoy the Tibetan cultural relics exhibited at Hunan Provincial Museum in central China's Changsha, capital of Hunan Province. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

An exhibition of over 130 precious Tibetan cultural relics was opened to the public, presenting a full demonstration of cultural wonders of the Tibetan ethnic group from Dec. 28 at Hunan Provincial Museum in Central China's Changsha, capital of Hunan Province.

Entitled "Mysterious Tibet in Buddhist Light", the special exhibition shows rare cultural relics from ten famous monasteries and museums in Tibet, including Norbulingka, Potala Palace and Tibet Museum.

The exhibits include the quintessence of Tibetan culture and arts over the past millennium, such as different types of Buddha statues, Thangka paintings, ancient books, musical instruments used in Buddhism, costumes for Tibetan Opera as well as masks for Tibetan dances.

Among the cultural relics, more than 40 pieces are under the national first-grade protection.

The most impressive and valuable item is the Thousand-hand Bodhisattva with 11 faces which boasts a history of hundreds of years yet is still well preserved.

The Bodhisattva in fact has altogether 998 hands, researchers in the musuem said. It tactfully becomes a thousand-hand Bodhisattva by adding the two hands of a worshipper.

Divided into three sections, the exhibition from multiple perspectives reveals the livelihood, culture, art and religious belief of Tibetans.

The exhibition, co-organized by Hunan Provincial Museum, Tibet Cultural Relic Bureau and Cultural Palace of Nationalities, is hoped to to promote more people's understanding and appreciation of Tibetan history, culture, art and customs, the organizer said.