Tibetan block-printing craft is also of rich and distinct ethnic features. According to the statistics, among all Chinese ancient documentations, Tibetan ancient books and records are the richest among those of all ethnic groups of China, only secondary to those of Han people. In such vast and numerous documentations, most were printed by various printing centers, proving a high level of Tibetan ancient typography. It is said that in Yuan dynasty, the shamen sent by Sakya sect to inland of China to learn the typography thus giving rise to Tibetan typography. Owing to economic and cultural development, Tibetan block-printing were extensively introduced and applied, forming many large sized centers for photo-xylography, printing and binding of books, such as Sutra Printing House of Natang Monastery, Lhasa Sutra Printing House, Xigaze Sulra Printing House, Dege Sutra Printing House in Sichuan Province, Sutra Printing House of Labrang Monastery in Gansu Province, Sutra Printing House of Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai Province. They are well organized and equipped and with high skill and craftsmanship.

Photo-xylography, printing and binding are three most important processes in book making, including such sophisticated workflow as material selecting, engraving, paper making, ink making and printing. Taking the process in Dege Sutra Printing House in Sichuan Province as an example. In each Autumn, they would select and cut yellow birch wood after dehydration and cut it into block in direction of the wood texture, drying it with fire, retting it into sheep manures, cooking it with water, drying again and polishing, before it is ready to be sent for photo-xylography. For the photo-xylograph, it is required that the handwriting shall be elegant, and the engraving be skillful with vigor and accurate force to get the appropriate depth of cutting. The text shall be arranged in raw from left to right, matched with illustration if any. After engraving, it is necessary to proof -read and correct, then soak it in ghee, wash it with a special
The paper for printing on is made of a special species of herbage in Tibet called "langdu root". This toxic herbage contains very good grass fiber and can be turned into the paper with tenacity. That means it is not easily worn and able to prevent from been eaten by insect or mice. Since its advantage for long-term storage, this kind of paper found wide application in printing. The ink for printing is generally a kind of lamp black burnt from the bark of white birch. While the vermilion liquor is used for printing important books and records, such as the "Tripitaka". The whole range of process includes paper cutting, ink preparing, plate preparing, printing, book drying under the Sun, book finishing, plate washing, and plate storing, etc.

The way of book binding used by Tibetan people is different from that used by Han people. The binding type is usually the sutra cover style, with the leafs in long and narrow rectangular shape. The process includes cover making, photo-xylography, wrapping the book with leather or silk and so on. The top and bottom covers are made from wood with properties of anti worm, in long and narrow rectangle shape and those of the leafs and well polished. The sandal cover is most favored, because its anti-worm property and typical fragrance. Polishing the covers, then engraving the book title and dermatoglyphic patterns on them. The patterns are arranged to match with the subject matter of the book, similar to today's cover design. The dermatoglyphic patterns usually contain some symbolic meaning. Take the combined patterns of lotus flower, sword and sutra case as an example, the lotus flower represents nobleness, sword expresses wisdom, while the sutra case symbolizes the knowledge. There are also such patterns as the eight auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism, or the statues of Buddha, Bodhisattvas and guardian deities, etc. Arranging the leafs according to the page number, holding the leafs with the top and bottom covers (similar to today's front and back covers), then wrap the book with some leather or silk materia1s to prevent it from dust and be convenient for taking.