With the increasing demand for the household utensils, instrument of production and religious art, the metal ware crafts in Tibet has been in progressive development, forming a complete set of metal processing technologies, such as smelting, forging, working and carving, etc. The metal ware making in Tibet has a long history. According to the documentation, during the reign of Nyatri Tsanpo, the first Tibetan Tsanpo (400-300 B.C.), Tibet had entered the period of making and using both bronze ware and iron ware. Such weapons as spears, shields and bards had emerged. By the time of Trinyan Sungtsan, the 29th Tibetan Tsanpo, the technology level had been on the high side. The Tibetan people were not only able to extract silver, copper and iron and make weapons like spear, shield, sword and knife, but also capable of building the cable bridge. With the economic development and technological improvement, the metal ware craft became an independent trade.

The Tibetan metal wares can be classified into three categories according to their functions and purposes f the first one is that for the household living and production, i.e. such farm implement as ploughshare, hoe and knife, and such utility devices as flagon, cup, scoop, tray, stove, pan, dan, basin, pot and jar, etc. the second is that for ornament, including bracelet, finger ring, necklace as well as knife, saddle and etc; the third is that for religious purpose, mainly as the figures of Buddh9 and the dharma wares like axe, terbium, ceremonial dagger, cymbal, trumpet and bell, etc. Of all the three categories, the religious wares are most typical.

Making the statue of Buddha usually needs several significant processes, such as smelting, forging, carving, gilding, polishing and red presenting. The processes are rathe