Tibetan flags and or standards

[Snowtiger]

I am currently painting a 15mm Tibetan army (lll/15) and i know the colors of the cloting they mostly used. But has anyone any clues about what kind of flags and/or standards the Tibetans used ? and which colors ? the period i am talking about is the 7th-9th Century (yarlong or Yarlung empire).

[Stelzone]

Go to the online world of flags. they have lots of good references to Tibet and tibetan flags. I am planning on the using several that have ties for my BBDBA army, if it gets beyond a dream stage. smile.gif

Mike S.

[Chris Brantley]

Some useful flag links:

http://www.flags.net/
http://www.theodora.com/flags/flags.html
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/docs/flagsoftheworld.html

[Andrew Ford]

By coincidence I have just returned from a trip to a Tibetan and Qiang (Ch'iang/Chiang/etc) region of northwest Sichuan. While there I attended a cultural presemtation that started with a potted history of the Tibetan and Qiang peoples. Bear in mind it was for tourists and thus the historicity is likely not 100%, but it should have some validity.

The king's standard in the first scene was a parasol with three stripes of drape from the top, each about 30cm/1' thick. The top and the first drape stripe were vibrant yellow, with a thin black line around the frame (where the top turns into the side). The next 30cm below the yellow was either reddish orange or perhaps orangey red (in the theatrical lighting it was a little hard to tell, I'd go with a very red orange). The last 30cm band was a medium green (not as pale as Tang Dynasty green but not as dark as pine needles, and not at all olive).

I might add that both people seem to prefer bright strong colours in contrasting pairs. For instance, if the tunic is white the trousers and trim (and often headgear) are black. Yellow is paired with blue. Red goes with almost anything. There is often a waistcoat, bolero, or sash of a bright colour or an animal fur. Small trims of many colours also occur. Hats come in a bewildering variety of shapes, sizes and colours.

Andrew Ford

[Snowtiger]

Thanks for the tips:) It is very hard to find anything about flags and banners belonging to the Yarlung Empire:) I knew about the blue, yellow and red (and orange) colors, but there is little information about what standards they carried.

Tibetan art shows mostly prayer-flags in all colors:) but no real battle-banners:)

[Andrew Ford]

Ooops!

Just watched the VCD they give out after the performance. Swap the orange and green bands in my description below.

Sorry

Andrew Ford