Wind Horse Prayer Flags: brought a wooden block print back from The Parkhang Printing Press ( སྡེ་དགེ་པར་ཁང་) in (Derge (སྡེ་དགེ་) Tibet. This printing press has produced over 70% of all buddhist scriptures, by hand block printing, for all of the buddhist monasteries in Tibet. I took a tour of the facility, which is considered a very holy place among religious Tibetans. The monks working there cranked out thousands of these prints a day using their incredible efficient and simple methods. Visit http://neil-wade.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Tibet/G0000s_LdgO1WD5s/I0000qWanpWq6G_I for Neil Wade's photos of people circumnambulating the Parkhang. The town of Derge is located in the Kham region, which is known for its "Wild West" people and culture. The Khampas are proud and fun people known for their bravery and strength in battles, and to this day carry swords attached to their belts and fur hats and cloaks. The were the main participants of the CIA-backed uprising in 1959 against China. The flags are printed on White, Blue, Yellow, Red, and Green to symbolize the elements in traditional Tibetan style. I stitched them onto hemp string using embroidery thread. The center of the prayer flag has a Lung-ta, (Wind-Horse), that symbolizes transformation of bad to good luck. On its back are three flaming jewels, symbolizing the holy trinity of Buddhism, the Buddha, Dharma (teachings of the Buddha) , and Sangha (community). The Tibetan writing on the flags are mantras of devotion to the great teachers and deities of Tantric Buddhism. Tibetans hang these flags outside because they believe that the wind will take the prayers and spread them around the earth to benefit humanity. They hang these flags in high places so that the wind can reach them and carry the prayers written on the flags. 8 feet long string includes 12 flags of 5 colors.