10th Karmapa, Chöying Dorje

At the age of eight, he was recognized by Shamar Mipam Chökyi Wangchuk, the sixth Shamarpa and received the complete Kagyu transmissions.

[1] During his life, Tibet faced inner instability as a pro-Kagyu king suppressed - against the will of the Karmapa - the Gelug school and forbade the search for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

During his exile (1648 to 1672), Chöying Dorje travelled extensively through Bhutan, Amdo and Kham in East Tibet, Burma and Nepal, founding monasteries along his route.

[4] Traveling through dangerous lands he often concealed his identity, wearing common clothes, and was at times robbed and reduced too begging for food in a region he didn't speak the dialect.

This explains why many of the statues made by the Tenth Karmapa – regardless whether cast in metal or carved in ivory, wood, or conch shell, etc.

His activities as a painter were evidently influenced by the Chinese tradition, which also explains why Chöying Dorje painted many works on silk.

The Tenth Karmapa also encountered other Chinese silk paintings during his exile in Lijiang, where he stayed for several years at the court of the local ruler.