Issued by TASCHEN Books, The Murals of Tibet by the American photographer Thomas Laird contains large high-resolution reproductions of the most precious surviving murals of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

The supersized book, which is 500 pages and nearly 3 feet in height, along with a companion reference volume and custom stand designed by Shigeru Ban, will be be housed in MIT Distinctive Collections. The limited-edition print run has only 998 copies, each signed by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. MIT received volume 934.

The receipt of this treasured volume, for use by students, faculty and researchers, extends the impact of Global Languages’ successful T.T. and W.F. Chao Distinguished Buddhist Lecture Series.

To celebrate this occasion, a celebratory luncheon was held on October 29, in tandem with a viewing of The Murals of Tibet in Distinctive Collections. Prof. Emma Teng, Director of MIT Global Languages and the T.T. and Wei Fong Chao Professor of Asian Civilizations, welcomed the donation saying it would be an invaluable resource for students and scholars. The World Heritage landmark volume and its companion reference book were then brought to Teng’s class, 21G.030 Introduction to East Asian Cultures: From Zen to K-Pop, for viewing by students.

Both Global Languages and MIT Libraries expressed their deep appreciation for this unique gift.