I: Description
The Tibetan drama was invented by a monk of Ka-gyud-pa, Tangtong Jiebu, in the 15th century. He worked for three years to collect donations to build an iron bridge over the Lhasa River in Chushui area without success. One day he met seven beautiful girls dancing and singing. He realized that it was probably a good idea to enlist their help for the bridge project. He organized them into the first troupe to perform and propagate Buddhism and collect donations. He wrote the drama and designed the costumes and the props. In the show, usually two girls acted the roles of hunters, two acted the roles of princesses, two acted the roles of heavenly girls, and one played instruments. The Tibetan drama was called `heavenly girl sisters' (Ahgya Jimu) and the actresses `lamuwa' (fairy girl). They either ware white masks or simple make-ups . Therefore the drama is named `white mask drama'. Late, new varieties appeared. and blue masks were used, and the new dramas are called `blue mask drama' . In this new form, people other than `heavenly girls' may appear.

There is usually no stage for Tibetan drama, although it may be performed in a theatre. The artists will perform in a square or a field. The actors and actresses wear simple make-ups or the masks of figures, birds, animals. One purpose of wearing masks is for the spectators to figure out the nature of the heros from distance. This function is similar to the types of facial make-up in Peking opera. Usually there are three sections of a show: the first part is `Hunters', the hunters will dance and sing to bless the spectators, the second part is the main body of the show, the third part is `tashi', the beautiful actresses will dance and sing to pray for the spectators and to collect alms.

The six main points of Tibetan drama are singing, dancing, rhyming, dialogue, gymnastics, and performing. Tibetans sing in lofty and broad tones for different figures. There are many varieties of dances; archery dance, riding dance, peacock dance, lion dance, yak dance and drum dance. The performance will properly mixed singing and dancing and gymnastics as `lying down jumping'. An outsider will speak about the progress of the drama from time to time while musicians playing the instruments. The stories are mainly about Buddha and historical or fictitious figures. A large scale drama may last three to five days.

II: White Mask Drama
The `white mask' drama is the old branch. Right now there is a `seven sister troupe' claimed to be the successor of the original one. Their plays are usually simpler than the new branch.

III: Blue Mask Drama
This is the new branch of Tibetan drama. The actors and actresses wear blue masks in the performances. It is the dominating one.
(1) South-route Kangba Tibet Drama
About 200 years ago, the first Tibet drama came to Sichuan. For the inauguration ceremony for the Grand Sutra Hall in Kangning Temple, Batang County, Sichuan Province, the abbot of the temple organized a drama troupe, which put on the stage the first "Hunter's Dance". Later, Ganzi Temple organized "Ahgya Jimu" Tibetan Theatrical Troupe to give performances at fairs. On the list of well-known plays were "Princess Wencheng", "Baima Wenba", and "Sujinima", which were popuplar in Litang, Dege, Daofu, Kangding and other places.
(2) Nouth-route Kangba Tibet Drama
The 5th Jianmuxiang Tulku/Living Buddha, Ldan-dpal-rgyal-mtshan (1916-1947), of Labrong Monastery sponsored another Tibetan Drama, the "Amdo Tibetan Drama" or the "north-route Tibetan Drama". It staged dramas with local characteristics. Ldan-dpal-rgyal-mtshan and another Tulku/Living Buddha Lang Cang together wrote and directed "Srong-brtsan-sgam-po", put on the stage by the first "Amdo Tibetan Drama Troupe" of Labrong Monastery. It employed bold and forceful dance steps and lovely, unaffected postures, combined with the stage walk and "chingyi"'s sleeve movements in Beijing Opera.