"Four Harmonies" is based on Buddhist scriptures.
The account of the story first appeared in the book "The Vinaya" written by the first Dalai Lama Gendun Drubpa (1391-1474). The protagonist of the story is about 4 animals: elephant, monkey, rabbit and bird.
According to "On the Law": A long time ago, in a primitive forest called Gasi, there were four animals: elephants, monkeys, rabbits, and birds, which were called the "Four Harmonies". Don't use the big to bully the small, be united and harmonious, and be very happy and harmonious.
One day the "Four Harmonies" came to a large fruit tree with blooming flowers and a running stream. The monkeys and birds enjoyed the fruits freely, while the elephants and rabbits were very angry because they could not eat the fruits. Therefore, it was proposed that an elder should be elected in the group to have the final say. Everyone was wondering what to do.
At this time, the bird stood up and said: This thing is easy to handle, so it flew to the fruit tree. Look at the fruit tree under my feet. Who can tell me the first time I saw the growth of this fruit tree? height, we can confirm who is the elder.
So the elephant raised his head and said that when a group of elephants and I first saw this fruit tree, it was as tall as us. The monkey said that when I saw it, it was also as tall as me. The rabbit said, "When I saw it, it was as tall as me, and I even licked the water dripping from the leaves."
The bird finally said: It seems that among the three of you, the monkey is naturally older than the elephant, and the rabbit is older than the monkey. As for me, I used to eat enough seeds and often fly here to poop. Later, this fruit tree grew. So everyone felt that what the little bird said made sense. Where would a fruit tree come from without seeds? In the end, everyone chose the wise bird as the elder. From then on, everyone respected each other, helped each other, and lived a happier life. When encountering a river, elephants carried everyone across the river on their backs, and monkeys picked fruits for everyone to enjoy, showing a moving scene of unity and harmony. The story of thangka painting actually expresses the desire of human society to be harmonious and the family to be happy.
People often hang the "Four Harmonies" thangka paintings at home or paint them on temple walls to convey the spiritual culture of valuing harmony.