The origins of the Pusum hand-engraving technique can be traced back to the seventh century. Legend says the 32 generation Songtsen Gampo of the Tubo Dynasty came to the Lhasa Valley to choose the location of the capital.

When Songtsen Gampo bathed in the river, he saw the sun refracting the rock to reveal the six-character mantra, so he asked Nepalese craftsmen to engrave the Buddha statue on the rock, and then built the capital here.

Since then, stone carving has become the most common form of artistic expression in Tibet, and Pusum hand-engraving evolved from it. At present, only Pusum township has completely preserved this ancient craft.

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