Prayer flags are colorful panels or rectangular cloths often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside. Unknown in other branches of Buddhism, prayer flags are believed to have originated with the original Bön religion, which predated Buddhism in Tibet. Traditionally they are woodblock printed with texts and images.
Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the elements and are arranged from left to right in a specific order: Blue (symbolizing sky/space) White (symbolizing wind/air) Red (symbolizing fire) Green (symbolizing water) Yellow (symbolizing earth)
