A tanghwa refers to a Buddhist painting (佛畵: a painting drawn in a frame or scroll form by drawing on a piece of cloth or paper to easily express and widely convey the contents of Buddhism), and the person who has the technique of painting such a tang is called a tanghwajang.

Tanghua was painted for use in Buddhist events because it was much easier to make than other Buddhist paintings and could be moved without being fixed.

It is assumed that the tanghwa of our country began during the Three Kingdoms Period with the introduction of Buddhism. This can be seen from the records of "The History of the Three Kingdoms" that Silla painter Solger painted an old pine tree on the wall of Hwangnyongsa Temple.

In addition, the stone tangerines of Seokguram, which were made during the reign of King Hyegong of the Unified Silla Dynasty (r. 765-780), are believed to have been widely painted during the Unified Silla Period, starting with the Three Kingdoms Period.

In the late Joseon Dynasty, many of the temples were painted as they were renovated.