Culture
17:07, 23-Jan-2018
Exhibition of Elaborate Tangka Paintings taking place in Beijing
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Tangka, a cultural and artistic treasure of Chinese traditional culture, is now on show in Beijing.
The exhibition of almost 50 masterpieces of 31 Tangka artists from Qinghai Province in northwest China showcases the ancient art skills that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Tangka, Tibetan Buddhist paintings on cotton or silk, usually depict a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala.
Some of the artworks on display are state-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors, like Niangben – a master of arts and crafts and inheritor of Regong arts.
An artist can spend years on a single piece, with the patience and delicate care resulting in many masterpieces.
Tangka by Sangdouhe. /Photo by the National Art Museum of China
Tangka by Sangdouhe. /Photo by the National Art Museum of China
It's commonly believed that at least 10 years of training are required under the constant supervision of a master to become an accomplished Tangka painter.
Sangduohe, 55, has been painting Tangka for nearly five decades. This time, he’s got his own artwork on display.
He says children from his hometown Tongren County start to learn the art at the age of seven or eight.
The uniqueness of the skills has remained unchanged, while the number of Tangka painters has expanded.
Tangka by Niangben. /Photo by the National Art Museum of China
Tangka by Niangben. /Photo by the National Art Museum of China
“The paints are made of minerals, some are mixed with gold. The colors will never fade,” says Sangdouhe. “We emphasize the details of each Tangka painting. The brushes are extraordinarily thin, like hair. When I was a learner, there were only just over ten Tangka teachers, but now, there are tens of thousands of them.”
In 2006, Tangka was listed in the first batch of state-level intangible cultural heritages.
As it becomes more and more widely known, the art has developed rapidly in Qinghai Province.
“In the past, Tangka artists only passed on their craftsmanship to male descendants, but now they also have female learners," says local official Ma Yunwei. "Currently, there are roughly 50,000 people in Qinghai Province engaged in the art. Some learn from their family members, some learn from masters at Tangka classes.”
The Exhibition of Elaborate Tangka Paintings of Qinghai runs through January 28 at the National Art Museum of China.