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Home : China Guide : Tibet : Qikou Thangka are visual expressions of the philosophy and psychology of Buddhism, painted on cotton or linen canvases that may be rolled up when not on display. They often depict of scriptures and scenes from the lives of saints and great masters. Predominantly Buddhist residents of Tongren County -- Regong in Tibetan -- in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, have been creating the so-called Regong art forms of thangka, butter sculptures, murals and barbola since the 15th century.
In addition to the artistic and spiritual fullfilment that painting thangka brings, it is also an excellent alternative source of income for Wutun residents. Just one can fetch as much as RMB 10,000 (US$1,233), which compares very favorably indeed to earnings from 3.5 mu [ 0.57 acres] of farmland. The late national craftworks art master Shawo Tsering(1922-2004), who accompanied his master Zhang Daqian to Dunhuang's Mogao Grottoes to study their Buddhist frescoes, was a Wutun native. He is regarded as China's foremost thangka artist.
Lama Artists Pad Wangchen, now 30, learned thangka art from his grandfather as a child, and went on to be apprenticed to Wutun's most famous son, Shawo Tsering. It was from illustrious master that Padma that learned pigments used to mix colors must be ground for a whole day in order to be smooth enough to apply in three layers and ensure a flawless finish. Upon completion of the sculpture of the fat laughing Buddha in the main hall of Wutun's Upper Temple in 2001, 30 lama artists were commissioned to create the wealth of thangka and sculptures that now grace the temple. Padma Wangchen was one. Gendun Khedrup, also began studying thankga art as a child. At the age of 19 he began receiving commissions to paint thangkas for prominent temples in Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan. In common with other thangka artists, he keeps his best works. As far as he is concerned, there is still much to learn about his chosen art.
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