Illustration: Liu Xiangya/Global Times
If you can't decipher a thangka, you might perpetually remain a "muggle" in the realm of Tibetan culture. The Xizang Autonomous Region in Southwest China and surrounding areas have long been synonymous with mystery, and thangkas, Tibetan Buddhist paintings on cotton or silk appliqué, serve as a prominent symbol encapsulating this enigmatic essence.
One can always find the perennial leading man - the legendary Songtsen Gampo - somewhere in Tibetan culture, whether it's in the essentials of life, the intricacies of dance and songs, or the details of daily living.
Legend has it that one day, the nose of this ancient Tibetan leader began to bleed. While such an incident might be dismissed as a sudden health concern for others, our protagonist had a serendipitous moment. In this very instant, he ingeniously dipped his hand in his own nosebleed and painted an image of the auspicious deity, Palden Lhamo, on a piece of cloth. Palden Lhamo is a powerful protector deity in Tibetan Buddhism known for her extraordinary abilities.
According to historical records, many years later, a famous lama enshrined the artwork inside a statue, marking a pivotal moment in the origins of thangka painting, as acknowledged by scholars in the academic community.
From this origin story, we can discern a unique vitality that births the possible from the seemingly impossible.
In fact, within almost every surviving form of Tibetan art, we witness the manifestation of such miracles. One could argue that Tibetan art itself unfolds around miracles: In this high-altitude, oxygen-deprived realm of snowy landscapes of Xizang, a group of people managed to create such splendid and colorful art.
Thangka has been an essential in a traditional household in Xizang.
Taking out a cherished scroll from a drawer, carefully untying the bound ropes, and gently unfurling it; a magnificent thangka depicting the teachings of Shakyamuni unfolds. Any thangka can be rolled up, and in fact, that's precisely how it got its name. Thangka, also known as tangka or tankha, is a transliteration from Tibetan and refers to religious scroll paintings that are brocaded and hung for veneration. In the previous centuries, many families in Xizang relied on pastoralism for survival, determining their nomadic lifestyle following water and pastures. Ready to move at any time, these precious paintings had to be portable and easily displayed, hence the need for them to be rollable.
Thangka paintings, with each migration and generation of families, have endured the passage of time. Whether in a simple tent or a temporary dwelling, when a thangka is unfurled, it's as if raising a banner. Thangka is a distinctive form of painting in Tibetan culture, with its themes encompassing various fields such as local history, politics, culture, and social life. Most of the thangkas passed down through generations are works related to Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion.
When interpreting thangkas, it's crucial to keep one thing in mind - each truly authentic thangka is irreplaceable. These scroll paintings depict a sacred world with bright colors; traditionally, pigments include precious minerals such as gold, silver, pearls, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, cinnabar, as well as saffron, rhubarb, and indigo. These natural ingredients ensure that the colors of the painted thangkas remain vivid and dazzling, retaining their brightness even after centuries.
You must also know that the structural aspect of a thangka is more significant than its aesthetic and expressive qualities. The function of a thangka is more akin to a mind map used for self-improvement and introspection. Before a thangka artist picks up a brush, what they must be well-versed in is not a vision of beauty or solemnity, but a set of precise data that cannot tolerate the slightest error: the length of the Bodhisattva's eyes, the size of the delicate white hair amid the eyebrows, the proportions of the body, the angles of finger curvature, the coordinates in the composition. Each piece of data strictly corresponds and symbolizes a specific part in the scriptures.
The creation of traditional thangkas demands strict adherence to a complex process. It must follow the rituals outlined in scriptures and the instructions of the spiritual teacher: pre-painting ceremonies, canvas preparation, composition drafting, coloring, outlining, gilding, eye-opening ceremonies, sewing, and consecration. The entire crafting process takes a considerable amount of time, ranging from six months to over a decade.
It is precisely due to the culmination of these factors that thangka is acclaimed as a precious gem in Chinese ethnic painting, referred to as the "encyclopedia" of art of the Tibetan people, and cherished as a valuable intangible cultural heritage in Chinese folk art. In today's internet age, the collection, appreciation, and exchange of techniques related to thangka have remained popular among the local younger generation. People are not just satisfied with an expensive decoration or a simple illustration of historical culture. What is more important is the spirit toward life that thangka embodies.
The author is a lecturer of Hunan University and holds a PhD from Renmin University of China. [email protected] 
