Tibetan Thangkas

Tibetan Thangkas Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

The Thangka is thus a kind of painting done on flat surface but which can be rolled up when not required for display. The most common shape of a Thangka is the upright rectangular form. One does also find horizontal oblong banners influenced probably by the format of Chinese horizontal hand scrolls.

Categories

On the basis of techniques involved and materials used thangkas can be grouped into several categories. Generally they are divided into two broad categories: those which are painted (called bris-than in Tibetan) and those which are made of silk either by weaving or with embroidery (called gos-than). The painted thangkas are further divided into five categories:

• Thangkas with different colors in the background

• Thangkas with a gold background

• Thangkas with a red background

• Thangkas with a black background

• Thangkas whose outlines are printed on cotton support and then touched up with colors

How to Make Tibetan Thangkas

Total 6 steps are needed in the process of Thangka painting.

• Preparation of the painting surface: Tibetan painters pay great importance to the preparation of the painting surface since Thangka paintings are to be rolled up for storage and then unrolled for display. Any sort of defect due to neglect may cause cracks or make the paint peel off. A piece of cotton cloth of slightly open weave is stitched on to a narrow wooden frame along all its four sides. This lightly framed cotton is then tightly stretched over a larger wooden frame or stretcher with a stout thread by a system of crisscross lacing. After setting up the cloth in the frame it is treated from both the front and back with a thin layer of gesso, which is made up of glue and zinc oxide. The canvas is then burnished on both sides with a stone or conch shell to produce a smooth and lustrous surface.

• Drawing: Before sketching different parts of the composition, eight major lines of orientation are drawn. These include a central perpendicular, two diagonals, a horizontal and four outer borders. Now with charcoal or graphite the rough drawing of the deity in full accordance with the canonical proportions is delineated. Within a given composition, the center stage is invariably occupied by the principal personage, while all acolytes and attendants are greatly reduced in size to further emphasize the majesty and enormity of the central figure.

• Application of Color: Color is more than a visual proposition in Sacred Buddhist Painting. The five basic colors white, yellow, red, black and green have different symbolic meanings. Black symbolizes killing and anger, white denotes rest and repose, yellow stands for restraint and nourishment, red is indicative of subjugation while green is the known hue of exorcising practices. The palette of the Thangka painters has been classified into 'seven father colors' and one 'mother color'. The seven father colors are: deep blue, green, vermilion, minimum orange, maroon, yellow and indigo. The mother color is white which interacts perfectly with all these hues. The lighter shades resulting from the mixture of 'father' and 'mother' were referred to as their sons. Written evidence from the eighteenth century identifies fourteen such 'sons'. For any large project, the master painter first visualizes the final color scheme and indicates them on the sketch with an abbreviated notation system. While applying the colors the painter proceeds from the distant parts to those parts stationed near him.

• Shading and Color Gradations: After laying the initial coats of flat color the painter proceeds to apply thin coats of dyes diluted in water. Shading in Tibetan Thangkas is always done to add effects of volume and dimension to the form be it a human figure, an anthropomorphic image of some deity or clouds, water, flames, rocks, flowers, curtains, seats, etc. Cast shadows and highlights are unknown aspects of the pictorial imagery of the Thangka. Very often the empty green field of the foreground is shown fading gradually into the horizon and such effects are obtained with 'wet shading', a technique of gradual blending of two adjoining areas of wet paint.

• Outlining: In an essentially linear pictorial expression like the Thangka, the art of outlining plays a significant role. To set off objects from the background or to demarcate subdivisions of a certain form, or to emphasize a swirling mass of flames, painters select the indigo and lac dyes for perfect results.

• Finishing Details: At this final stage the facial features are finished and the eyes of the deities are painted. For this 'eye opening' an elaborate consecration ritual on an auspicious full moon day is fixed and only after the vivification ritual does the painter complete the eyes in swift sure strokes. The whites of the eyes are softened with orange and red at the corner ends, eyelid edges are darkened and then the iris is added according to the required stance of the deity. The two most commonly fashioned varieties of eyes are 'bow eyes' and grain eyes' besides a few fearsome looking ones for the wrathful deities.
  In order to turn the areas of gold shiny they are burnished gently with an onyx tipped tool after placing a wooden support against the back of the canvas.
  Next, the cord fastenings are cut with a knife and the painting is removed from the stretcher. The Thangka is then mounted with Chinese silks. Often the Thangka is provided with a cover of gossamer silk. When the Thangka hangs on an altar the cover is gathered up to the top and acts as a curtain. Two narrow sticks are attached to the top and the bottom so that the Thangka can be easily rolled up for storage or for a journey.

No Sign

Most Tibetan artists do not sign their works. Every act of creation is considered to be divine with the artist simply serving as a mortal instrument, and so his own identity is inconsequential. Also, attaching one's name to a work is considered an egotistical act, and it is the duty of the artist, like all pious Buddhists, to destroy the ego.

Tibetan Thangkas Highlights

Tibetan Thangkas Highlights Related

Tibetan Ethnic Group attraction highlights

This is an ethnic group of mystery and religion, a land with passionate people, a place of songs, dances and delicious food; This is Tibetan ethnic group. The Tibetans with a population of 5,416,021 mostly live in the Tibet Autonomous Region. There are also Tibetan communities in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

• Lhasa
• Gyangtze
• Shigatse
• Tingri
• Tsetang

Tibetan Thangkas FAQ & Travelers's Tips

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?
2. China has its own operas? What are they?
3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?
4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?
5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?
6. What's Chinese art usually about?
7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?
8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?
9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?
10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?

   China is a country with a long long history. During its development, all kinds of arts were created by the diligent Chinese people. Although nowadays, there are other countries that try to imitate Chinese art, the roots are still in China, and the best Chinese art works in the world can only be found in China.

   • Papercut Technique and form of cutting and pricking pictures and designs in paper by hand. The tools employed in papercutting were simply a pair of sharp scissors, razor-edged, quill-shaped knives or penknives with a hone and oil for sharpening, and good-quality paper. For pin-pricking, steel needles of different sizes were fixed to short wooden handles or mounted on a roulette wheel. The paper was worked from the back as well as the front for various effects. Handcut and pricked papers were largely outmoded by machine production in the mid-19th century.

   • Chinese Opera Chinese Opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China. There are numerous regional branches of opera with its original root starting in the dynastic periods. The Beijing opera is one of the most famous Chinese Opera. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Canjun opera was one of the first form of opera available. Though in general, the more organized form of Chinese opera began in the Tang Dynasty with Emperor Xuanzong (712C755), who founded the "Pear Garden", the first known opera troupe in China. The troupe mostly performed for the emperors' personal pleasure. To this day operatic professionals are still referred to as "Disciples of the Pear Garden". In the Yuan Dynasty (1279C1368), forms like the Zaju, which acts based on rhyming schemes plus the innovation of having specialized roles like "Dan", "Sheng", "Hua" and "Chou" were introduced into the opera. Although actors in theatrical performances of the Song Dynasty (960C1279) strictly adhered to speaking in Classical Chinese onstage, it was during the Yuan Dynasty that actors speaking in the vernacular tongue gained precedent on stage.

     The dominant form of the Ming and early Qing dynasties was Kunqu, which came from the Wu cultural area. It later evolved into a longer form of play called chuanqi, which became one of the 5 melody that made up Sichuan opera. Chinese operas continue to exist in 368 different forms now, the best known of which is Beijing opera, which assumed its present form in the mid-19th century and was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644C1911).

   • Chinese Painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Earliest paintings were ornamental, not representational; they consisted of pattern or designs, not pictures. Stone Age pottery was painted with spiral, zigzags, dots, or animals. It was only during the Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.) that artists began to represent the world around them.

     Painting in the traditional style is today known in Chinese as guo hua meaning 'national' or 'native painting', in opposition to Western styles of art which became popular in China in the 20th century. Traditional painting involves essentially the same techniques as calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of paper and silk. The finished work is then mounted on scrolls, which can be hung or rolled up. Traditional painting also is done in albums and on walls, lacquerwork, and other media.

     Chinese Variety Art It is the name giving to the collection of performances that include a wide range of acrobatic, balancing acts and other spectacles performed by a troupe fashioned in traditional Chinese-style attire. The art originated in China and is still performed today.




2. China has its own operas? What are they?

   There are about 30 kinds of Chinese operas: 4 in the North, 13 in the South and another 13 that belongs to other areas here and there. The most famous operas in China are Beijing opera, Qinqiang opera, Kunqu opera, Pingju opera, etc.




3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?

   Dragons are commonly symbols of good luck/health in some parts of Asia, and are also sometimes worshipped. Asian dragons are considered as mythical rulers of weather, specifically rain and water, and are usually depicted as the guardians of flaming pearls.

   In China, as well as in Japan and Korea, the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation, representing spring (season), the element of Wood and the east. A Yellow dragon with five claws on each foot, on the other hand, symbolize imperial authority in China, and indirectly the Chinese people as well. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity.




4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?

   Due to the long history, some Chinese arts were descended yet some didn't get the chance to live long. Ancient Chinese arts that are still popular today, we'd say, it's the papercut and Chinese opera.

   Papercut is playing an important part in festivals, especially the Spring festival. People use papercuts as decorations in the room in order to add more festival atmosphere to the house. Papercut is also collected by many Chinese pepercut lovers who would spend a good among of money on those papercuts. The patterns that are usually used in papercut are now used in many place: patterns on appliance, patterns on buildings, etc.

   During Spring festival, there is always an evening show that's only about Chinese opera, indicating the importance of Chinese opera today. There are schools that teach kid to learn how to perform Chinese opera, and some people live their live on performing Chinese operas.




5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?

   Chinese art actually has been soaked into people's common lives. All kinds of forms of art can be seen along the streets, on the bus, in the subway, anytime, anywhere. But there are indeed some best places for you to appreciate the best Chinese art.

   • The Gallery of China The Gallery of China started in the 1970's it wasn't until 1996 that the gallery proper was formed. It's located in the city center area. It has many functions such as exhibition, collection, research, public education and international communication. From time to time, interesting art exhibition takes place in the Gallery of China. Just a few months ago, the Dunhuang art show was held inside the gallery. Thousands of visitors came to see the exhibition. All kinds of Dunhuang wall paintings brought visitors to the real Dunhuang
   
   
   • National Theater for the Performing Arts The National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. The Centre's ultra-modern architecture is in sharp contrast to its neighbours, the Great Hall of the People, Tian'anmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City.The National Centre for the Performing Arts is far more than a spectacular and futuristic building.




6. What's Chinese art usually about?

   Chinese arts usually all have auspicious meanings. Take papercut for example, papercuts usually are vivid pictures of Chinese phrases with good and optimistic meaning. That's why people like to put up papercuts on the windows or walls to bring auspicious atmosphere to the house.

   Chinese arts are usually about common people's life. A very precious piece of art might be just about an old man in the street where nobody known about him, or about a general life style that everyone shares.




7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?

   As you have noticed, there is much make up on performers' faces when they are performing Chinese operas. Why? That's because the themes of the shows they play are usually about ancient Chinese stories. And different colors of make-up symbolize different historical characters. For example, Caocao, one of the central figures during the Three Kingdoms Period, was a cunning character, so the role of him needs white facial make-up to express the duplicity of him. Guanyu, was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was a nice person and made a lot of contribution to him country, therefore, the role of Guanyu needs the color red to show his courage, strength and loyalty.




8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?

   All kinds of forms express Chinese arts well. Yet, there is a unique form of Chinese arts that no other country has, which is Chinese Calligraphy. For thousands of years of development, Chinese calligraphy has now many forms. Some look decent with delicate handwriting, while some look messy but express the open character of the writers. Brush pen, the unique tool for Chinese traditional writings, also has various kinds. Some are thin while some are thick, which show different styles of calligraphy.




9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?

   If you go to a gallery, please do not take photos of the art works. Flash lights is very bad for the preservation of the works. Sometimes, drinks are not allowed inside a gallery, so please make sure you have enough liquid in you before entering the gallery.

   If you go to see a show, please keep quiet during the show. Do not applaud until the end of performances. There are also some special requirements: for instance, if you want to see the Tang dynasty dance and music show, we suggest that you dress as you would for any formal occasion, like the Opera in Beijing, and the welcome and farewell dinners during the Yangtze Cruise. Jackets and ties for gentlemen and a formal dress or gown for ladies are recommended.




10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

    If you want to buy some souvenirs for you friends, please tell your guides, they will do their best to fulfill your requirements. Your guides will introduce you some large painting shops with the high quality. You can have a pleasant and rewarding shopping experience.

    Also, there are usually souvenirs inside the gallery of theater where you can buy gifts for friends and family, but the price might be a little bit high.