[Explanation] Thangka has been passed down on the snowy plateau for more than a thousand years.
This art form, which was once called "Oriental Oil Painting" in the West, pays attention to painting thousands of scenes within a square inch.
Thangka is very similar to Western oil painting in terms of painting procedures. Its art form and techniques are not only influenced by Indian and Nepali painting styles, but also deeply influenced by Tang Dynasty painting styles and landscape paintings in the Central Plains, making it unique.
What are the symbols of the blending of Eastern and Western cultures contained in the thangka? Liu Yang, an associate professor at the Art School of Tibet University, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency "East-West Question".
[Concurrent] Liu Yang, Associate Professor, School of Art, Tibet University
There are two types of thangkas: hand-painted and non-hand-painted.
Today we mainly talk about hand-painted thangkas. It is a scroll painting that uses agate, coral, cinnabar and other very precious minerals as pigments, and is painted on a cloth curtain and mounted with colorful satin. The subject matter is mainly religion, but it also involves history. , politics, economy, culture, folklore, secular life and other aspects, so it is also called "the encyclopedia of Tibetan culture".
In terms of content, the traditional Thangka is the culmination of the entire Tibetan culture, including history, landscape, humanities, Tibetan medicine, astronomy, calendar, etc. Thangka is the specific embodiment of "workmanship" in traditional Tibetan culture. High art appreciation value and collection value.
[Explanation] After Thangka was listed as China's national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, it was even more sought after by domestic and foreign enthusiasts.
Thangka was once called "Oriental Oil Painting" by Westerners, so what is the difference between its artistic expression and oil painting?
[Concurrent] Liu Yang, Associate Professor, School of Art, Tibet University
Thangka has been called oriental oil painting by Westerners, in fact, this is because its expression form and painting procedure are very close to oil painting.
The expression form and painting procedure of thangka are very close to oil painting.
Before Thangka painting, the canvas needs to be stretched, glued and polished.
When making a draft, use charcoal strips or pencils to draw outlines, tick lines, and coloring on the canvas. The whole process is very close to oil painting.
Therefore, some Westerners who are new to Thangka art will refer to Thangka art as "Oriental oil painting".
Thangka has different aesthetic characteristics from traditional Chinese painting and oil painting. It not only has the basic aesthetics of image modeling, but also is full of symbolism and aesthetics, which constitutes the unique aesthetic characteristics of Thangka.
[Explanation] In the history of the development of Chinese civilization, all ethnic groups have progressed and developed together in exchanges, exchanges and blending.
The inheritance and development of thangka has absorbed the essence of the cultures of various ethnic groups.
Thangka witnesses the history of Sino-Tibetan communication, and its painting elements also interact with Chinese painting.
[Concurrent] Liu Yang, Associate Professor, School of Art, Tibet University
From the perspective of its artistic form, the Thangka technique was influenced by the painting style of the Tang Dynasty, and the green and green landscape style of the Central Plains was continuously integrated into the Thangka painting.
During the development of thangka, a large number of laws and techniques of inland landscape painting and meticulous painting were absorbed.
During the Tubo period, the fame of Confucius spread to Tibet along with the cultural exchanges between Tang and Tubo, and gained the cultural recognition of the Tibetan people.
In the thangka painting "God Transforms King Confucius (Gongze Chuji)" in the Qing Dynasty, Confucius, as a moral sage of Confucianism, was transformed by the Tibetan people into Gongze Chu Jijie, the trinity of "sage, god and king". Bu (Jiebu, Tibetan means "king").
This also shows that the Han culture in the Central Plains had an impact on the content of Thangka in history.
[Explanation] Liu Yang said that the fusion of cultures brings innovation and development.
Through the free combination of bold imagination and Thangka elements, various expressive techniques of thangka painting are used to form a unique artistic style, which is called "new thangka".
"New Thangka" is both traditional and modern, both present and inspiring for the future.
Combining art education with folk art and seeking the integration of folk art, real life and contemporary art is an important way to promote the development of thangka education.
Today, people should be more active in inheriting the cultural heritage left by their ancestors with a broader mind and diversified thinking.
Reported by Xie Mu and Zhao Yan in Lhasa
Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]