Xiawu Cerang, 74, who lives in northwest China's Qinghai Province, has been very busy painting a Tangkar, a kind of scroll painting mounted on brocade, in recent days.
This square painting with two-meter-long sides, depicts the story of Sakyamuni Buddha, and was ordered by a businessman from Hong Kong.
Cerang said, because the Tangkar is so big, it will take him and his son, Soinan, two months to complete the painting. He is making sketches of the painting, and his son is responsible for coloring the Tangkar, a kind of art of Tibetan Buddhism.
Making Tangkar and murals for both domestic and overseas clients is now the main task for the father and son team. They make 50,000 yuan (US$6,024) a year from their business.
Cerang and his son are not the only people doing these kinds of painting in their hometown, which is the Wutun village of Tongren county, Tibet Autonomous Prefecture of Huangnan. In the village there are nine out of 10 men capable of painting Tangkar as well.
Tangkar painting by Wutun villagers and those from three other Tibetan villages have become an important branch of the art of Tibetan Buddhism after five to six centuries of development. The villagers are also skillful in producing colored drawings, colored sculptures and carvings.
Experts believe that the popularity of Tangkar painting in the area has much to do with the prevailing popularity of religion in the region in ancient times.
The appearance of an increasing number of Tibetan temples and monasteries provided more chances for local villagers to paint Tangkar and sculptures.
At present, Wutun villagers not only paint Tangkar which features religion, but also paint Tangkar telling stories of ordinary people and reflecting social activities.
Wutun Village and other Tibetan villages have won the fame of being "hometown of Tibetan painting," and are happy to get more orders.
(People's Daily 11/16/2000)
