A Detailed Account of Thangka
"Thangka" is a term from the Tibetan language, referring to portable scroll paintings. Throughout history, it has evolved into various types, such as appliqué thangka, embroidered thangka, brocaded thangka, and kesi (silk tapestry) thangka. Today, when people mention thangka, it generally refers to scroll paintings created with natural pigments on polished cotton cloth. Traditionally, Tibetans led a nomadic lifestyle, and thangkas were more portable than Buddha statues. In Tibetan culture, thangkas were not only used to depict Buddha images but also to illustrate aspects like Tibetan medicine, astronomy, geography, and history.
The history of thangka in Tibet can be traced back over 1,300 years to the Tubo Dynasty during the reign of Songtsen Gampo. Even today, murals from that period can still be seen in some temples. The oldest existing thangkas have a history of 1,300 to 1,400 years, most of which are preserved in temples. The Palace Museum in Beijing houses over 1,000 thangkas from the Ming and Qing dynasties, while the British Museum also has a collection of precious thangka Buddha images. The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was also skilled in painting thangkas, and his works are stored in the Potala Palace.
In its early stages, thangka was heavily influenced by Indian and Nepalese painting styles. Gradually, it developed its own unique style and formed three major schools: Menri, Zhadqing, and Karma Gadri, each with multiple branches. Regong thangka, a prominent type, is categorized into four main kinds based on materials: colored thangka, gold thangka, red thangka, and black thangka. Colored thangka is the commonly seen painted one, while the other three use pure gold, red, and black as their base colors respectively. In terms of painting style, Regong thangka is known for using gold as a pigment to create a magnificent and brilliant artistic effect. It features bright colors, exquisite patterns, numerous figures, and excels in depicting rich religious stories.
No Thangka Painting Without Knowledge of Buddhist Sutras。
《The *Measurements Sutra*》 (a classic text on Buddhist art proportions) provides detailed descriptions of the stylistic characteristics of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as well as the proportional measurements of various parts of their bodies. It is regarded as an inviolable rule in Tibetan painting and serves as the foundation for learning thangka painting. When studying thangka, the first daily task for students is to listen to their teachers explain Buddhist sutras. Without knowledge of these sutras, one cannot paint thangkas even if they possess technical skills. Teachers recite sutras, and students listen; then, students create paintings based on the stories from the sutras. Therefore, Buddhist sutra stories act like scripts, relying on the painter’s imagination for creation—there are no fixed templates.
"People who paint thangkas recite sutras every morning. After recitation, they wash their hands and start painting only when they are clean. They also refrain from smoking and drinking, as these are ways to show respect to the Buddha. Painting thangka is painstaking work: one must sit cross-legged on the floor and paint from morning till night. This process cultivates concentration." "For a teenager just starting out, this is no easy task. At first, it’s hard to even sit still. Only by sitting cross-legged can one stay steady, which also keeps the hand steady when drawing lines—sitting on a stool won’t work. While painting, one must remain calm, not move or speak, for fear of making the lines crooked. Teachers are also very strict: since the pigment prepared each day is different, if a mistake is made one day, correcting it the next day would leave a mark like a scar."
"The pigments used for thangka painting are precious natural materials, including mineral pigments such as gold, silver, pearls, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, and cinnabar, as well as plant pigments like saffron, rhubarb, and indigo. Thangkas painted with these pigments can retain their colors for thousands of years without fading. Pigments are the root of a thangka, and the most precious part lies in the pigments themselves. The most expensive pigment is gold powder—for example, a 'black-gold thangka of Sakyamuni Buddha in his three incarnations' can use gold powder worth 70,000 to 80,000 yuan (Chinese currency)."
The Rigorous Learning Process
The foundation of learning thangka painting is mastering 《the *Measurements Sutra*》—students often spend several years practicing to achieve proficiency and precision. Next, they learn to grind and mix pigments, which involves creating over 100 colors from just a few basic ones. Unfortunately, some colors used in ancient thangkas have been lost and can no longer be replicated today. Only after mastering these basic skills can students learn from their teachers how to apply colors and create gradations. "Mineral pigments are thick, so one must apply them evenly and smoothly. Then comes learning gradient techniques, followed by drawing gold lines and other lines. This is a step-by-step process. Students need to master the flexibility of lines and variations in thickness—a skill that requires constant practice." Even the most talented students need at least five to six years to fully master the entire craft.
The first step in painting a thangka is sketching. Charcoal sticks are used for large-scale thangkas, while pencils are used for smaller ones. The sketching process is like being a director: one must plan where to place the main Buddha, what other Buddhas to include nearby, and how to depict the entire story—this is an extremely challenging step. During the actual creation process, one must understand Tibetan script and Buddhist stories, and think carefully before painting. Thangka is a type of fine brushwork with heavy colors. In contrast, traditional Chinese paintings from the inland regions may only use fine brushwork for small details (such as tiny insects on leaves), while the rest are done in a freehand style. However, every part of a thangka is painted with fine brushwork, so the process is relatively slow.
Laypeople may find it difficult to judge the quality of a thangka, but connoisseurs can tell at a glance. They evaluate factors like the facial features of the Buddhas, the sketching, and the flexibility and delicacy of each line. The compassionate expression on a Buddha’s face must be vividly portrayed. Lines also vary in thickness, and many people spend their entire lives without mastering this skill—it depends on talent.
Currently, black-gold thangkas are the most popular on the market, and they particularly test a painter’s skill. It is hard to sketch on black cloth, and there are no drafts for the detailed lines. Painters must work with great care, as a single wrong stroke can ruin the entire piece. Only skilled painters can create such thangkas.
Thangka in the Market and Preservation In the past, thangkas were mainly enshrined in temples, and ordinary families would usually only have one thangka for worship—overall demand was not high. Today, however, thangkas are collected as works of art not only by believers but also by many Han people. Printed thangkas have also appeared on the market. Colored thangkas are the most commonly printed type; generally, after the basic image is printed, details and lines are added by hand. Just like traditional Chinese paintings and oil paintings, the booming market has led to more counterfeits, though they remain a minority. A genuine thangka, made with natural pigments, costs at least several thousand yuan. In contrast, printed thangkas or those using poster paints are much cheaper.
The price of a thangka also depends on its size, the number of figures depicted, and its level of intricacy.
Currently, the most popular thangkas on the market are portraits of Sakyamuni Buddha, White Tara, Green Tara, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Yellow Jambhala (the God of Wealth). Believers never place thangkas randomly—they either roll them up for storage or place them in a prayer hall. For non-believers, hanging a thangka in the bedroom is inappropriate; it is better to place it in clean areas like studies or living rooms. If not hung, thangkas should be rolled up for preservation. Since the mineral pigments of thangkas are mixed with traditional bone glue, thangkas must not get wet or be folded—folding leaves damage that is hard to repair.
"Only a viable market can ensure the inheritance of thangka art. When more people understand and appreciate it, it will never be lost. Promotion is a form of protection."