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| Articles about China |
| Thangka is a special style
of art, most often painted on scrolls or embroidered on
wall hangings of silk or other cloth. The name comes from
the Tibetan language, and thangka is an art unique to Tibet.
Common at monasteries, lamas' residences, family halls for
worshipping Buddha, and homes of Tibetan Buddhists, the
thangka is a mark of devotion to Buddhism and often serves
as an object of worship.
The thangka can be made in a wide variety of techniques:
silk tapestry with cut designs, color printing, embroidery,
brocade, applique, and pearl inlay. The content ranges from
Buddhas to the history and folk customs of Tibet.
The thangka always has a theme of Buddhism, and the artists
must follow the sacred laws for portraying gods and Buddhas.
Passages from scripture are written in vermilion on the
back, and the thangka is always unsigned, so it is next
to impossible to know the painter and the age of ancient
thangkas.
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| A Portrait of Tsongkhapa, an embroidered
thangka from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Tsongkhapa
(1357-1419) was born in what is now Huangzhong County,
Qinghai Province. He was a great Buddhist thinker and
the founder of the Ge-lug-pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. |
A Portrait of Kanakamuni Buddha,
a gold-ink thangka from the Qing Dynasty, depicting
Kanakamuni Buddha, one of the seven principal Buddhas,
with his disciples beside him and his parents and relatives
beneath. |
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| A Portrait of Amitayus Buddha, a
silk-tapestry thangka from the period of Qing Emperor
Guang Xu (1875-1908). In the middle are Amitayus (the
Buddha of boundless longevity) with two monks as assistants
below, and at the bottom are four heavenly kings. |
The Buddha of Medicine, a relief-embroidery
thangka from the Qing Dynasty. Relief-embroidery is
an art created by the Ta'er Monastery, one of the six
major monasteries of the Ge-lug-pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. |
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| Guardian Shilun, an applique thangka
from the Qing Dynasty, featuring a sophisticated picture
composition, radiant hues, and delicate craftsmanship
in tailoring, pasting, and sewing. |
A Diagram of Divination, a cloth
thangka of the Qing Dynasty, depicting the patterns
of the Eight Trigrams (eight combinations of three lines,
formerly used in divination) and the 12 symbolic animals
of Chinese astrology. This design is widely used in
Tibet. |
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| China Pictorial 2002-04 |
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