A new home for traditional crafts

Xiga, a village in the city of Manling under the administration of Nyingchi in the Tibet autonomous region, is a new settlement for residents moving from the neighboring county of Metog.

Far from the old settlement in Metog's Gade township, which featured an adverse living environment and difficulty in road connectivity, there are still things the relocated residents have never left behind — the traditional professions in making Tibetan paper, Tibetan incense and thangka paintings.

The professions involve skills that the residents and their ancestors have practiced for centuries in Gade, and are becoming important resources of revenue in Xiga.

The old trades are rapidly developing thanks to the establishment of several handicraft cooperatives.

One such cooperative is called Namjagbarwa Tongluogabu. It's named after the famed snow-capped mountain of Namjagbarwa near their hometown in Metog, and a plant called the Tongluogabu tree.

Tobden, head of the cooperative, is a master craftsman in making Tibetan paper. He said the paper, with its origin in the seventh century, is unique to Tibetan language-speaking regions. Made from wolfsbane and Tongluogabu bark, the paper is mainly used for printing Buddhist sutras and other documents.

The paper's production requires a complicated process of dozens of procedures. Tobden, with more than 40 years of experience, is one of the few who can master the entire process and all the techniques.

In the past, Tobden said the work was completed in intervals between farming. But now it has become an occupation for the whole year.

"This is because of the increasing demand from tourists to the village and buyers throughout the country," Tobden said. He explained that some young people in the village have designed souvenirs based on Tibetan paper, like postcards, notebooks, thangka paintings and lanterns.

Tsering Migyur is one such young man. He operates a printing studio as a part of the cooperative, printing visitors' photos on the Tibetan paper with modern scanning technology.

"Souvenirs like this are both novel and traditional," Tobden said. "They are sought-after as a token of Tibetan culture."

Xiga is now an emerging tourist destination. After tourists took them home, the products have become popular in the rest of country. "And we are receiving orders from places other than Tibet," Tobden said.

He said he is happy the cooperative is offering job opportunities and a revenue stream to local residents. "More than 200 people have learned the Tibetan paper-making skills from me and most of them have got rich," Tobden said.

Tibetan incense is another major product of the cooperative. The product is getting popular throughout the country as it is evolving into a health product from its original application in religious occasions, according to Rinchen Lhamo, a member of the cooperative.

"Our incense is made from more than 30 varieties of locally growing medical herbs," Rinchen Lhamo said. "Lighting incense can aid one's sleep and repel mosquitoes."

She added that the production of Tibetan incense is becoming more efficient with the use of modern equipment and technologies.

While incense production is modernized, the making of thangka in Xiga is still a trade fervently adhering to traditional craftsmanship.

Gyaltsen, 28, is a veteran thangka painter despite his age. He began to learn the art when he was 14.

"To be a qualified thangka painter, you need a lot of practice and experience, as well as a keen insight into the art and extensive knowledge," Gyaltsen said. He said the art is often referred to as the "visual encyclopedia" in Tibetan language-speaking regions because of its rich expressions with multiple themes in religion, history, cultures and life.

Gyaltsen operates a studio in the village. The thangka paintings there are also popular among tourists. "Some have come here to buy and some have come to learn," Gyaltsen said.

Tseyang Lhamo is one of the youngsters who came to learn and her talent was soon recognized by Gyaltsen. "I believe the gifted girl can become an excellent painter after years of persistent practice," Gyaltsen said.

He added that operating a thangka studio is the best choice for him. "You can pass down the centuries-old heritage and you can make a fortune," Gyaltsen said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.