Reporters have learned from the Culture Department of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region (T.A.R.) that the region has already begun to set its own standard for traditional hand-painted thangkas recent days. Its final version, which will be settled by the Culture Department and the Bureau of Quality Supervision of T.A.R., is hoped to be finished and published within this year. Several relevant survey teams are all ready heading to agricultural and pastoral areas of various prefectures and cities of the region, and embark on a one-month research of present situation of hand-painted folk and monasterial thangkas. Result of the research will provide a reasonable and scientific basis to work of finalizing draft of standard.

Comparing with Nepal Thangkas and Qinghai Thangkas, Tibetan thangkas are regarded as the most orthodox ones of their kind in art circles for the excellent artistic technique of expression, rich Tibetan cultural connotation, as well as unique cultural and artistic value. “As the thangka market in the region grows more active and prosperous, a local standard for traditional hand-painted thangkas is imperatively needed in order to give guidance and specification to the thangka market and ensure the market’s healthy and orderly development.” Gyeji, head of the Intangible Cultural Heritage office said.

Gyeji has also pointed out that setting the standard will provide better a condition to protect, inherit and develop this traditional art. Draft of the standard will explicitly set the minimum threshold for hand-painted thangkas. For example, kinds of mineral pigment will be classified in the draft.

A thangka culture industry research will be started after this time, in the cause of collect basis and statistics on setting standards for fabric thangkas and other kinds of thangkas.