“I never thought my works could be so popular!” Ceramic Thangka painter Chogyal told reporters about the mystery of creation, with infinite love for art in his eyes.

Chogyal comes from Chamdo and loves painting from childhood. “When I was a child, I could not afford to buy drawing paper and paints, so I drew on the ground...” Thus, Chogyal extraordinarily cherishes every learning opportunity.

The whole family knew that Chogyal liked painting and supported him to engage in related careers. By chance, Chogyal entered Chamdo Vocational and Technical School to study Thangka painting, and later became a student of the 2016 art design class of Xizang Vocational Technical College. Seizing the chance, Chogyal deeply studied knowledge of Thangka painting and framing.

In 2018, Chogyal, as the first batch of school-enterprise cooperation interns of Xizang Vocational Technical College, entered Xizang Chengfa Lianhua Zhibao Cultural Development Co., Ltd. and embarked on ceramic painting. “At that time, I was thinking that if traditional Thangka could be painted on ceramics, its value would definitely be higher. Ceramics would not be damaged by moisture or exposure to sunlight, and the color could remain unchanged for a long time, ” Chogyal said.

The long-lasting texture of ceramics, combined with the colorful Tibetan cultural elements of Thangka, created wonderderful works, which not only enriches the expression of Thangka culture, but also provides a broader path for artists like Chogyal to progress and success.

“I never thought I would have such a great affinity with porcelain.” In order to further improve himself, in May 2023, Chogyal visited the capital of porcelain - Jingdezhen City in Jiangxi Province, to systematically learn ceramic painting techniques. Now, Chogyal has grown into the head of the company's painting department and a lecturer for school-enterprise cooperation interns. When his imitation work Green Tara was exhibited in Sichuan, it was sold at 2 million yuan.

“Thanks to this era, I can engage in my favorite career.”  Chogyal is grateful for this era, for the instructions of every mentor, and for everyone around him who supports him. Looking into the future, he knows that the road of art never ends, and the only way to go further is to keep learning.

In the world of ceramic Thangka, Chogyal and his young colleagues realize their personal value, as well as inherit and protect the excellent traditional Chinese culture through practical actions. Their story is the fusion of craftsmanship and innovation, traditional culture and modern aesthetics, and a powerful interpertation of cultural confidence by the young generation of art creators.

Reporter: Yang Xiaojuan, Wang Min

Translator: Luo Rongting, Liu Fang

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye