唐卡
Thang ga
唐卡（Thang-ga）也叫唐嘎，唐喀，系藏文音译，指用彩缎装裱后悬挂供奉的宗教卷轴画。唐卡是藏族文化中一种独具特色的绘画艺术形式，题材内容涉及藏族的历史、政治、文化和社会生活等诸多领域，传世唐卡大都是藏传佛教和苯教作品。
唐卡是藏族文化中一种独具特色的绘画艺术形式。具有鲜明的民族特点、浓郁的宗教色彩和独特的艺术风格，用明亮的色彩描绘出神圣的佛的世界；颜料传统上是全部采用金、银、珍珠、玛瑙、珊瑚、松石、孔雀石、朱砂等珍贵的矿物宝石和藏红花、大黄、蓝靛等植物为颜料以示其神圣。这些天然原料保证了所绘制的唐卡色泽鲜艳，璀璨夺目，虽经几百年的岁月，仍是色泽艳丽明亮。因此被誉为中国民族绘画艺术的珍品，被称为藏族的”百科全书”也是中华民族民间艺术中弥足珍贵的非物质文化遗产。
Thang ga, also known as Tangga, is a Tibetan transliteration that refers to religious scroll paintings that are mounted on coloured satin and hung for worship. Tangka is a unique form of painting art in Tibetan culture, with themes covering various fields such as Tibetan history, politics, culture, and social life. Most of the Tangka that have been passed down are works of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon religion.
Tangka is a unique form of painting art in Tibetan culture. Featuring distinct ethnic characteristics, rich religious colours, and unique artistic styles, the world of the sacred Buddha is depicted with bright colours. Traditionally, pigments are made entirely of precious minerals and gemstones such as gold, silver, pearls, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, cinnabar, as well as plants such as saffron, rhubarb, indigo, etc., to symbolise their sacredness. These natural ingredients ensure that the thangka drawn is brightly coloured and dazzling, even after hundreds of years, it still has a bright and vibrant colour. Therefore, it is hailed as a treasure of Chinese ethnic painting art, known as the "encyclopedia" of the Tibetan people, and a precious intangible cultural heritage in Chinese folk art.
01
历史起源
唐卡的起源学术界观点不一，主要有以下四种观点：
1、唐卡是随佛教由印度传来的绘画形式。由意大利学者杜齐提出。他认为唐卡源于印度古老宗教布画“钵陀”，随佛教传入西藏。钵陀与汉地绘画不同主要在于画布，汉地绘画多为纸和绢，钵陀则以棉布为底，这与唐卡画布一致。此外，唐卡绘画中曼荼罗画为正方形画布、佛像画画布长宽比例为4:3，这都与钵陀相同。
There are different academic views on the origin of thangka, mainly including the following four perspectives:
1. Thangka is a painting form that originated in India along with Buddhism. Proposed by Italian scholar Duzzi. He believed that Thangka originated from the ancient Indian religious cloth painting "Botuo" and was introduced into Xizang with Buddhism. The main difference between Botuo and Han paintings lies in the canvas. Han painting mostly uses paper and silk, while Botuo is based on cotton cloth, which is consistent with Tangka canvas. In addition, in Thangka paintings, the mandala painting is on a square canvas, and the Buddha statue painting cloth has a length-to-width ratio of 4:3, which is the same as the bodhisattva painting.
2、由中国学者谢继胜提出，唐卡受中原绘画的影响产生。他在《唐卡的起源》一文中指出：“唐卡这种艺术形式本身并非来自印度，实际上他的发展演变过程从汉唐至宋元的中原汉地卷轴画的形成演变过程相一致，发源于蕃汉交往密切的敦煌，沿着佛教绘画的轨迹，由吐蕃旗幡画演变而成”。
2. Proposed by Chinese scholar Xie Jisheng, Thangka was influenced by Central Plains painting. He pointed out in his article "The Origin of Thangka" that "Thangka itself did not come from India. Its development and evolution process is consistent with the formation and evolution of scroll paintings in the Central Plains and Han areas from the Han and Tang dynasties to the Song and Yuan dynasties. It originated in Dunhuang, where there was close communication between the Tibetan and Han peoples, and evolved from Tibetan flag paintings along the trajectory of Buddhist painting.
3、五世达赖喇嘛阿旺罗桑嘉措所著的《释迦牟尼·水晶宝镜》书中所载：法王松赞干布用自己的鼻血绘制了一幅吉祥天母女神像，在蔡巴万户长时期，果竹西活佛看到了这幅女神像，将此作为装藏，放在神像里了。此为西藏学术界对于唐卡起源之说。
3. In the book "Shakyamuni: Crystal Mirror" written by the Fifth Dalai Lama Awang Lobsang Gyatso, it is recorded that King Songtsen Gampo used his nosebleeds to draw an auspicious statue of the goddess Amaterasu. During the reign of King Tsaibawan, the Living Buddha of Guozhuxi saw this statue and hid it inside the statue. This is the origin of Thangka in Xizang academic circles.
4、唐卡是由西藏本土宗教苯教布画继承发展而来。苯教僧侣实用便携布画以便传教布道，后被佛教所用 。
4. Tangka is inherited and developed from Bon cloth painting, a local religion in Xizang. Bon monks used portable cloth paintings for preaching and preaching, which were later used by Buddhism.
02
文化特征
唐卡艺术，藏族文化之瑰宝，融合了尼泊尔、齐岗、勉唐、钦则、噶玛嘎孜等多元画派精髓。尼泊尔画派以暖色调著称，细腻描绘佛国胜景；齐岗画派承古创新，造像生动，线条流畅；勉唐画派严谨而活泼，色彩鲜亮，布局多变；钦则画派注重构图，展现藏地山川之美；噶玛嘎孜画派则融合汉藏技法，形成独特风貌。各画派交相辉映，共同织就了唐卡艺术绚烂多彩的织锦，展现了藏族人民卓越的艺术创造力和深厚的文化底蕴。
Tangka art, a treasure of Tibetan culture, integrates the essence of diverse painting schools such as Nepal, Qigang, Miantang, Qinze, and Karma Gazi. The Nepalese painting school is known for its warm tones and delicate depictions of Buddhist landscapes; The Qigang School of Painting inherits tradition and innovates with vivid statues and smooth lines; The Miantang School of Painting is rigorous and lively, with bright colours and varied layouts; The Qinze School of Painting focuses on reconstructing images to showcase the beauty of the mountains and rivers in Tibet; The Karma Gazi School of Painting integrates Han and Tibetan techniques to form a unique style. The various painting schools complement each other, weaving together the colourful tapestry of Thangka art, showcasing the outstanding artistic creativity and profound cultural heritage of the Tibetan people.
唐卡被人称为“藏文化百科全书"，其题材内容以宗教为主，涉及历史、政治、经济、文化、民间传说、世俗生活、建筑、医学天文、历算等领域。一般可分为，宗教类和非宗教类。宗教类包括：曼茶罗画、本生、集树会、祖师像、生活传记、诸佛普萨、本尊护法、空行、罗汉、生死轮回图、西方极乐世界等。非宗教类则包括：历史、传说故事、天文历算、藏医药学等。其中最常见的是宗教画一佛像，这种唐卡一般中心位置描绘主要人物，从画面上角开始，围绕主体，按顺时针方向与其有关的人物、活动场所或故事布满一周。
Thangka is known as the "encyclopedia of Tibetan culture". Its subject matter is mainly religious, involving history, politics, economy, culture, folklore, secular life, architecture, medical astronomy, calendar and other fields. Generally, it can be divided into religious and non-religious categories. Religious categories include Mancha Luo paintings, Bunsen, Jishuhui, Ancestors' portraits, life biographies, Buddhisattvas, Buddha Dharma Protectors, Kongli, Arhat, Life and Death Diagram, Western Blissful World, etc. Non-religious categories include history, legends, astronomical calendars, Tibetan medicine, etc. The most common ones are religious paintings of a Buddha, which depict the general central location of Thangka The main characters, starting from the upper corner of the screen, surround the main body and are surrounded by people, places of activities or stories related to them in a clockwise direction.
03
制作工序
传统唐卡的绘制要求严苛、程序极为复杂，必须按照经书中的仪轨及上师的要求进行，包括绘前仪式、制作画布、构图起稿、着色染色、勾线定型、铺金描银、开眼、缝裱开光等一整套工艺程序。制作一幅唐卡用时较长，短则半年完成，长则需要十余年。
The drawing requirements of traditional thangka are strict, and the procedures are extremely complex. It must be carried out in accordance with the rituals in the scriptures and the requirements of the master, including pre-painting rituals, canvas making, composition drafting, colouring and dyeing, line drawing and shaping, gold and silver laying, eye-opening, stitching and framing, and a complete set of technical procedures. Making a thangka takes a long time, ranging from half a year to over ten years.
唐卡具有鲜明的民族特点、浓郁的宗教色彩和独特的艺术风格，通常用明亮的色彩描绘出神圣的佛的世界；颜料传统上是全部采用金、银、珍珠、玛瑙、珊瑚、松石、孔雀石、朱砂等珍贵的矿物宝石和藏红花、大黄、蓝靛等植物为颜料以示其神圣。
这些天然原料保证了所绘制的唐卡色泽鲜艳，璀璨夺目，虽经几百年的岁月，仍是色泽艳丽明亮。因此被誉为中国民族绘画艺术的珍品，也被称为藏族的“百科全书"，同时也是中华民族民间艺术中弥足珍贵的非物质文化遗产。
Tangka has distinct ethnic characteristics, rich religious colours, and unique artistic styles, usually depicting the world of the sacred Buddha with bright colours. Traditionally, pigments are made entirely of precious minerals and gemstones such as gold, silver, pearls, agate, coral, turquoise, malachite, cinnabar, as well as plants such as saffron, rhubarb, indigo, etc., to symbolise their sacredness.
These natural ingredients ensure that the thangka drawn is brightly coloured and dazzling, even after hundreds of years, it still has a bright and vibrant colour. Therefore, it is hailed as a treasure of Chinese ethnic painting art, also known as the "encyclopedia" of the Tibetan people, and a precious intangible cultural heritage in Chinese folk art.
04
传承保护
Tang ga
有的唐卡以史实为依据，着重表现历史上重大的政治事件和活动。如表现松赞干布生平业绩的历史题材。其中以讴歌藏汉民族友谊的作品，如文成公主进藏故事，都会绘在寺庙醒目的位置。画面通过使唐求婚、五难婚使、公主进藏等情景，描绘了贞观15年唐蕃联姻的历史事件。大昭寺、布达拉宫中的欢庆图，再现了文成公主驾抵逻娑时，吐蕃人民以节日盛装、载歌载舞的欢迎场面。布达拉宫红司西平措大殿中，一幅五世朝见顺治图，记述的是公元1652年五世赴京、觐见、游乐等各项活动和欢迎盛况。
唐卡传承困难的是因为一般绘画一副唐卡短则半年一年，长则十多年，因为它的绘画条件比较苛刻，想要画好唐卡不仅需要在心中有对佛祖的尊重才行，并且还要在小时候就开始培养，但是现在很少有人愿意学，所以现在这份宝贵的文化遗产面临了失传的危险。
Some thangkas are based on historical facts and focus on depicting significant political events and activities in history. A historical theme depicting the life and achievements of Songtsen Gampo. Works that praise the friendship between the Tibetan and Han ethnic groups, such as the story of Princess Wencheng's visit to Tibet, will be prominently depicted in temples. The screen depicts the historical events of the Tang-Tibetan marriage alliance in the 15th year of the Zhenguan reign through scenes such as Tang proposing marriage, the Five Difficulties Marriage Envoy, and the princess entering Tibet. The celebratory scenes in the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace depict the welcoming scene of the Tibetan people dressed in festive attire, singing and dancing when Princess Wencheng arrived in Lhasa. In the Hongsi Xipingcuo Grand Hall of the Potala Palace, there is a painting depicting the Five Dynasties' visit to Shunzhi in 1652, depicting various activities and welcoming occasions such as the Five Dynasties' visit to Beijing, pilgrimage, and amusement.
The difficulty in inheriting a thangka lies in the fact that, generally, painting a thangka can take as short as six months or a year or as long as more than ten years because the painting conditions are relatively strict. To paint a good thangka, one not only needs to have respect for the Buddha in their heart but also needs to start cultivating it from a young age. However, few people are willing to learn it now, so this precious cultural heritage is facing the danger of extinction.
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