China Tibetannet Youth in Tibetan pasturing areas can learn thangka painting, carpet twisting and other traditional handcraft in local vocational education schools now, and it's considered as a golden way to become rich.
In the past, there were limited ways to learn these special skills from the monasteries, folk handicraftsmen, or inheriting from the old generation in own family. Even some people went to India or Nepal to learn skills.
24-year-old Pasang Norbu has learnt thangka painting for one year following with local artist, but he felt "little progress". Now he is earning a living by painting thangka in a store at Barkor Street after the systematic study in Quxu Vocational Education Center. His works can sale out at a price over 500 yuan (about 40 US dollars).
According to Phurbu Tsering, the vice-president of the Quxu Vocational Education Center, near 500 students have graduated from the ethnic painting department of the center. Like Pasang Norbu, many were painted in tour areas, and other were painting in the new houses for farmers and herders. "Now they have good incomes," Phurbu Tsering said.
Currently, specialized subjects with Tibetan ethnic characteristics are popularized among the vocational schools in Tibet.
Dorje Tsewang, vice head of Tibet Education Office told that, traditional handcraft of Tibet was better inherited through the vocational education in the pasturing areas. "Not only the successors are increasing, people in pasturing areas also have more job opportunities. Many young men become rich helped by the education in vocational schools," told by Dorje Tsewang.