Tibetannet

Tibetan mini cushions, leather wallets, wooden candle holders with harmony clouds, and dolls in Tibetan gowns ... are exhibited in Dropenling company’s product showroom at Lhasa.   

Dropenling, means “good for all” in Tibetan. This company committed to inheriting and promoting high-quality Tibetan handcrafts, has organized over 200 artisans from across Tibet to create high-end handcrafts during their slack farming season.   

“We hope to help more people know and understand traditional Tibetan culture with this platform,” said Tenzin, head of Dropenling company.    

  Workers creating colors in different shades.

Ever since ancient times, the paints used in Tibetan Thangka art and murals were always from mineral and vegetable dyes unique to the snowy plateau, which have a history of over 3,000 years. 

According to the company, the raw ingredients used in the colors come from natural gemstones in Yulong township and Nyêmo County of Chamdo.

The gemstones are crushed into powder, mixed with a paste from cow leather, then made into vivid colors for Thangka, Mandala making, murals, wooden sculptures, and decorative art of furniture and other traditional artworks.    

This company’s Thangka art has over 40 artisans. “Our Thangka artists have worked here for over 40 years. I hope we could develop and pass on the traditional Miantang school of art with our efforts,” said artisan Dorje Tashi. 

In addition, there are Tibetan metal handicrafts, and “Xolduibai” art style have developed from long-term artistic experimentation and creation. As generations of metal handicraft artisans inherit and develop their art, the art form shines brilliantly.

In 2008, this metal sculpting technique was added to Tibet Autonomous Region’s Intangible Cultural Heritage protection list as “Xolduibai Metal Processing.”