The inaugural New Era Regong Thangka Art High-Quality Development Exchange Conference recently launched at the Regong Thangka Art Museum in Tongren City, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.
Tongren, known in Tibetan as “Regong,” translates to “Golden Valley Where Dreams Come True” and is situated at the first bend of the Yellow River. This area is recognized as a national-level cultural ecological protection zone and is the only national historical and cultural city in Qinghai. It is rich in cultural resources and holds a deep historical legacy, making it the center of Tibetan culture in the Amdo region.
Regong art, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, is an essential part of Yellow River culture. Known for its unique aesthetic perspectives and traditional practices, Regong Thangka holds significant historical value in Tibetan Buddhism, folk art, and architectural design.
In recent years, Tongren has invested in funding, talent cultivation, and promotional efforts to elevate Regong Thangka art to new heights. Currently, Tongren is one of the national pilot areas for the protection of traditional villages, with over 20,000 of its 100,000 residents engaged in Regong Thangka art, alongside 184 items listed in various levels of intangible cultural heritage.
The conference centered around themes such as “Protecting and Preserving Thangka Art in the Digital Age” and “Enhancing Human Civilization Exchange through Chinese Regong Art.” Discussions and evaluations were held on these topics.
Wang Huaping, Director of the Ethnic and Religious Committee of the Qinghai Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, shared that for centuries, Regong Thangka art has been passed down through generations in the region. He noted that this art form not only encapsulates the area’s historical and cultural depth but is also praised worldwide for its intricate brushwork, vibrant colors, meticulous composition, and profound meanings.
Cai Younian, Chair of the Standing Committee of the Tongren City People’s Congress, emphasized the importance of harnessing the artistic and cultural values of Regong Thangka to transform local resources into a driving force for high-quality economic development, thereby creating new productive capacities that benefit all communities in Tongren.
Taiwanese scholar Chen Guoning highlighted the importance of tradition in shaping history, culture, values, and societal norms. He urged art schools to focus on Thangka art and foster new artistic creations while advocating for broader art education access for the public.
Zhao Xiaofeng, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Development at Northwest A&F University, discussed the importance of integrating Thangka culture as a core attraction in cultural tourism, promoting a coupling mechanism for deeper integration between cultural tourism and the Thangka industry, thus helping protect and preserve this invaluable cultural heritage.
Qinghai University Professor Yang Bin stressed that enhancing the protection and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage holds significant meaning for fostering traditional Chinese culture, cultivating socialist core values, strengthening cultural confidence, and reinforcing the sense of shared identity among the Chinese nation. He advocated for systematic intangible cultural heritage protection as a means to facilitate exchanges and integration among different ethnic groups, thereby better satisfying the spiritual and cultural needs of the people.
Wang Wendong, Deputy Mayor of Tongren City, poignantly stated, “A single Thangka painting, measuring anything from mere millimeters to kilometers, is a profound expression of faith and deep respect for life, created with each meticulous brushstroke on fabric.”
