Thangka Master | Sangjie Ben
2026-01-21
Thangka Master
48

Sangjieben was born in 1966 in Wutun Village, Tongren County, Qinghai Province, known as the hometown of Regong art. At the age of 8, he studied under Master Jiancuo, who is known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" in the Regong region, immersing himself in the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting, as well as three-dimensional clay sculpture and carving techniques.

In 1974, he studied traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting techniques under the guidance of Master Jianmu Cuo from Wutun Village in Tongren County. In 1980, he formally became a disciple and systematically learned the craftsmanship of Thangka painting and clay sculpture carving. He has painted over a hundred Thangka and murals in Buddhist holy sites such as Longwu Temple in Qinghai, Labrang Monastery in Gansu, Potala Palace in Xizang, and Wendu Monastery, the former residence of the Panchen Lama.

In 1982, the 10th Panchen Lama visited the hometown of Regong art and had a cordial conversation with Master Jianmu Cuo. He encouraged the preservation and inheritance of the Tibetan Thangka culture.

In 1991, upon the invitation of the Kumbum Monastery Management Committee and the Ajia Living Buddha, he collaborated with Chinese arts and crafts master Xia Wucai Lang and others to paint murals at Kumbum Monastery and restored 36 murals inside the temple (Xiaojinwa Temple), a project that lasted for three years. These murals are still well-preserved at Kumbum Monastery and are available for visitors to admire.

In 1994, a Thangka exhibition was held at the National Cultural Palace, opening the door for the external exchange of Regong art.

From September 1995 to August 1996, I pursued further studies in the field of arts and crafts theory at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, at my own expense.

In 1997, he participated in the painting of the 600-meter long scroll "Grand View of Tibetan Culture and Art in China".

Since 2001, he has served as the president of the Regong Art Association for ten consecutive years. During this period, he organized Regong artists to participate in various cultural exchanges and art exhibitions (such as the International Thangka Expo) held both inside and outside the province.

In 2004, he was elected as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Qinghai Provincial Ethnic and Folk Art and Crafts Association.

In 2007, he was appraised as a National First-Class Technician and an Expert in National Vocational Skill Certification and Examination by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China.

Since 2008, he has been dedicated to the education and teaching of Regong art inheritance, establishing the first Huangnan Regong Art Vocational Training School. The school offers majors such as Thangka painting, pile embroidery, and sculpture making, and has successfully trained over 2,000 students.

In 2008, he was awarded the title of "National Excellent Migrant Worker" by the State Council.

In 2010, he was awarded the title of "Folk Craft Master of Qinghai Province" by the Qinghai Provincial Department of Culture, Press and Publication, the Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, the Development and Reform Commission, and other relevant departments.

In May 2015, Qiangba Puncog, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Wang Zhengwei, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, accompanied by Wang Linxu, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the National Ethnic Painting Academy, and Sangjieben, Executive Dean of the Thangka Research Institute of the National Ethnic Painting Academy, viewed a partial work of the Thangka "The Grandmaster: The 10th Panchen Lama" and were deeply impressed by this masterpiece.

In May 2016, Wang Zhengwei, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Ba Teer, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, and Secretary of the Party Group, as well as the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and the High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, observed the creation of Sangjieben's thangka paintings in Beijing. At the same time, two thangka works by Sangjieben were collected by the United Nations Civilization and Love Organizing Committee.

In February 2018, Sang Jieben was awarded the title of "World Peace Culture Ambassador" by the United Nations.

In June 2020, two Thangka works by Sangjieben, "Three Protectors" and "Five Hundred Arhats," were permanently collected by the National Museum.

On August 20, 2020, Sangjieben was appointed as the Executive Director of the Thangka Professional Committee of the China Folk Literature and Art Publishing House by the China Folk Literature and Art Publishing House.

 

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