Tengchen Monastery sits in Lancang river basin. Traffic there used to be quite inconvenient. It was one-day ride from Mani Gange and it was also far from Garze. Motor road was not available then.
On July 16, 2013, Mr.Kunkyap Dorje went to Tengchen Monastery. He used to hear people say there were many precious frescos, which were not damaged in Cultural Revolution. Hence many precious frescos were saved. Then frescos of Tengchen Monastery are characterized by the limners’ painting. It is said this limner was classmate of Namkhajian, limner of Luhuo County. They are all limners. Namkhajian was a famous one.
As Namkhajian’s classmate, his painting skills were also top-level. He could paint better than Namkhajian. There was such a saying. Frescos in Tengchen Monastery were all painted by the limner. There are two photos. The first one is Tengchen Monastery and the second is an overall photo of the monastery, which is beside Lantsang River.
These frescos are vivid and animated. There are many distinctive and charming frescos on the second floor as well as clay figures.
It was said these clay figures were made by the limner. These clay figures were unique and distinctive. Tengchen Monastery Buddhas are quite precious in Benism frescos. They are a complete set without damages.
Next we will talk about fescos in Ozhi Monastery.
Ozhi here refers to Ling area. There was a Dharmapalas hall in Ozhi Monastery, consecrating a Dharmapala, which dated back to Yuan Dynasty. Bows and arrows were hung on the Dhammapala photo. These bows and arrows belonged to Ling Country.
There are many frescos left in Ozhi Monastery. Some have been cracked. Pillars and beams in the house were antique and beautiful with features.
Frescos of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture with the longest history is Daigonpo. Han people called it Hanren Monastery. This cannot be neglected.
In all the monasteries of Khampa area, this one had the longest history.
The Dharma king Phagpa went to Gyanag. Ga Ani Danpa went to Gyanag. When he returned to Tibetan-inhabited areas, Mongolian Khan gave him an assignment.100 Dharmapalas halls need to be built. Ga Ani Danpa built 100 Dharmapalas halls in Tibetan areasand Daigonpo was the one of them.
Among the 100 monasteries, few survived. Hanren Monastery was repaired peripherally many times. While the frescos painted byblue and golden lines.
Archaeologists claimed they belonged to Yuan Dynasty. Whereas later generations claimed the original frescos was smeared by a layer of clay. New frescos were painted on the clay. Some are new frescos and some are old.
Generally, in Jiulong County, there were not any big monasteries. But near Jiulong County, there is a village called Tangu. Beside Tangu Village there is Tangu Township.
In Tangu Township, there is a Zhongu, with a bunker built at perimeter. They look like bunkers and Buddhist halls of Minyak and Gyarong in shape and construction style.
Walls are built outside houses. Walls inside houses are smooth with frescos on.
During the Cultural Revolution, the roof of the monastery collapsed. Some local people repaired the roof and it remains good till now.
The number of monks in the very monastery is small and the monastery looks like secular yards. Frescos in the monastery enjoy distinctive features.
The one who doesn’t know paintings might see the frescos nothing different from
that of Gyarong and Shade. However, if you appreciate them carefully, they are different.
Some limners claimed they belonged to Gardan Branch. In a broader view, damages in some frescos could be found because of the collapse before. Nonetheless, there are still some undamaged and clear paintings.
Paintings on pillars, beams and ceilings could be seen. In all the corners, outside and in the house, frescos were painted. Some painting skills are unique with a long history. They are all precious frescos.
>> Watch the video of Khampa Fresco Culture on Kangba Lecture, please click here!
