Ngokgyal is decorating the silverware with the corals.

As the machine production replaced hand work, some traditional skills are fading away. However, some people still insist on inheriting and promoting traditional craftsmanship. Beside the Flower Lake in Zoige County, Sichuan Province, the silversmith of Hongxing Township inherited the crafting skills of Tibetan silverware.

The silversmith is engraving carefully.

Carving the molds

Handmade products form an integral part of Tibetan people’s life, and the exquisite handmade ornaments form an important part of Tibetan culture.

In the Lhamo Monastery, Hongxing Township, Zoige County, the clanging sound echoes around. In the building, silversmiths are making a silver tower for Lhamo Monastery.

According to the silversmiths, the crafting skill of silverware includes forging, hammering, knitting, inlaying, engraving, etc. The patterns on the silverware usually consist of dragon, phoenix, flower, bird, etc.

Ngokgyal Dokyi is the eldest silversmith. He started learning the skill at 12 and has been engaging in the sector for over 40 years.

As the traditional craftsmanship is fading away, Ngokgyal Dokyi feels helpless and dim.

"Now, Zoige is making efforts in developing tourism. The handmade silverware becomes popular. I want to promote the traditional making skill of Tibetan silverware via tourism," said Ngokgyal Dokyi.

Handmade silverware boasts high artistic value. Compared with the modern making skill of silverware, Tibetan silversmiths kept the traditional making skills and inherited the abundant folk culture and custom.

"The traditional craftsmanship of Tibetan silverware is a part of the profound Chinese culture. Now, the country has provided preferential policies to protect traditional culture and skills. Before, there were over 20 households in Hongxing Township engaging in the skill. Now, only 9 households are engaged in the sector," said Ngokgyal Dokyi.

Inlaying

Pieces of exquisite silverware are about to finish by them.

The Lhamo Monastery plans to build a handmade silver tower this year. As a result, Aku Yinpa of the monastery turned to Ngokgyal Dokyi.

"Their skills are good. Traditional craftsmanship is boring and difficult. They lack inheritors," said Aku Yinpa.

In recent years, characteristic ethnic handicrafts have become popular. With pliers, hammers, molds, drawplates and tongs, the silversmith make the silvers into attractive and amazing ornaments by hand.

"The traditional skills need inheritance and innovation. We can make delicate silver ornaments, which are comparable with the machine-made ones," said Ngokgyal Dokyi confidently.