Historically, as the site where Tsangnyang Stupa located, Shege Village, Zhomda Township, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, was called “Tsangnyang area”.

In the area, Tsangnyang Thangka has been well conserved and inherited over the past 900 years.

In the past, Tsangbyang Thangka was inherited orally, without fixed ways of teaching.

Tsangnyang Thangka presents the stories regarding Buddha, Bodhisattva, Dharmapala, etc.

Photo shows Ngawang Sengye (Photo/ Ngawang Sengye)

Ngawang Sengye was born in 1964 in Sherge Village, Yushu County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

In 1980, Ngawang Sengye started learning Thangka painting after Karma Ngawang, a renowned Thangka artists in Tsangnyang area.

In 1982, Ngawang Serge became a monk in Samdrup Monastery. During his practice in the monastery, he never stopped learning Thangka.

Now, he is a remarkable Thangka artist in the area, who also masters carving and clay figurine.

Ngawang Sengye painted Thangka in Karzang Monastery, Drugyu Monastery, Sepa Monastery, etc. in Chindu County, Qinghai Province and Tibetan Buddhism monasteries in Lanzhou, Gansu Province.

Besides Thangka painting, he also excels in sculpture skill, and finished the Maitreya Buddha of Tsangnyang Stupa with other people.

In 2014, Ngawang Sengye was listed as a representative inheritor of Tsangnyang Thangka of the third batch of Qinghai’s provincial intangible cultural heritage (ICH) project.

Photo shows Ngawang Sengye colors a Thangka piece meticulously. (Photo/ Ngawang Sengye)

Ngawang Sengye’s works figure strict figurine measurement, strong color, fine and smooth lines, reflecting an original style.

The Buddhist figures he draws are with legible and smooth lines of hair and clothes, vivid faces and nice skin tone.

Ngawang Sengye paints various Thangka pieces, so as to inherit and promote excellent Tibetan cultural heritages and provide people an opportunity to appreciate Tibetan culture.

Photo shows Buddha of Longevity, a Thangka piece painted by Ngawang Sengye. (Photo/ Ngawang Sengye)

Qinghai Province has made great efforts in protecting, inheriting and developing Tsangnyang Thangka.

In 2014, Tsangnyang Thangka was inscribed in the third batch of provincial ICH project of Qinghai Province, and Ngawang Sengye was recognized as the inheritor.

In 2016, with one million yuan of national fund, Ngawang Sengye established an inheritance institute in Khampa Art Center and finished compiling the Painting Course of Tsangnyang Thangka.