On 24 April, a seminar on a 56-meter Thangka painting was held in Beijing under the theme of “Ethnic Groups in the Big Chinese Family”. This event was organized by the Thangka Painting School of the Chinese Ethnic Art Academy and Chinese Culture People and sponsored by the special fund for cultural exchange of China Literature and Art Foundation as part of the activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China.

Li Tao, chief planner of the event, said the seminar was dedicated to the 56-meter masterpiece Grandmaster, 10th Panchen Lama, the fruit of ten years of hard work by Sangjieben, executive director of Thangka art committee of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association and the national first-class artist, and his students. Nearly 100 cultural experts, artists, industry leaders, collectors and journalists were present at the seminar. The piece reflects on the life stories and patriotism of the 10th Panchen Lama, who worked closely with the Communist Party of China in defending national and ethnic unity. It speaks to the ideal of a big, harmonious Chinese family. It is a salute to the CPC which is turning 100 years old this year.

The 56-meter painting uses the traditional Tibetan Thangka techniques to present nearly 2,500 different figures and the beautiful landscape of the country. Following the tradition of “representing history in strokes”, it is divided into three sections to showcase the 10th Panchen Lama’s love for the country, for his religion, and for the people. It displays the fine technique of Rebkong Thangka and breaks new ground in modern extra-large historical figure painting. It has a clear central message, outstanding and eye-opening techniques, great value for collection, aesthetic beauty, and educational and historical research value. To ensure its purity in materials and elegance in painting, the artists carefully picked ancient Indian Thangka textiles and precious metals such as jade, gold, silver, coral, agate, and turquoise. It followed all the artistic production procedures and cultural rituals in Tibetan Buddhism, which requires the blessing and consecration of an eminent monk. In a perfect combination of modern and traditional painting, it touches on the deeper values of the Chinese nation. It is a rare piece of Thangka in China and beyond.

Other distinguished guests joining the event were Jidi Majia, secretary-general of the secretariat of China Writers Association, Chen Hong, CPC secretary of China Tibetology Research Center, Feng Dazhong, Honorary President of China HUE Art Association, Nima Zeren, fellow of the China Central Institute of Culture and History and advisor of China Artists Association, He Jiaying, Vice President of China Artists Association, and Han Shuli, President of the Tibetan Culture Association and Tibetan Art Association.