The Tibetan language can seem Greek to non-Tibetan people, not to mention the De’ang Sazhi style of Tibetan calligraphy, a gem of Tibetan art that originated in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Golog in northwestern China’s Qinghai Province. But now the art treasure has been brought from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall, Hall 8 of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, which is the main venue for the 15th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF).
Renowned as the Tibetan “Four Treasures of Study,” De’ang Sazhi is a general term for Tibetan calligraphy and its paper-making technique.
Listed as a national intangible culture heritage item in 2008, the unique art form enjoys a history of over 1,000 years and has been well-received by people in the Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan provinces, according to Danbei Jiacan, a calligrapher and student of Aang Jiancuo, who is an inheritor of the art form.
Jiacan told the Shenzhen Daily that the calligraphy is now widely used for the most important festivals and events in Tibetan Buddhism, as well as Buddhist scriptures, as its strokes are delicate, smooth and easy to read, just like if they were printed. Jiacan said the calligraphy has already made its way to people’s daily lives through the Internet. “It has been added to the font input method for Tibetans, and people use it for book names, logos and signboards,” he said.
What makes the calligraphy and its techniques unique is the fact that its writing brushes are made of bamboo, ink and paper made from plants that grow in Tibetan areas, which makes the calligraphy much more durable.
Jiancuo told the Shenzhen Daily that the heritage has been passed down to the seventh generation of inheritors and every bit of the skills for making the strokes has not been lost and has been strictly followed throughout the inheritance. “You need to be a life-long learner if you want to learn the calligraphy because it demands a peaceful mind and compassion, which echoes Buddhist philosophy,” he said.
Jiacan said that his goal is to promote the calligraphy along with the mystery of Tibetan culture and art to Shenzheners, and to communicate with people in the cultural industry at the event.