Tibetan Jinshu Forging Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
Tashi Gyatsho (Zhaxijicai)'s starting point was a workshop run exclusively for the monastery: the Seventh Panchen Lama, Tenpai Nyima, invited artisans from Nepal and allocated land in the Luding area south of Shigatse to process ritual instruments and offerings exclusively for Tashi Lhunpo Monastery; over more than 150 years, a village thus became the place with the highest concentration of gold-and-silver smiths in the Tibetan region. An earlier foundation was the village's pre-existing family craft—gold, silver and copper working had always been passed down only within families, with outsiders unable to intervene; thus, once the monastery's orders arrived, the village's craft was galvanized as a whole. After the 1959 Democratic Reform in Tibet, Tashi Gyatsho was no longer the exclusive workshop of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and instead took the name of the Shigatse City Gold, Silver and Copper Ware Processing Factory, yet its craftsmanship was in no way diminished, and conversely became more specialized as orders increased.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The processing craft of the Tashi Gyatsho Gold, Silver and Copper Ware Factory in Shigatse City has a long history; it is verified that the Seventh Panchen Lama, Tenpai Nyima, brought in artisans from Nepal and established a processing site at Luding (now south of Shigatse), specially organizing the processing of temple articles. From that time, Tashi Gyatsho became the village with the greatest concentration of gold-and-silver smiths and the best product quality in Tibet. Tashi Gyatsho village originally had a tradition of gold, silver and copper making; this craft was transmitted only within families. Since the Seventh Panchen Lama made them the exclusive workshop of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, it has a history of over 150 years. Owing to the superb processing techniques and the exquisite quality of its products, Tashi Gyatsho enjoys a very high reputation in the Tibetan region. After the 1959 Democratic Reform in Tibet, Tashi Gyatsho was no longer the exclusive workshop of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery but became the Shigatse City Gold, Silver and Copper Ware Processing Factory; it still maintains the traditional craft, and its products are especially favored. The gold, silver and copper ware of Shigatse City is mainly divided into two categories: one is ornaments, such as bracelets, rings, necklaces, head ornaments, chest ornaments, scabbard decorations and snuff-bottle decorations; the other is daily-use items, such as wine pots, wine bowls, spoons, chopsticks and plates, some made of pure gold or silver, others inlaid or wrapped with gold and silver. Highly skilled artisans can also produce various patterns on gold and silver ware—delicate, refined, exquisite and lifelike, with dragons, phoenixes, tigers and lions rendered vividly. In addition, copper ware is indispensable to the life and production of the people of Shigatse; items such as stoves, pots, ladles, basins, jars, scabbards, saddle ornaments, bucket sieves as well as Buddhist statues and offering vessels are all hand-made, with superb craftsmanship, beautiful shapes and a strong Tibetan ethnic style.
Hammering gold and silver vessels
Sheet is repeatedly raised from flat to rounded, wall even and mouth circular.
Mercury gilding
A gold layer is fired onto the silver or copper body so wear does not show through.
Inlay and cladding
Wire is soldered into pattern or thin sheet clads a wooden core, preserving the timber beneath.
Cold-hammering copper
Hearths, pots and basins are hammered cold and then chased with pattern.
Silver-clad wooden bowls
Wooden bowls clad in pressed silver, the finest serving ware the village makes.
Chasing dragons and beasts
Skilled smiths chase dragons, phoenixes, tigers and lions with a delicacy that shows their depth.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The gold, silver and copper ware of Tashi Gyatsho is divided into two main paths—ornaments and daily-use items: ornaments follow the line of bracelets, rings, necklaces, head ornaments and chest ornaments, mostly inlaid on scabbards and snuff bottles; daily-use items follow the line of wine pots, wine bowls, spoons, chopsticks and plates, either made of pure gold and silver or inlaid and wrapped with gold and silver. The copper-ware path leans toward stoves and farm work: stoves, pots, ladles, basins, jars, scabbards, saddle ornaments, bucket sieves as well as Buddhist statues and offering vessels are all hand-forged, everyday objects. Laqiong and others specialize in fine work such as silver-wrapped wooden bowls, footed lidded bowls and high-stemmed lidded bowls, and are also versed in gilding.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Tibetan Jinshuduanzaojiyi · Tibetan Jinshuduanzaojiyi · Tibetan Jinshuduanzaojiyi · Tibetan Jinshuduanzaojiyi.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Laqiong (per the official archive of the associated inheritor): Male, Tibetan ethnicity, born in November 1964, from Shigatse City, Tibet Autonomous Region. Representative inheritor of the Tibetan ethnic metal forging craft (Tashi Gyatsho gold-and-silver forging and copper craft), a national-level intangible cultural heritage project in its fourth batch. A Tashi Gyatsho gold-and-silver forging and copper technician. Since 1980 he has studied gold, silver and copper ware processing techniques, excels at forging techniques in materials such as gold, silver and copper, and is well versed in gilding. He mainly makes silver-wrapped wooden bowls, footed lidded bowls, high-stemmed lidded bowls, prayer wheels and copper thermoses, among others. As a forging master, he has trained many apprentices and works alongside young apprentices, contributing his strength to the Tibetan ethnic metal forging craft. He won an excellence award at the 2003 Tourism Souvenir and Handicraft Design Competition held by the Tibet Autonomous Region's Economic and Trade Commission.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Esegama 03-1378
- Cidanwangjia 03-1379
- Long Duoranjie 03-1380
- Liedan 04-1883
- Laqiong 04-1884
- Gamadaiqing 05-2816
- Genqiudanzhen
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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