Caca Making Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
In the 4th century CE, during the reign of the Tubo ruler Lha Totori Nyentsen, the craft of making tsakli was introduced into Tibet; today it is mainly found in Lhasa, Shigatse, Shannan and other places. Tsakli originated in the ancient Indian custom of placing sacred objects in the belly of a stone stupa, which served to protect and conceal them. Since its introduction from India, the tsakli-making craft has passed through roughly five historical stages of development: its first transmission in the Tubo period, its rise in the Guge period, its development in the Sakya period, its flourishing in the Phagmodru period, and its prosperity in the Ganden Phodrang period.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Tsakli are small clay figurines; the craft of making them has a long history and is one of the typical representatives of folk handicraft. The Tibet Autonomous Region lies on the southwestern frontier of the country, with many great mountain ranges stretching across it, countless swift rivers running through it, plateau lakes scattered everywhere, vast forests, and abundant varieties of minerals and clays, all of which provided favourable conditions for the development of the tsakli-making craft. Lhasa tsakli generally depict stupas, Shakyamuni, Avalokiteshvara, Tara, tutelary and protective deities, and great lamas and masters, and vary in size: the common height is about 3–10 centimetres, the smallest only 1 centimetre and the largest 40 centimetres. They are religious artworks circulating among the people for use in offerings, prayer and vows. Lhasa tsakli use a locally produced clay known as “jiaoni” together with Tibetan paper, langdu grass, saffron and other materials as raw materials; there are also traditions of making them with medicines, cremation ashes, lead and iron, and so on. They are made through many process steps: selecting the earth, compounding the ingredients, oiling, placing in the mould, pressing, hand-sculpting or demoulding, drying in the sun, firing, and painting in colours. The craft can be divided into relief work made with a single-sided mould and fully rounded work made with a double-sided mould. The overwhelming majority of tsakli are pressed into shape with one or two moulds and released from the mould, while the extremely large tsakli formed by repeated pressing of several moulds on one piece of clay are few in number. At the same time, from a widely popular folk religious offering and a sacred token for accumulating merit and virtue in Tibetan areas, tsakli gradually developed into a handicraft combining religious colouring, ethnic character and folk charm, and have been handed down in their own distinctive artistic form. The tsakli-making craft is one of the representatives of Tibetan folk handicraft; it lived through both the earlier and the later propagation periods of Tibetan Buddhism, is an important component of Tibetan Buddhist art, and provides reference material for the study of Tibetan history. With the growth of tourism, tsakli handicrafts are not only loved by local people but also attract visitors from elsewhere; demand is relatively large, and this has promoted local economic development and social harmony.
Archival Records of Process Steps
Lhasa tsakli use a locally produced clay known as “jiaoni” together with Tibetan paper, langdu grass, saffron and other materials as raw materials; there are also traditions of making them with medicines, cremation ashes, lead and iron, and so on. They are made through many process steps: selecting the earth, compounding the ingredients, oiling, placing in the mould, pressing, hand-sculpting or demoulding, drying in the sun, firing, and painting in colours.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The distribution of the tsakli-making craft in Tibet spread along the routes of Tibetan Buddhism, extending outward from Lhasa as its centre towards Shigatse and Shannan. The sequence of the five stages — first transmission in the Tubo period, rise in the Guge period, development in the Sakya period, flourishing in the Phagmodru period and prosperity in the Ganden Phodrang period — is also the sequence in which tsakli forms and tantric methods were introduced. In the Lhasa area the main material is the clay known as “jiaoni”, mixed with Tibetan paper, langdu grass and saffron; relief work uses single-sided moulds and rounded work double-sided moulds.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
At present the Lhasa tsakli-making craft relies mostly on production in small family workshops and on master-to-apprentice transmission.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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