Tritsug Rabten, the 34-year-old Thangka painter wins the gold award for his work Sakyamuni on the prize-awarding ceremony of the 2nd "Beauty of Tibet" Painting Contest Exhibition held at the National Grand Theater in Beijing on Sep.26,2013. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

BEIJING, Oct. 1(China Tibet Online) Tritsug Rabten, the 34-year-old Thangka painter won the gold award for his work Sakyamuni on the prize-awarding ceremony of the 2nd "Beauty of Tibet" Painting Contest Exhibition held at the National Grand Theater for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Sep. 26, 2013.

"I have finished my work for three years", said Tritsug Rabten, "and this is the graduation work with which my teacher and I are both satisfied."

It takes him the longest time to draw the Sakyamuni since he has begun to learn drawing Thangka. The whole Thangka mainly depicts the Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. Founders of five sects of Tibetan Buddhism and 50 main Yidams and dharmapalases are also painted in the Thangka. "The most important thing is keep a quiet and dedicated heart when drawing the Thangka, therefore, the work will be quite touching," said Tritsug Rabten.

Born in the Songpan County of Ngapa Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province in 1979, Tritsug Rabten had a happy childhood just like other kids, but his artistic talent was showed in the years when he could randomly pinch mud and snow into beautiful patterns.

Tritsug Rabten, the 34-year-old Thangka painter wins the gold award for his work Sakyamuni on the prize-awarding ceremony of the 2nd "Beauty of Tibet" Painting Contest Exhibition held at the National Grand Theater in Beijing on Sep.26,2013. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

In 2002, Tritsug Rabten entered the School of Art of Sichuan-Tibet Tibetan School in Kangding County of Sichuan Province to learn Karmakar red sect of Thangka painting. "Every day I practiced the basic skills to imitate the painting method of the painters at that time," said Tritsug Rabten.

In order to learn the different painting styles, Tritsug Rabten went to Wudunxia Monastery in Regong of Qinghai Province for a further study after three years. Tritsug Rabten said: "From making the picture frame, drawing draft, coloring the picture, covering with gold leaf to mounting the picture, every step needs comprehension."

In 2007, Tritsug Rabten followed the famous masters Dampa Rabten and Tseten Namgyel as his teachers to learn Miantang sect painting in Lhasa of Tibet, which Tritsug Rabten considers as the most centralized place of Tibetan culture and art.

Nowadays, Tritsug Rabten has become a top Thangka painter and the dean of Xiangzang Thangka art center. He said: "I consider it as a responsibility to make more people know and like Thangka paintings through my works, therefore, more people will fall in love with the Tibetan culture. The young Thangka painters should pass on the traditional Tibetan culture and art."

Tritsug Rabten wins the gold award for his work Sakyamuni on the prize-awarding ceremony of the 2nd "Beauty of Tibet" Painting Contest Exhibition held at the National Grand Theater in Beijing on Sep. 26, 2013. [Photo/China Tibet Online]