Cultural, Radio Broadcasting and TV Undertakings: Vigorous Development-An Interv

WEN QUNTAI & DEGYI

Known as Khamba, Qamdo is home to 570,000 people famous for their singing and dancing, industriousness and hospitality. The local circle dance is especially famous for its robust and vigorous movements, while the regions pastoral songs are known for their undulating tunes. In such a traditional cultural environment, radio broadcasting and TV undertakings are also developing rapidly. The progress, however, didnt gain momentum until Chinas introduction of the reform and opening program.

FOLK TANGKA PAINTING SHOW. People in and outside Qamdo Prefecture agree it saw fast development of cultural undertakings after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in late 1978, and especially after the CPC Central Committee and the State Council held its second national conference on work in Tibet in 1984. Spurred by the favorable change, Qamdo held its first show of folk tangka paintings in Garma District. Garma is traditionally known as the "home to paintings". Cering Yapai, then over 70, was invited to sponsor the show, which displayed dozens of works. Exhibits were divided into three parts: traditional tangka paintings including portraits of Buddha, eminent monks and Buddhist guardians; copied traditional tangka paintings; and newly created works. Among them was a portrait of Garma Village, masterpiece of an old artist then aged over 80. Other tangka paintings depicted new life.

HOME TO TANGKA PAINTERS. Picturesque Xangdui Village in Garma is home to artisans, and Wazhai Village to tangka painters. Why has this come about? In front of Xangdui Village there stands a pointed peak. According to Tibetan Buddhism, the Wisdom Buddha holds the "wisdom sword" and the "sutra books". Locals believe the pointed peak is the "wisdom sword" and the dense forests thriving at the mountains opposite the village constitute the very "sutra books", and this encouraged the religious art tradition. A study of the tangka paintings gathered in the village show they blend the Tibetan and Chinese styles. When they were on view, veteran painters from the village were invited to narrate the exhibits, which was very popular.

THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE. Various counties in Qamdo Prefecture were called on to form folk performing troupes when the CPC Central Committee and the State Council held its second national conference on work in Tibet in 1984. At that time, there were performing troupes in 13 counties, and they met to perform during the theatrical festival in 1986, presenting items unique to the locality. In Tibet, Qamdo Prefecture is the only area with so many performing troupes. Hence, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region sent a delegation to attend the festival, reflecting highly on the efforts Qamdo made in this regard. Dengqen County is known to all for its Gesar Dance. In 1988, when we went there for a survey, we were astonished to find only two people who were able to perform the dance. We worked hard to rescue the tradition and this work was published in Tibet Art Research.

KHAM DRUMS HERALD THE SPRING. The epic King Gesar is widespread there, and we were able to gather some 40 volumes, including hand-copied and wood block printed editions. Efforts were also made to dig for folk literary works. For this purpose, offices were set up to specialize in the collection of folk songs, folk stories, folk dance, folk music and folk sayings. We did a good job in rescuing the Repa dances. During the National Lotus Flower Cup Contest, the Kham Drums Herald the Spring won a bronze medal. During the Third Qomolangmo Literature and Art Show in Tibet, it won a literary award. During the Shanghai International Art Festival and the Chengdu TV Festival, it won another medal. The item features vigorous drum beating that is very popular in Tibetan dances.

TV SETTLES DOWN IN QAMDO. Qamdo didnt see any TV until 1983, when relay stations were set up at prefectural and county levels. Various counties followed suit when the Central Government summoned a meeting of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Tibet on the issue in the late 1980s. Some 80 township-level relay stations were established. In the past, the life of the people in Qamdo was restricted to chanting sutras, laboring and sleeping. With access to TV, they live a more colorful life and gain knowledge for economic development. Dengqen was the first county in Qamdo to buy TV sets. One farming household sold their cattle for the purpose. TV has proved to be a boon for economic development and political stability. When the documentary on the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Erdeni was shown on TV, people in Qamdo watched with great interest and spoke highly of the Central Governments respect for religious tradition. Now Qamdo has access to 34 kinds of programs.

RADIO BROADCASTING AND FILMS. The Qamdo Radio Broadcasting Relay Station was set up in 1955 and has witnessed great expansion ever since. Given the fact that the locals speak different dialects, Qamdo Radio Station will start to be built within the year with State investment and investments from the Tibet Autonomous Regional government, Tianjin, Sichuan and Chongqing, totaling some 10 million Yuan. Qamdo Film Co. was set up in 1957 and now has some 300 film companies and projection teams. Radio stations, TV stations and film companies have combined to play an important role in flourishing cultural undertakings in Qamdo.