时间：2022-09-09 01:05:28
Trinley Tharchin, the famed shoe maker,with his Sumba shoes.
The handicrafts of ethnic groups embody their culture and aesthetics. The workmanship not only reflects the developmental situation of the local crafts industry, but also reveals the history and culture of ethnic groups. In a modern and mechanized society, exquisite handcrafts evoke the rich and colorful lives of their creators and intoxicate us with their aesthetics.
Trinley Tharchin ?C A Last Shoemaking Expert
69-year-old Trinley Tharchin usually leaves home at nine o'clock every morning. He arrives on time at the shoemaking workshop, situated in Chumik Village in northern Lhasa. This is his 46th year working in an almost empty and lonely workshop. In his own words: "I could find every tool, even with my eyes closed".
Sitting at the workbench in his fitted black Polu robe, Trinley Tharchin looks tall. A snuff bottle sits in front of him, and his fingers look distorted due to a lifetime usage of needles. He is the descendant of a shoemaking family in Lhasa. His father, Palbar Dondrup, was a poor shoemaker in the old society and was usually obliged to follow orders without any freedom. He served the rich to make or maintain their shoes. Trinley Tharchin often assisted his father in the old days and gradually acquired the skills to make a living by making Tibetan boots.
While he was growing up, Tibet went through its democratic reform and two mutual aid groups for shoemakers were founded in Shsarsur and Tromsigkang in northern Lhasa. Eight shoemakers, including Trinley Tharchin and his father, joined the groups and invested 50 Yuan each as commission. During that period of prosperity people reveled in their shoes. They often drove a truck loaded with boots, materials and tools to Northern Tibet, Chamdul, Qinghai, and other places to make Tibetan boots. Hides and leathers were quickly used up. Sometimes, in order to complete urgent orders, they would have to stay overnight to try to finish their products.
Chu boots
“It seems that our products have successful market!”
Trinley Tharchin said: “It is no problem to sell all of our products. Nevertheless, all of them are hand made, really take time to complete and the process is complicated. In addition, the quality of raw materials is strictly maintained so the basic cost is very high. For instance, the uppers of Sumpa boots are sewn with special fish patterns that look like flowers and are very beautiful. People are especially fond of this kind of design. Shoemakers sew all stitches one by one which is very time-consuming. Whereas, even though each shoe is sold for 200 Yuan, in fact the basic costs are rather high and profit is low. Such a situation is common in the handicraft industry. I am sure of that. I remember once we experienced hardship in our business. During that period, people chased the fashion of western leisure clothes so our products had no markets in urban areas. Currently, we tend to be better off because the number of festivals has increased and people prefer to wear traditional Tibetan clothes to participate festivals. Of course, a low-heel shoe will never go with Tibetan costumes. More and more people, therefore, like to buy Tibetan boots.”
Though his income was good, he did not intend to expand the business. Several years ago, he recruited some relatives and prepared to teach them skills. Unfortunately, those young recruits only lasted a few months and withdrew. Dargy understood them, and he explained that: "the younger generations have their own thoughts about their lives. Despite their withdrawal, I would like to keep on going and not let the craft disappear forever."
When he had a break in the workshop, he would, from time to time, take the book "Tibetan Paintings" into the sunshine and make a comparison with the almost finished statue and said: "Tomorrow, I will hand over this finished piece to my client. I must make it perfect and never let my client to find any fault. This is my pleasure, but maybe nobody understands that".
Pasang is holding the photograph of Mr.Kofi Annan and his wife
Pasang-A Tailor
In comparison with Trinley Tharchin and Dargy, the 58-year-old Pasang has had a hard life. He became handicapped when he was seven years old, and independently undertook the responsibility to support his family when he was 20 years old. He set up a tailor shop when he was 30 years old, employing over 20 unemployed people - most of them disabled. He supported his mother and also his sister's whole family. Nowadays, he is one of leaders of the United Committee of Disable People of Lhasa.
The Pasang's workshop is located inside Tsemon Ling Monastery. The Monastery rented a 60 sq. metre chamber to him, charging 400 yuan per month. Pasang always said that, without the support he has received, there would have been no such workshop.
It was really easy to know if Pasang was in the workshop by seeing his wheel chair at the entrance of the Monastery, which usually had kids jumping up and down on it.
During working hours, Pasang always sits close to the entrance and keeps busy. Just like other craftsmen, he considers that he must take responsibility to preserve the craft of sewing. He believes this is the only way to preserve this professional knowledge. The technology of making Tibetan garments has its special features. Usually, a Tibetan garment has no shoulder and even no shoulder pad; there is often no sleeve and is usually made to be easy to put on. Pasang said Tibet has many traditional arts within the craft of sewing. In the past, elegant and fine Tibetan clothes could be worn for years, even ten years. Six sewing methods are required to sew such garments, such as "Dayang" "Len", "Shar", "and Mutig" (some of these have already been lost or never used any more). For instance, "down ?C lead" is one kind of special needlework technique and a simple method for repairs. Some lazy tailors don't like it. However, in a Tibetan proverb, it is said: "So long as the tailor delays the work of down - lead, the work will not postpone the tailor's business", which means that, whatever you do, only by working hard can you achieve success, and there is no place for sloppy workmanship.