BEIJING, Aug. 6 -- Tshatsha, a literal translation from a
Sanskrit word which mean "copy" in English, stands for small clay sculptures cut
from a mold, including mini-statues of Buddha, stupas or Buddhist scriptures.
Usually, they are put inside large stupas or special shrines (tsha-kang). They
can also be found on top of Mani stones flanked by prayer flags along tracks, on
the revered snow-peaks or in sacred caves. The Tibetans carry them in small
amulet boxes to guard against evil.
Tshatshas are believed to have come from India
together with Buddhism. Although most tshatshas are made of clay, there are also
wooden or stone ones. The former are used to fill the stupas, with some are
placed on top of the Mani stones or in special shrines, while most of the latter
are placed in Buddhist shrines or altars.
Tshatshas, whether ancient or modern, generally fall
into two categories in terms of their forms: relief sculptures,including high
and low reliefs, made with a one-sided mold; and round sculptures that are made
with a double- sided mold.
To make a tshatsha, first a mold, an indispensable
item known as tsha-shi-gong in Tibetan, has to be made. Most molds are made of
bronze or brass, and those made of porcelain, paper, or wood are rare and hence
especially precious.
Once the mold is made, one can begin to make a clay
tshatsha, a process that has been compared to working with the popular
children's toy of plasticene (named after the famous trademark).
First step, a lump of clay is stuffed into the mold
after being rolled into a clay pie. Then, a pit is made within whichseveral
grains of the highland barley (grown in Tibet and Qinghai in West China) are
placed. The process, known as filling the scripture (Zhuangzang in Chinese), is
believed to be able to give superhuman strength to the clay sculptures. Next,
the clay is pressed so that its surface will be smooth and the design pattern
clear. A pedestal is modeled by hand in the third step.
When all the above is done, the moist clay tshatsha
is taken out from the mold and placed in sunshine to dry off, completing the
process. This is called the lost wax method, which was considered the most
advanced technique more than a millennium ago. It is still in use today to make
delicate modern sculptures and replicas of antiques.
