This special section explores the dynamic transformations of Himalayan art and culture through interdisciplinary perspectives encompassing art history, visual studies, religious studies, media studies, and cultural heritage research. Moving beyond the conventional understanding of Himalayan visual culture as a static expression of religious tradition, the section examines how artistic forms continuously negotiate changing relationships among political authority, belief systems, cultural identity, and technological innovation. The four contributions investigate diverse topics, including the political symbolism of imperial and religious portraiture, the preservation and contemporary transformation of Thangka art, the reinterpretation of Tibetan visual languages in modern artistic practices, and the mediation of Tibetan identity through televised cultural performances. Together, these studies reveal how Himalayan visual culture functions not only as a record of historical memory but also as an active medium for constructing legitimacy, expressing creativity, and reshaping collective identities. By bringing historical analysis, contemporary practice, and cultural transmission into dialogue, this special section highlights the fluidity and resilience of Himalayan art in responding to social change and globalization. It aims to expand interdisciplinary discussions on how visual culture bridges tradition and modernity, sacred heritage and public representation, within the Himalayan world.

Editor's Introduction: Reimagining Himalayan Art and Culture: Visuality, Tradition, and Modern Transformation

This paper proposes an analytical framework that views Tibetan Buddhist civilization as a "pre-modern operating system" with inherent self-adjusting capabilities. From this perspective, monastic murals are defined as "iconographic programs" deployed by the system to respond to crises of legitimacy. This framework demonstrates how the system achieves the re-legitimation of power relations in response to external shocks by manipulating "site-specificity" (the embodied field of space and ritual) and utilizing "constructiveness" (the strategic reshaping of visual narratives). Centered on the narrative of the "Liangzhou Accord" (1247), this study employs an interdisciplinary approach combining visual close reading, historical context analysis, and conceptual decoding to examine its visual reconstruction during three major transitional periods: the Yuan, Qing, and modern eras. By analyzing three sets of "seated together" murals in the Pelkor Chode Monastery, the Potala Palace, and the Norbulingka, the paper reveals how elites translated political realities into sacred narratives using core cultural modules such as the "Two Truths" and the "Patron-Priest" relationship. The function of these iconographic programs exhibits a diachronic evolution: from the proactive foundation by the Sakya School, to the adaptive alignment of the Gelug School, and finally to dislocation and semiotic suspension in the context of modernity. This study provides an illuminating case for understanding the deep logic of how pre-modern civilizations conducted political negotiation and maintained order through visual art.

The Hidden Power Scene: The Dual-Seated Portrait of Emperor and Imperial Preceptor and Its Historical Role in Addressing Tibet's Political-Religious Crises

Thangka art, as a significant form of Tibetan material intangible cultural heritage, faces the challenge of balancing cultural preservation with contemporary transformation in the context of globalization. Drawing on the development experience of international art triennials and specialized heritage exhibitions, this paper proposes the establishment of a Tibet-Qinghai Thangka Triennial mechanism as a platform integrating heritage protection, artistic innovation, cultural dissemination, and sustainable development. The study develops a dual-track framework that combines the preservation of Thangka’s sacred cultural foundations with creative reinterpretation in contemporary contexts. It proposes a dual-city exhibition model between Lhasa and Xining, a multi-level collection system, digital preservation strategies, and cultural translation pathways to enhance public engagement and international communication. Furthermore, the paper explores sustainable feedback mechanisms through digital asset development, exhibition operations, and derivative industries while emphasizing respect for religious traditions and cultural authenticity. The proposed triennial mechanism aims to transform Thangka from a static heritage object into a dynamic cultural resource, fostering dialogue between tradition and modernity, local identity and global cultural exchange.

Sacred and Secular: A Dual Transformation in Thangka Cultural Dissemination across Tibet and Qinghai—Based on the Mechanism Transfer and Innovation of the "Hubei International Triennial of Lacquer Art"

2026 Annual Conference of Association for Asian Studies Special Issue

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