Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System

There is a Thangka training class in the town.

Many children or young people are learning Thangka art here. At this moment, the city leaders are visiting and giving instructions to the person in charge of the Thangka training class.

”Once, Thangka hung silently in temples, receiving hundreds of years of offerings. But now, it appears in city galleries, e-commerce platforms, and tourist souvenir shops. How should this ancient scenery face the tide of the new era? This is a matter we need to emphasize.”

”The future of Thangka is full of opportunities and also full of questions. As artists, their works are seen and collected by more people. Young people are starting to try innovations, painting Thangka elements on ceramics and leather goods, integrating ancient symbols into modern life—this is great!”

”The challenges are real, but the love is also real. The best inheritance is not to lock it in a glass cabinet but to let it find its value in the market.”

Outside, the leaders continued giving instructions, their voices reaching inside the classroom.

Luobu Lake didn’t understand, nor did he care.

He loved painting very much, and at that moment, his attention was completely on the teacher’s explanation.

After the teacher finished a segment, he asked them to start practicing.

Luobu Lake took out his painting tools and painted for a while, unable to resist opening the scroll of the painting that Li Younan had gifted him—only when he was painting himself could he more vividly feel how well others had painted.

Teacher Dawa Dunzhu was inspecting the students’ artworks and suddenly stopped behind the youngest in the classroom, Luobu Lake. His gaze was fixed on the hand-painted Thangka in Luobu Lake’s hands, unable to be moved away.

”Who gave you this painting?” the teacher asked.

Luobu Lake nervously looked at Dawa Dunzhu.

Dawa Dunzhu smiled and shook his head, ”Don’t worry, don’t be nervous. Let me see this painting.”

Luobu Lake cautiously handed the painting to the teacher.

Dawa Dunzhu held the painting and examined it carefully.

As a painter with over ten years of experience, he immediately noticed the astonishing level of the painting—

It didn’t strictly adhere to the traditional Thangka creation techniques, but instead used oil painting line texture methods to outline the contours, conveying the texture and sense of depth of objects.

The use of color employed cold and warm contrasts, light and dark transitions, giving the picture a strong sense of layering and depth.

The background used oil painting gradient techniques to showcase a deep sense of space, further highlighting the central Buddha image.

The more he looked, the more amazed he became.

In recent years, the training cycle for traditional Thangka artists has been long, and those who persist in learning for more than ten years are becoming fewer. Truly mastering the core techniques, there are less than a hundred painters nationwide.

Economic pressures have led to a severe loss of talent. Although Thangka has been listed as an initial batch of intangible cultural heritage, this craft faces unprecedented challenges, with no new master painters emerging for many years.

When Dawa Dunzhu saw this painting, his first reaction was: Could this be the work of a master? However, he touched the edge of the painting—the paint hadn’t even dried...

”A Han People’s big brother gave it to me.”

”A Han People’s big brother?” Dawa Dunzhu was momentarily stunned.

Luobu Lake is not even ten years old. For him to call someone ”big brother,” they would at most be in their early twenties.

For such a young person to produce a painting of this level?

For a moment, Dawa Dunzhu found it somewhat absurd—something must be wrong.

”You said, a big brother? Brother?”

”Yes, a big brother.”

”How old did he look?”

”Uh... I think about the same age as Zhaxi brother.”

Dawa Dunzhu looked towards the corner where Zhaxi was painting.

Zhaxi was only seventeen or eighteen years old, but just had darker skin, looking like a twenty-year-old.

Zhaxi noticed the teacher’s gaze and grinned.

Dawa Dunzhu retracted his gaze.

At that moment, Dawa Dunzhu felt a strong desire to visit the painter directly. ”Can you tell me more about this big brother?”

Seeing the teacher hadn’t criticized him, Luobu Lake honestly told everything he knew about Li Younan.

After listening, Dawa Dunzhu gently furrowed his brows and muttered to himself, ”A person who came here for tourism?”

...

Originally, Li Younan was a bit worried that camping here for such a long time might be somewhat dull, but he didn’t expect to welcome a second visitor shortly after waking from his afternoon nap.

The visitor came on Jiatuo’s motorcycle.

After a brief introduction, Li Younan learned that the visitor was a professional Thangka painter.

Their purpose in coming was remarkably pure—because they saw the oil-painted Thangka in Luobu Lake’s hands and felt curious, they specifically came for a visit.

In just a few words, the visitor roughly understood Li Younan’s background.

After all, Li Younan held the title of honorary expert lecturer at the Forbidden City Museum, which carried significant weight.

Not to mention his accomplishments in the travel blog field, this title alone immediately made Dawa Dunzhu regard him with great respect.

However, before discussing art, Dawa Dunzhu was equally curious about Li Younan’s RV.

Li Younan patiently explained to Dawa Dunzhu the same content he had previously introduced to Jiatuo.

The other party’s reaction was almost identical to Jiatuo’s, both amazed and envious.

Then, the three sat under the canopy tent, taking a short rest.

”Teacher Li, have you also studied Thangka art?”

Dawa Dunzhu spoke first, with an admiration in his tone, ”To be honest, this painting of yours—an outsider may not see the depth, but as an insider, I won’t hide it from you, I feel it’s even better than my teacher’s work!”

As a pure literary person, Dawa Dunzhu clearly understood that in the painting world, only those who reach mastery can be teachers.