Table of Contents

Brief Introduction of Xihedao(Tibetan: Chagdor) 
Chapter One Impression on Regong 
Overview 
Section One My Deep Love for the Mountains and Rivers in the Regong Area 
Section Two The Village Event: The June Gatherings 
Section Three Regong Art and Regong Lha-bzo(Tibetan Buddhism artists in the Regong area) 
Summary 
Chapter Two Xihedao's experience of apprenticeship 
Overview 
Section One From Wutun Village to Labrang Monastery: My childhood Impression 
Section Two Back to Wutun Village 
Section Three The Wandering Regong Lha-bzo 
Section Four Youth: My Memoryin the Army 
Section Five My Marriage Arranged by Heaven 
Section Six The Station Buddha in the Xining Railway Section 
Section Seven Second Return to Wutun Village 
Summary 
Chapter Three Traditional tools for Tangka painting 
Overview 
Section One The Main Tools for Tangka Painting and Their Functions 
Section Two The Making of Tools for Painting 
Summary 
Chapter Four Painting process of Tangka and its related theories 
Overview 
Section One The Processing Skill of the Frame and Canvas 
Section Two Grid-Constructing and Position Setting in Tangka Painting 
Section Three Proportion and Line Drawing 
Section Four The Basic Principles of Tangka-drawing Theory 
Summary 
Chapter Five The making of pigment and skill of coloring 
Overview 
Section One The Source and Making of the Five Commonly Used Pigments 
Section Two The Process of Color Use-Coloring,Dyeing and Outlining 
Section Three Taboo in the Process of Coloring 
Section Four Gold Application 
Section Five Artist's Unique Skills: Painting Facial Features of Buddha 
Summary 
Chapter Six Types of Tangka,its morunting and features of iconography 
Overview 
Section One Types of Tangka 
Section Two Tangka-mounting 
Section Three The Features of Iconography and the Consecration 
Summary 
Chapter Sevren Xihedao and Regong art 
Overview 
Section One Xihedao's View on Regong Art 
Section Two Xihedao's Exclusive Techniques of Tangka Painting 
Section Three Regong Artists' Various Painting Approaches
Section Four The Preservation,Inheritance,and Development of Regong Tangka 
Section Five The Custom of Honoring the Master and the Requirement for the Apprentice's Moral Character 
Summary 
Chapter Eight Life in Wutun Village 
Overview 
Section One Xihedao in Others' Eyes 
Section Two Xihedao's Understanding of Intangible Cultural Heritage 
Section Three Major Works by Xihedao 
Summary 
Xihedao Chronology 
Postscripts

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Therefore,chanting and painting are a basic traditional learning method for each Tangka heritor.From the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism,painting a variety of Buddha statues is the manifestation of personal.merit,and it is an important way of practice of Buddhism.A large number of monk artists try to complete the individual practice of Buddhism through the sacred cause ofpainting Buddha statues.Later,with the everincreasing demand of Buddha statue and various causes that make monk artists return to secular life,Tangka creation in the Regong area keeps abreast of the situation of monastery Tangka painting and local civil painting.In particular,since the reform and opening,there is an increasing market demand for Regong Tangkas.It has been an important way for local people to set out on a road to prosperity.Therefore,such an ancient traditional art as Tangka can be passed down till now while its painting tools are still passed down from generation to generation without much change. 
During the interview in the Regong area,many artists still use the old self-made charcoal to sketch,they think it's easy to modify by gentle flipping.Only in the final version will they use a pencil,a kind of modern appliances. 
Artist's frame and various types of painting brushes are selfmade and made ofraw mateiials usually from birch and poplar trees that have been growing in the Regong land since the ancient times.The material of brushes comes from horses,wolves,goats,weasels,cats and other animals.The artists often useLag-sgrib"(the small pad used under the palm)to prevent hand sweating when painting.The small pad is made of goat or fox skin.Their compass is also self-made(hinged device for drawing circles.).Tangka beauty is shown in the use of such simple original painting devices.We can say that the various types of painting tools are a high degree unity of Regong people's deep love for Buddhism,artistic passion and wisdom of survival.This chapter describes their usual painting tools,and mainly displays the tacit relationship between the artistsand those self-made painting tools."