Getting back to black

Zamtang county and a dedicated group of inheritors are striving to preserve the traditional art of Jambhala Tibetan pottery

The development of Jambhala (God of Wealth) Tibetan pottery has a history of nearly 2,000 years and is an indispensable part of Tibetan culture.

Since ancient times, Zamtang county in Sichuan province has made black pottery. The clay is made from the soil taken from snow-capped mountains at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level. The black pottery, with its distinctive local characteristics and patterns, is also on the brink of disappearing. In a bid to pass down the knowledge to the next generation, the inheritor Choi Wang established the Jambhala Tibetan Pottery Training Institute with the help of the Zamtang county government, which gathers all of the local pottery masters to promote and preserve the art form.