Longest Tibetan calligraphy scroll donated to Potala Palace

The 206-meter long Tibetan calligraphy scroll [Photo/Xinhua]

A Tibetan calligraphy scroll stretching 206 meters was donated to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet, on Wednesday.

Believed to be the longest in the world, it took two artists, Gemang Jambae and Nyanshon Doje Toinzhub, four years to complete. A total of 177 styles of Tibetan calligraphy were included in the scroll.

"For instance, the style of Dzi beads came into being more than 3,000 years ago. It was so called because the characters looked like Tibetan Dzi beads," said Jambae, who has spent 33 years learning Tibetan calligraphy.

"The style "Corpse" was created during the reign of Songtsen Gampo (617-650). It gained the name because the characters appeared like dismantled bodies," he said. Songtsen Gampo was one of the most famous Tibetan rulers, and founder of the Tubo empire.

Tinggar, a famous Thangka painter, drew the portraits of 32 Tibetan penmanship masters on the scroll.

"By making such a scroll, we want to show the world the history and charm of Tibetan characters," said Doje Toinzhub. "We hope more people will get to know Tibetan calligraphy, a treasure of Chinese culture."

Sonam Wangden, vice head of the Potala Palace management office said the scroll, "showed the imagination of the Tibetan people, as well as evolution of the Tibetan characters. The Potala Palace is a museum of Tibetan culture. We will try our best to preserve the scroll, and display it to visitors."