The craft of making enamel is a tradition of the Han people, while Thangka painting is a time-honored art of the Tibetan people. A group of folk artisans in Beijing are combining these two forms of art and are creating something spectacular.

This is called Cloisonné Thangka, a new genre of the traditional Tibetan Thangka. It combines the multi-step enamel processing used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items with the traditional method of making Thangka paintings.

Such Thangkas not only retain the design of traditional thangkas, but also integrate the Tibetan and Han cultures. Having undergone the ancient cloisonné-making process, images on the new genre of thangka look brighter, more crystal and elegant. Moreover, such thangkas are easier for storage.

Liu Tinghe is the director of the creative studio in the Mentougou District, a western suburb of Beijing.

"We integrate the art of Thangka with the traditional craft of Beijing. This makes both more valuable. The artwork can last for more than 100 years. The traditional craft has been listed as the intangible cultural heritage of Mentougou District. We hope that this recognition can make more people know about our work and pass it down to more younger generations," said Liu Tinghe.