Born on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in Tongren, Qinghai Province—known in Tibetan as Regong, the sacred birthplace of Thangka art—Jiumei Sanbao comes from a lineage deeply rooted in devotion and craftsmanship. For generations, his ancestors and father dedicated their lives to painting Thangkas for major Tibetan monasteries.
At the age of eight, he made a solemn vow to enter monastic life and was ordained at Wutun Upper Monastery in Regong. Under the meticulous guidance of the renowned lama Jiumei Chenlie, he studied the Gelug tradition, including both exoteric and esoteric Buddhist teachings. Through years of disciplined practice and participation in monastic debates, he earned deep respect within the monastery for his spiritual understanding and conduct.
By the age of nine, he formally began learning Thangka painting under his father’s instruction, inheriting exceptional techniques refined through generations. He later became a direct disciple of Master Xiawu Ta, a nationally recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage Thangka Master, embarking on a seven-year period of rigorous, traditional training. During this time, he received direct, lineage-based transmission of sacred Thangka painting methods.
As a devoted Thangka artist and Buddhist practitioner, Jiumei Sanbao approaches every painting as a form of spiritual practice. While painting, he continuously recites prayers and dedicates merit for the well-being of all sentient beings. Living in accordance with Buddhist discipline, he remains humble, focused, and detached from worldly distractions—allowing Thangka art to become not merely a craft, but the lifelong expression of his faith and devotion.
Each Thangka created by Jiumei Sanbao is not only a work of art, but a sacred vessel of prayer, lineage, and inner peace.
