Digital Dissemination Pathways of Thangka: Tradition, Technology, and Transcultural Communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/fcbsnb93Keywords:
Thangka, Digital dissemination, Intangible cultural heritage, Transmedia, Cultural flows, Digital humanities, Transcultural communicationAbstract
Thangka, a sacred form of Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting, represents one of the most visually complex and culturally rich artistic traditions in the world. As digital technologies permeate every domain of cultural production and circulation, Thangka faces both unprecedented opportunities for global dissemination and critical risks of cultural decontextualization. This paper investigates the digital dissemination pathways of Thangka through a mixed theoretical lens drawing on Appadurai's theory of cultural flows, Jenkins's transmedia logic, and Castells's network communication model. Drawing on documentary analysis, platform observation, and existing practitioner accounts, the study maps four primary pathways: institutional digitization and archival platforms, short-video and social media ecosystems, immersive technology applications (AR/VR/3D scanning), and transnational e-commerce and cultural brand channels. Findings reveal that while digital dissemination significantly extends Thangka's reach and visibility, it simultaneously introduces tensions between authenticity and commodification, between ritual function and aesthetic consumption, and between local custodianship and global audience expectations. The paper proposes a culturally responsive digital strategy framework — the TACT Model (Transmission, Authenticity, Community, Technology) — to guide sustainable digital practices for intangible cultural heritage. These findings carry implications for heritage preservation policy, digital humanities pedagogy, and cross-cultural communication theory.
Downloads
References
[1] Appadurai, A. (1986). The social life of things: Commodities in cultural perspective. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511819582
[2] Appadurai, A. (1990). Disjuncture and difference in the global cultural economy. Theory, Culture & Society, 7(2-3), 295-310. https://doi.org/10.1177/026327690007002017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/026327690007002017
[3] Barham, E. (2003). Translating terroir: The global challenge of French AOC labeling. Journal of Rural Studies, 19(1), 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0743-0167(02)00052-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0743-0167(02)00052-9
[4] Bekele, M. K., Pierdicca, R., Frontoni, E., Malinverni, E. S., & Gain, J. (2018). A survey of augmented, virtual, and mixed reality for cultural heritage. Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 11(2), 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1145/3145534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3145534
[5] Burgess, J., & Green, J. (2018). YouTube: Online video and participatory culture (2nd ed.). Polity Press.
[6] Cameron, F., & Kenderdine, S. (Eds.). (2007). Theorizing digital cultural heritage: A critical discourse. MIT Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9780262033534.001.0001
[7] Castells, M. (2009). Communication power. Oxford University Press.
[8] Chibnik, M. (2003). Crafting tradition: The making and marketing of Oaxacan wood carvings. University of Texas Press.
[9] Giaccardi, E. (Ed.). (2012). Heritage and social media: Understanding heritage in a participatory culture. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203112984
[10] Handler, R. (1986). Authenticity. Anthropology Today, 2(1), 2-4. https://doi.org/10.2307/3032899 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3032899
[11] Jackson, D., & Jackson, J. (1988). Tibetan thangka painting: Methods and materials. Snow Lion Publications.
[12] Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York University Press.
[13] Parry, R. (Ed.). (2010). Museums in a digital age. Routledge.
[14] Smith, L., & Akagawa, N. (Eds.). (2009). Intangible heritage. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203884973
[15] UNESCO. (2003). Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO. https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention
[16] Van Dijck, J. (2013). The culture of connectivity: A critical history of social media. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199970773.001.0001
[17] Zhou, Y., Sun, J., & Huang, Y. (2019). The digital preservation of intangible cultural heritage in China: A survey. Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture, 48(2), 95-103. https://doi.org/10.1515/pdtc-2019-0004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pdtc-2019-0004
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Academic Journal of Art and Design
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
