Kunkhyen, A Music and Arts Teacher Arrested
In the afternoon of August 22nd, music and art teacher Kunkhyen from Darkar, Lithang was arrested by Chinese officials. The reason for his arrest has not been stated as of yet. Kunkhyen is 32 years old and he is from a nomadic family. His father passed away when Kunkhyen was in his early twenties. His mother, Donkar, and his sisters are left at home.
The reason for his arrest has not been stated as of yet. Kunkhyen is 32 years old and he is from a nomadic family. His father passed away when Kunkhyen was in his early twenties. His mother, Donkar, and his sisters are left at home.
From a very young age, Kunkhyen loved to sing and draw. As he grew older, he turned into a skilled musician and artist whose artistic talent every one appreciated. Later he had learned to play Tibetan guitar from famed singer Dui Bih and performed successfully on stage a number of times.
It is not difficult to recognize his artistic skills from the many modern and traditional drawings he had done. Kunkhyen had worked on many of the murals and Thangas that adorn shrines in Lithang’s many monasteries. The image of Avaloketeshvara (the Buddha of Compassion), and the image of deity Naychung in the Lithang monastery, both drawn by Kunkhen, is showered with admiration from devotees and others alike.
In the field of music, he had produced two music records. One called ‘White Crane’s Wings’ and the other called, ‘the White Crane’s Music’. Both have been well received by Tibetans in Tibet and in exile. At the time of his arrest, Kunkhyen was teaching at the Lithang middle school as the Art and Music teacher. Now, his students are eagerly awaiting his return.