6 | Monday, August 2, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY CHINA Young illustrator Village sketching out her reaping rewards future in US market from boom By YE ZIZHEN move people,” Kan said. yezizhen@ For her, drawing, in tourism chinadaily.com.cn whether it’s a sketch or a computer graphic, is a After living in San way of expressing her LHASA — Villagers in Kala, in Francisco for over a feelings and her under- the Tibet autonomous region, decade, Kan has made a standing of a story or a used to be annoyed when their successful transition character. peaceful lives were disturbed by from an art student to In high school, she trespassers hopping in to savor an illustrator. worked with the Kado- the quaint peach blossoms Born in 1992 in Fu- Kan lives in San kawa Group, a Japanese around their houses and farms. zhou, Fujian province, Francisco. media conglomerate, Dubbed the “village of peach Kan’s self-given name and learned which blossoms”, Kala boasts more than — the Japanese pronunciation of skills she needed to improve. She 1,200 wild peach trees, with the the Chinese character gan, mean- discovered that client communica- oldest being more than 600 years ing “sweet and pleasant” — is how tion and time management were old. The village is surrounded by her school friends all know her. essential. pink peach blooms in spring. With blond-and-pink hair, she is “As a concept artist, I help to cre- “About two decades ago, tourists more introverted than she ate the visual design of a character. Drolkar (left) and her sister, Yangzom, are seen at Yulmai village in Lhunze county, Tibet autonomous would sometimes trample on appears. She is not a fan of selfies Therefore animators have an idea region, on June 21. PUBU TASHI / XINHUA crops to reach the flowers, and and prefers to express herself to make the character come to live villagers used to have quarrels through drawings, characters and in the game,” she said. with them,” said Penpa, a local writing stories. “When I receive a project, I will village official. “I had three interests as a child make sure it is a match for my Locals built fences to curb irk- — drawing, playing games and tell- style. That sometimes helps some trespassing. “But the peach ing stories. All three are part of my reduce communication barriers blossoms here were so beautiful current occupation,” she said. with the client.” Self-appointed sentry that tourists were willing to risk Kan moved to San Francisco in A drawing takes from four hours climbing over the fence to take 2008, when she was a teenager. to a week to finish, including the photos.” Her love of the city led her to stay time spent waiting for feedback. The village committee later fig- and study at the Academy of Art Proficient in both English and ured out a way to make both vil- University. Japanese, Kan has worked with honored for diligence lagers and tourists happy — “I enjoy San Francisco a lot. It’s different companies from China, developing tourism. Locals then really inspiring, and there are lots Singapore and Japan. dismantled the fences and built of galleries and studios,” she said. She has won a number of art Following in her father’s footsteps, Tibetan villager Drolkar sightseeing lanes to welcome “I often go to the San Francisco accolades, including the AI-AP tourists to enjoy the scenic beau- Museum of Modern Art to look at American Illustration 39, Infected has spent decades keeping an eye out for trouble at border ty. The committee also made the masterpieces there.” by Art and 3x3 Illustration compe- arrangements for villagers to sell Studying abroad was demand- titions. Some of her work has been local products and traditional ing but also rewarding. displayed at the Disney Gallery, By DAQIONG PATH TO GLORY was holding the 19th National foods to tourists, and it collected “I had four courses a week, and the Q Pop Shop in Los Angeles and and PALDEN NYIMA in Lhasa PathPROF toIL gloryE Congress. some environmental protection sometimes I needed to hand in The Artist Lodge, a pop-up store They told Xi about their experi- fees from the visitors. 300 drawings for a single course that runs regular events in the Drolkar is one of the recipients ences safeguarding the border and Thanks to the boom in tour- during that time,” Kan said. United States. of the July 1 Medal, the highest the development of their township ism, the earnings of the locals “It was tough, but I’ve learned to “I have closely followed the honor conferred to outstanding over the years. started to increase. produce high-quality products AI-AP American Illustration 39, members of the Communist Party They received Xi’s reply on Oct The local tourism department while meeting rigorous require- which shows many great draw- of China. 28 that year. In the reply, he recog- began holding a peach blossom ments, and the experience has ings, designs, animations and pho- As an ordinary Tibetan villager, nized their efforts to safeguard the festival in Kala in 2002. Over the taught me self-discipline,” she add- tography. Winning an award from she and her family have been territory and thanked them for past two decades, locals there ed. “This is also how I approach my them made me feel that I have the guarding the country’s territory their loyalty and the work they’ve have become wealthier, embrac- clients and work.” ability to do better in the future,” for over three decades. done. ing moderately prosperous lives, In 2019, she received a master’s she said. Drolkar is from Yulmai village in On June 29, Drolkar received while the peach blossoms of the degree in web design and new Though still sometimes frustrat- Lhunze county, Tibet autonomous the medal in Beijing. village have gained fame all over media. She now works as a free- ed by the reality that in the US, region, which sits at the southern “I was very pleased and excited the country. Last year, the total lance illustrator and concept art- supermarkets, stores and some foot of the Himalayas and on Chi- to receive the award last month in income of Kala reached more than ist. “I learned to put ideas into restaurants close as early as 9 pm, na’s border with India. Beijing,” she said. “I am so glad 11.5 million yuan ($1.78 million), practice at school and also to Kan is used to working and living The 60-year-old has been on that I was greeted with tashi delek with its per capita disposable design websites, books, apps and abroad. border patrol with her family since (the Tibetan greeting during income exceeding 31,000 yuan. other media forms, but I have nev- “I appreciate struggle. To work she was a child. At 35, she became which best wishes are given) while In addition to peach blossoms, er given up drawing,” she said. hard for your dream is what my a member of the CPC. I was presented with the medal by the snow-capped mountains and The influence of Japanese man- generation values,” she said. Every month, in addition to President Xi. I will never forget the glaciers in remote Tibetan villa- ga and animation is clear in her Kan’s plan for the near future is doing housework and herding, moment. ges have also generated wealth work. to work harder, accumulate expe- Drolkar spends one day patrolling “President Xi is very kind to us, for the locals. “The way different characters rience and open her own studio. the border. and we are often told to do a good Norbu runs a homestay in Sur- are presented in manga is some- From 1964 to 1996, Drolkar’s job safeguarding the border. Only sum village, Mainling county. It thing I love, and I hope I can learn Hu Meidong in Fuzhou hometown was considered China’s if the border is stable, will Tibet be is located at the foot of Mount to draw figures and stories that contributed to this story. smallest in terms of population. In stable. I have been following in the Namjagbarwa, the highest fact, it was called a “three-person footsteps of my father to patrol our mountain in Nyingchi, a prefec- township” because during that motherland over the decades, and ture-level city, situated 7,782 time, only Drolkar, her father, San- I regard the work as a big honor.” meters above sea level. gye Chopa, and her sister, Yang- There are now more people liv- Norbu, who was once strug- zom, lived there. ing in the village supporting her gling with poverty, took a loan of After Tibet’s liberation in 1950, efforts. 500,000 yuan in 2017 to trans- villagers, including Drolkar and snow. The family members were The “three-person township” form his residence into a home- her family, were relocated to new the only inhabitants and guardi- expanded to one with 20 residents stay. Offering a picturesque view areas that were more suitable for ans of a township of 1,976 square in 1999 and 30 in 2009. It is now a of the snowy mountains and gla- living in terms of environment and kilometers. more well-off, beautiful place with ciers, Norbu’s homestay became climate. They were provided with Since their father died, Drolkar more than 200 residents in 67 fam- very popular. new houses, livestock and grain. and Yangzom have kept patrolling ilies. Villagers now take turns He also sells local products Drolkar’s family volunteered to the border.