Meet Sonam Norgyal

If you have been following the path of Paper Road/Tibet, then you have undoubtedly seen this man, our good friend Sonam Norgyal, one of the most highly regarded calligraphers in Tibet. He is shown here holding a sample of his famous ting-shok paper, with calligraphy in gold ink.

We met Sonam on one of our early trips to Tibet. Since then he has given much of his time to patiently teach us about the manufacture of Tibetan inks and papers.
He is a great reservoir of knowledge about the traditions of calligraphy, ink making and the making of tools of the trade. Always gracious, visits to his home provide insights into Tibetan manners and customs.

His family’s occupation of calligraphy extends back to the 5th Dalai Lama. He remembers his father and grandfather working as calligraphers, a craft he also shares with an older brother. He passed his examinations and graduated in 1959 to become a scribe for the14th Dali Lama, and remains one of the few calligraphers in Tibet with this training. In 1978 he began studying the lettering on ancient medical texts, and was called to the Potala to do restoration of priceless works following a fire there in 1984. On most mornings Norgyal-la can be found in front of the Jokhang Temple or the Potala, wearing his fedora and wrapped in a sturdy black chuba, penning prayers for pilgrims who visit these sacred sites.

Sonam has adopted us as much as we have him. On hearing that there is a paper museum in the United States (the Robert C. Williams American Museum of Papermaking), he offered a rare sample of antique paper. Most recently he prepared two sheets of ting-shok calligraphy as a special gift to the museum.