A young craftsman is hoping to keep the beat of the Tibetan drum sounding loudly by maintaining the high production standards passed down by his family and innovating for the modern era to ensure this age-old craft strikes a chord with new audiences.
Once heard only in temples and at festivals, the drum is now resonating with renewed vitality through the hands of Sechu Dorje, a young inheritor works tirelessly alongside his family at the Tibetan Drum Cooperative, an initiative founded to protect and promote this intangible cultural heritage.
"I grew up learning from both my grandfather and my father. Our family has been passing down this craft for generations. I was exposed to it from a very young age—it was part of my environment, and I naturally developed a deep interest in it," said Dorje.
The Tibetan drum is perhaps best known for appearing in monasteries as a sacred dharma instrument and for featuring in festive settings. It is also prominent in Lhamo, a classical theater performance in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region full of lively music and dance that has been performed for centuries.
Behind every beat of the drum is centuries of spiritual devotion and artistic tradition. Dorje's workshop proudly maintains rigorous standards, with his octogenarian grandfather Kalon still personally quality-checking each hand-crafted instrument. "Both my grandfather and father always told me that every detail matters—we have to be extremely careful and dedicated in our craftsmanship. But in my view, the most important part of an instrument is the sound," he said.
In addition, the family also sees each drum as not only as an instrument, but also a symbol of the history and enduring spirit of the region.
"It's not just about continuing the tradition. It's also about taking it a step further. We want to develop and innovate our traditional craftsmanship, and share it beyond our community, so that more people can learn about Tibetan culture. Whether it's people in other parts of China or around the world, we hope they can come to understand and appreciate the richness of our folk heritage. That's the vision we're working toward," Dorje said.
However, the young craftsman acknowledges that keeping this age-old practice of drum-making alive in the modern era does come with a number of challenges.
"One of the challenges we face is that the craft itself is very complex, and honestly, the work can be a bit dirty. That's something that turns off a lot of today's younger generation. Many of them tend to prefer clean, high-profile industries," he said.
Despite this, he remains committed to making the tradition more accessible to new audiences. In recent years, Dorje has introduced a number of innovations, developing cultural products like the Xoleg Drum Clock and related merchandise that have also earned him several awards for his ingenuity.
"It's about bringing the tradition closer to them, making it feel relevant and accessible. That way, we can inspire more young people to get involved and truly step into this world of craftsmanship," he said.
Young Tibetan drummer keeps up rhythm of sacred beats
