The wrath of the serf

(Video by Cong Fangjun & Zhang Shiyan)

The year 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of Democratic Reform in Tibet, marking the region’s move from poverty to affluence, dictatorship to democracy, and isolation to opening-up.

The peaceful liberation, the driving out of the imperialist aggressor forces and the abolition of theocratic feudal serfdom has dramatically changed the fate of Tibetans since 1959.

To fully document all these historic changes, artists from the sculpture department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and Luxun Academy of Fine Arts were invited to visit Tibet respectively in 1974, 1975 and 1978.

During the 3 visits, the artists lived together with the local farmers and herders; their communication with Tibetans not only inspired their artistic creation but also saw them become emotionally attached to the land.

Among the many who contributed to the creation of the 106 full-length clay sculptures named “The Wrath of Serfs”, three of them recently came to have a chat with China Daily.

Shi Yi, Zhao Ruiying and Zhang Dedi, are now in their seventies, but still vividly recall their old days in Tibet.

“At the age of 40, I rode on a horse for the first time”, said Shi Yi reminiscing.

“We will go to Tibet again now the railway construction is done, for sure!” said Zhao Ruiying, “the local Tibetans are so nice and friendly to us, yet the serfs had suffered a great deal of pain both physically and mentally.”

Since the Democratic Reform in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, one million serfs were liberated from exploitation and repression.

“Their living conditions have improved a great deal”, said the 3 senior artists, who voiced their deep love of Tibet and its people through their works.