Tibet and Beyond

雪域以外

As Tibetan Buddhism gained support from the royal court during the Yuan dynasty, numerous Himalayan artworks were brought to China while monks and artisans frequently commuted between Tibet and China. From the 12th century, Chinese artistic characteristics such as flat facial features, realistic garments and the use of Chinese decorative motifs were incorporated into Tibetan statues. The Sino-Tibetan style flourished during the later Ming and Qing dynasties. Tibetan Buddhism also reached Mongolia where the Zanabazar school was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, with statues imitating the traditional forms of northeastern India, China and Nepal.

元朝皇室尊崇藏傳佛教，不少喜馬拉雅珍品傳至漢土，當地僧人、工匠頻繁來往中原。故12世紀以降，部分西藏造像趨於漢化，輪廓扁平，衣紋寫實，沿用中原紋飾，明清時期漢藏藝術風格逐漸形成。藏傳佛教亦傳至蒙古，17至18世紀札納巴札爾風格盛行，其造像乃參照印度東北、漢土及尼泊爾之藝術傳統。

Figure of Vajravarahi

Yuan China, 13th–14th century

Gilt copper alloy, H. 16 cm

Nyingjei Lam Collection

The figure of Vajravarahi bares her teeth as she waves around a kartika and a blood-filled skull cup. A flying sash wrapped around her silhouette draws further attention to the floral, beaded jewellery that embellishes her entire body. Stylistically, the figure’s furrowed eyebrows and stockier dimensions suggest that it was made during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Vajravarahi wears a cloud collar apron around her waist, a decorative motif that is commonly found on Yuan objects of varying mediums, such as ceramics.

Figure of Shadakshari Lokeshvara

Mongolia, 17th century

Gilt copper alloy, H. 18 cm

Nyingjei Lam Collection

The Shadakshari Lokeshvara figure clasps his principal hands together in the Gesture of Offering (Anjali mudra) while gently pinching the stem of a lotus flower in his upper left hand. Here, the artist accentuates Lokeshvara’s statue by adorning him with rounded jewels and draping his shoulders with a rippling sash that flows in and around his arms.

This cast image hails from the Zanabazar school: Lokeshvara has been richly gilded and modelled with a broad upper torso. The tall forehead, contoured eyebrows and pointed nose are also typical Zanabazar features, as is the enlarged treatment of the lotus petals at the base.

金剛亥母像

元朝，13至14世紀

鎏金紅銅合金，高16厘米

菩薩道收藏

此像左手持盈血顱器，右手握鉞刀，帔帛擺動流暢，花蔓、珠寶裝飾滿身。體壯眉粗，為元代（1279–1368年）造像特色，裙上飾有如意雲紋，亦為當時器物如瓷器上常見的紋飾。

四臂觀音像

蒙古，17世紀

鎏金紅銅合金，高18厘米

菩薩道收藏

四臂觀音前掌合十，後方左手持蓮花。飾以瓔珞，衣緣微揚翻摺，有如漣漪。此像屬蒙古札納巴札爾風格：鎏金濃厚、身軀寬宏、額頭高闊、眼眉輪廓分明、鼻梁尖挺、蓮瓣厚實。

Techniques 技藝

Lost wax casting 失蠟鑄造

Chasing 鏨刻

Guilding 鎏金

Techniques 技藝

Lost wax casting 失蠟鑄造

Chasing 鏨刻

Guilding 鎏金

Thangka of Tsiu Marpo

Mongolia, 19th century

Pigment and gold on cloth, H. 117 x W. 76 cm

Nyingjei Lam Collection

Popularised by the Nyingma teacher Ngari Panchen (1487–1542), Tsiu Marpo is the tutelary deity of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He used to be the head of the Seven Wild Tsen Brothers, who were later subdued by Nyingma’s founder, Padmasambhava, who is shown here floating above a makara-style cloud in the painting’s upper left corner, with the aid of Hayagriva standing atop the mountain. In an allusion to Tsiu Marpo’s pre-Buddhist origins, the artist has emblazoned the background with a foreboding mountain scene populated by antelopes, leopards, dragons and bird demons carrying fresh corpses.

The wrathful protector strides atop a horse in a sea of blood while brandishing a spear and a cord of rope in his hands, symbolising his ability to bind negative forces. Located behind him is his palace, which has been fortified with the bones, flayed skins and severed heads of his enemies. Residing below within the charnel landscape are his six brothers on horseback accompanied by serpents, sorceresses, guardians, monks and exorcists in the process of expelling the demonic impurities from a group of men bound by wooden stakes.

紫瑪唐卡

蒙古，19世紀

布帛、顏料、黃金，高117、闊76厘米

菩薩道收藏

紫瑪為寧瑪派的護法，其法門源自於寧瑪派上師那日班千（1487–1542）。紫瑪原為贊神七兄弟之一，後寧瑪派祖師蓮華生（左上）經馬頭明王（山巔之上）所助，以神通降伏之。背景展現紫瑪成為護法前的山野場面，屢屢可見羚羊、豹、龍、鳥等魔獸叼著屍體。

紫瑪跨騎黑馬，奔馳於血海中，左手執矛，右手持勾魂索，身後宮殿掛著骷髏頭、人皮以及敵人被砍下的頭顱，顯示其降伏魔障之大威神力。下方則為紫瑪的六位兄弟，另有龍眾、僧侶、法師等，正為被縛於木柱的人驅魔。