Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
Silk tapestry (kesi); 33 x 33 in. (83.8 x 83.8 cm)
This mandala is in the form of the Tibetan cosmological diagram. In the center is Mount Meru, the axis of the cosmos, surrounded by oceans and mountains of the four quarters. The work is typical of the Mongol Yuan period in China: technically superb, while stylistically and iconographically eclectic - Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese elements are all present. |