A lotus flower with the syllable of the main deity appears at the centre of the palace, surrounded by 32 circles with deity symbols in the foreground of four opulently decorated directional gates and encircled by auspicious objects and supreme beings. The palace is set atop a large flaming lotus, with the lower layer depicting charnel grounds. The mandala is placed in a lush mountain landscape and heavens filled with ornamental clouds. The finely painted red frame bearing an inscription. Backed and framed. The mandala probably belongs to a set of 45 mandalas dedicated to different deities from the Vajravali compendium, used in complex tantric practices. This type of mandala is called a “symbol” or “speech mandala” (vān-ma??ala). Instead of depicting deities’ bodies or attributes, these mandalas present letters representing seed syllables, which are believed to evoke the corresponding deities. According to the inscription, the thangka was commissioned by Prince Yintao (1686–1763), one of the sons of the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1661–1722). By avoiding the succession struggles among his brothers, he retained a position at court during the reign of his nephew Yinzhen, who became the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1722–1735). When another nephew ascended as the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796), Yintao received a promotion to Prince of the First Rank (Prince Lü) and maintained high standing throughout his life. Little is known about his personal engagement with Buddhist practice. The Vajravali mandala set may represent the first material evidence of his direct involvement in ritual activity and patronage. Tibetan Buddhism was central to Qing rule, as emperors were regarded as emanations of Manjushri, helping to unify China, Mongolia, and Tibet under a shared religious framework. Court officials such as Yintao were expected to support this imperial agenda. Changkya R?lpe Dorje (1717–1786), mentioned in the inscription as the iconographic advisor to the mandala, was a Buddhist master to both Yintao and the Qianlong Emperor. Born into a Monguor family, he was recognized as a Khutuktu incarnation of the Changkya lineage of G?nlung Jampa Ling monastery in Amdo. He was brought to Beijing at a young age and later became one of the most influential Buddhist figures at court. As a close childhood companion of the Qianlong Emperor, Changkya served as a religious advisor and head lama in Beijing. He maintained strong ties with the 7th Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, and participated in the recognition of the 8th Dalai Lama, exercising significant influence over relations between the Qing court and Tibetan Buddhist institutions. The mandala from this Vajrāvalī set is an important example of religious art produced within the framework of Qing imperial policy, which promoted a unified form of Buddhist practice and reflects the involvement of high-ranking court figures in these religious initiatives. Translation of the text: Homage to the mandala of the twenty-first Vajravali—the glorious Yellow Chakrasamvara, one-faced and two-handed, the mandala of sixty-two deities. The Changkya Tulku Rinpoche gave the layout for the mandala, and the 12th prince Yuntao, with pure intention, offered this Vajravali (Dorje Phrengba) mandala. The 62 deities: Middle 1/2 – Hung / Pam Second Layer – Symbolizing Commitment (varied colours) 3 – Rim 4 – Riim 5 – Lim 6 – Liim Third Layer – Symbolizing Mind (blue) 7/8 – Kham / Gam 9/10 – Tsham / Tshaam 11/12 – Gam / Kham 13/14 – Zam / Zaam 15/16 – Kam / Kaam 17/18 – Ngam / Ngaam 19/20 – Khyam / Gyam 21/22 – Tsam / Tsaam Fourth Layer – Symbolizing Speech (red) 23/24 – Tam / Taam 25/26 – Nam / Naam 27/28 – Nyam / Nyaam 29/30 – Tram / Traam 31/32 – Zham / Zhaam 33/34 – Dram / Draam 35/36 – Tham / Thaam 37/38 – Dham / Dhaam Fifth Layer – Symbolizing Body (white) 39/40 – Dham / Dhaam 41/42 – Bam / Baam 43/44 – Dam / Daam 45/46 – Bham / Bhaam 47/48 – Tham / Thaam 49/50 – Pam / Paam 51/52 – Nam / Naam 53/54 – Pham / Phaam Sixth Background Layer (varied colours) 55 – Sam 56 – Ram 57 – Ham 58 – Yam 59 – Sham 60 – Bam 61 – Shaam 62 – Lam
73.7 x 54.8 cm; frame 78 x 59.7 cm
Old Italian private collection
Further thangka, probably from the same set, in the collection of Tokyo National Museum, inventory no. TA-509 and TA-512; from the Tricou collection, France, published in: Gilles Béguin, Les Peintures du Buddhisme Tibétain, Musée Giumet, Paris 1995, p. 465, no. 388 (MA 2946); from a private collection, published on Himalayan Art Resourses, item no. 23376

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