14th century
China
Object qualities
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Objectreligious artefact: Mandala
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumSilk tapestry (kesi)
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SizeOverall: 33 x 33 in. (83.8 x 83.8cm) Mount: 37 1/4 x 38 x 2 3/8 in. (94.6 x 96.5 x 6 cm)
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Geography details
China -
Country today
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Date14th century
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CultureChina
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PeriodYuan dynasty (1271-1368)
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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The elaborate tapestry-woven mandala, or cosmic diagram, illustrates Indo-Himalayan imagery introduced to China along with the advent of Esoteric Buddhism. At the center is the mythological Mount Meru, represented by an inverted pyramid topped by a lotus, a Buddhist symbol of purity. Traditional Chinese images for the sun (three-legged bird) and moon (rabbit) appear at the mountain’s base. The landscape vignettes at the cardinal directions represent the four continents of Indian mythology but follow the artistic conventions of Chinese-style “blue-and-green” landscapes. The dense floral border, with the four vases in the four corners, parallels the imagery of central Tibet, particularly monasteries with ties to the Yuan court.