China: Cosmological mandala with Mount Meru, silk tapestry, Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), 14th Century, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The elaborate tapestry-woven mandala illustrates Indo-Himalayan imagery introduced to China along with the advent of Buddhism. At the centre 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 (a three-legged bird) and moon (a 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 landscapes. The floral border, with the four vases in the four corners, parallels the imagery of central Tibet, particularly monasteries with ties to the Yuan court in Beijing.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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Pictures From History