Tapestry of Yamantaka Mandala

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

From the inscriptions, it is known that the patrons in the bottom left corner are Jayaatu Khan (reigned 1329–1332) and Khutughtu Khan (reigned 1329), while their wives, empresses Buddhasri and Babusha, are depicted in the bottom right corner. The inclusion of the images of Yuan dynasty royalty in a tapestry mandala is rare.
The mandala is in the form of square inside a circle. In the center of the square, there is a circle divided into nine sections. The main deity is Yamantaka, who appears in the form of a wrathful buffalo-headed figure with a dark blue body and multiple arms. He has four feet and tramples on demons. In each of the remaining eight sections, there is a two-armed Yamantaka. Images of Yamantaka also form the border of the square outside the circle. This is the largest of several similar well preserved works.