Yonghe Temple Lecture Hall: Green Tara

CHINA, Beijing; Qing dynasty

Green Tara is considered a manifestation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The figure wears a five-leaf crown inlaid with gems and a variety of jeweled necklaces and bracelets. The tranquil face is tilted slightly to one side and the figure sits in the relaxation posture on a lotus throne. A transparent stole descends from the shoulders and winds about the arms, a loose skirt is tied around the hips. The overhanging right foot is supported by a projecting lotus bud. Tara’s right hand is open in the varada (wish-granting) mudra, while the left hand and forearm support the branches of lotuses. One of the lotuses is still in bud, one is fully blossomed, and one is slightly withered. This arrangement is balanced by another branch emerging from behind on the right.