Qing Imperial Palace: Stupa
Gilt copper alloy and cloisonné
Qing Imperial Palace: Stupa
CHINA, Beijing; Qing dynasty
This Tibetan stupa consists of a base, body, and spire, and measures 46.5 cm high and 19 cm along each side. The Sumeru base is supported by four warriors and has a compact flower pattern. The base supports the bowl shaped body, which is enclosed within a balustrade. There is a petal shaped Buddha niche at the front, with the character for “longevity” inscribed on the lintel. Eight lotuses and vines decorate the body of the stupa, and on top are mythical creature heads with ornaments in their mouths.
The spire consists of 13 stacked rings surmounted by a canopy fringed with a Sanskrit dharani. The finial is in the form of a crescent moon and the sun.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 257.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youji and Pokorski, Stefanie and Mankuang and Fan, Wen,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts },
pages = 257,
title = {{Qing Imperial Palace: Stupa}},
volume = 18,
year = {2016}}