Qing Imperial Palace: Mandala

CHINA, Beijing; Qing dynasty

This gold imperial offering instrument resembles a Tibetan mandala. On the elevated side of the mandala’s round base, there are eight auspicious symbols in peach-shaped emblems, inlaid with turquoise on a floral background. Around the rim of the base are images such as human figures, beasts, trees, clouds, and fire, as well as a filigree eight charnel grounds.
At the center of the mandala, there is a square base with stairways on all four sides, each of which features a vajra. Standing on the base is a palace with rectangular doors on each side. Yamantaka and various figures are housed within the palace. On top of the flat roof is a four-tier round platform, which supports a triple-eave tower followed by a finial. The mandala stands on a round rosewood plinth carved with a scroll leaf pattern.