Cabinet with Five Dhyani Buddhas

CHINA; Qing dynasty

This 18th century red lacquered small wooden cabinet is cuboid and originally contained five drawers. It appears to have come from the Tibetan regions or Nepal, and was once kept in the Yangxin Hall of the Qing Imperial Palace.
The cabinet is 25.5 cm long and 20 cm high. The top of the cabinet contains a row of six circles written with the Six-Syllable Mantra in Tibetan; the circles are surrounded by flame and floral patterns. The front of the cabinet is detachable and held in place by a lock. The outer face is decorated with lotus patterns surrounded by the eight auspicious symbols and intertwining branches.
Four of the five drawers are extant and each layer holds one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas made from different semi-precious stones such as turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, or amber, with matching prayer beads. The Buddhas wear monastic robes of gold inlay that bares the right shoulders and sit with legs crossed on lotus thrones. Of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Vairocana Buddha is missing. The prayer beads are stringed with 108 beads, a sacred number in Buddhism. Each drawer has its own lid decorated with cloud patterns and there is a snake, banner, sword, and lute in the corners. On the lid, above the ogee arch niche which has been cut out, there is a canopy. The inner face of the lid has a Tibetan text written in gold on a blue background. The front edge of the drawer is illustrated with floral and vine patterns.