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A THANGKA OF BEGSTE CHEN
Tibet, 19th century
Distemper on cloth, with silk mount, framed and glazed.
53.5 x 37.5 cm (21 x 14 6/8 in);
With silk mount: 108.5 x 57 cm (42 1/2 x 22 1/2 in).

西藏十九世紀 大紅司命主像

Referenced 參考: Himalayan Art Resources item no.2208
Provenance 來源: The Jongen-Schleiper Collection of Fine Thangkas
Published and Illustrated: A.Neven, Etudes D’Art Lamaique et de
L’Himalaya, Brussels, 1978, pp.102-103, no.82
出版及著錄： A.Neven著，《Etudes D’Art Lamaique et de
L’Himalaya》，布魯塞爾，1978年，頁102-103，編號82
The protector, in his red form of Mahakala, looking ferocious, wearing
elaborate garments, various garments and thick boots finely detailed
with floral medallions and blossoming lotus, a garland of severed
heads and a skull crown before flaming hair, brandishing a sword in his
right hand and the heart of an enemy in his left, treading on an animal
and a human figure, beneath Amitayus, Atishha and Padmasambhava
and below Pehar Gyalpo, the king of activities, and Chebu Damchan,
all on a green and rocky landscape.
Begtse Chen is one of the main protectors of the Gelug School
of Tibetan Buddhism. He is highly revered in Mongolia and is the
main protective deity associated with the Hayagriva cycle of Tantric
meditation practices. Popularized by Marpa Lotsawa (1012-1096) and
Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092- 1158), respectively, the founders of the
Kagyu and Sakya traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also known
as the Red Mahakala and highly revered within the Sakya pantheon
of protective deities, and later incorporated in the Gelug School of
Tsongkhapa.
A related thangka depicting Begste Chen, 19th century, is illustrated
on Himalayan Art Resources, item no.100640.

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