Page 151 - Christie's, materpieces of Buddhist Art December 2, 2015 HK

The inscription on the present figure translates as “Left 11th, 此像銘譯為「左十一 德千寺殊勝法王」，所指的是它在一組達賴
The Glorious Dharma King of Dechen,” referencing the figure’s 喇嘛造像中的排序，而人物尊號為第四世達喇嘛雲丹嘉措（公元
position within a larger lineage group and identifying the subject 1598至1617年）。
through an epithet as the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yontan Gyatso
(1589-1617). 雲丹嘉措生於蒙古，是唯一的非藏族達賴喇嘛，地位殊不尋常。他
的曾祖是蒙古土默特部首領俺答汗，於公元十六世紀，俺答汗通過
Born in Mongolia, Yontan Gyatso has the distinction of being 與索南嘉措的關係，與格魯派建立了緊密的聯繫，他其後尊索南嘉
the only non-Tibetan Dalai Lama. He was the great-grandson of 措為「達賴喇嘛」（可譯為「智慧深似海」）。索南嘉措去世後，
Altan Khan, leader of the Tümed Mongols, who had established 格魯派人士為了與強大的蒙古族維持友好關係，巧加安排後在蒙古
close ties to the Gelug order in the 16th century through his 貴族中選出轉世靈童。西藏一些格魯派部族對此頗有微言，所以靈
relationship with Sonam Gyatso, upon whom he bestowed 童成年之前一直留在蒙古，熟讀密續典籍。雲丹嘉措終於在1602
the title of Dalai Lama (which roughly translates to Ocean of 年前赴拉薩，拜第四世班禪羅桑卻吉堅贊為師；他於1614年獲授比
Wisdom). Upon Sonam Gyatso’s death, the members of the 丘戒，但不久即於1617年圓寂。
Gelug sect sought to maintain the relationship with the powerful
Mongols and thus cleverly selected the next incarnation of the 雲丹嘉措雖號稱第四世達賴喇嘛，但其實是首位獲確認的達賴轉世
Dalai Lama from among the Mongolian nobility. The choice was 靈童，前一任的索南嘉措則是首位獲達賴喇嘛封號的人。至於第一
not well-received among certain parts of the Gelug hierarchy 和第二世達賴喇嘛（根敦朱巴與根敦嘉措），兩者均是追加的轉世
back in Tibet, and so the boy was raised in Mongolia until his 達賴喇嘛。實際上，第五世達賴喇嘛羅桑嘉措是根據古籍《噶當
adolescence, excelling in the study of tantra. In 1602, Yontan 書》，來確定達賴喇嘛的傳承世系和此前轉世的達賴喇嘛，《噶
Gyatso finally travelled to Lhasa and studied under the Fourth 當書》中詳細記載了十一世紀著名宗師仲敦巴‧傑瓦瓊乃的歷代傳
Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyelsten; he was fully ordained 承。羅桑嘉措將達賴一脈上溯至仲敦巴，這樣既樹立了達賴喇嘛的
in 1614, but died a short time later in 1617. 宗教權威，亦鞏固了格魯派在西藏的政治地位。

While he is referred to as the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yontan Gyatso 達賴喇嘛的傳承一經確立，以轉世為題的雕塑和繪畫亦日漸流
was actually the first to undergo the selection process for Dalai 行。此類描寫較為規範，其中一種常見的繪畫規格是由一組十三
Lamas. In truth, his predecessor Sonam Gyatso was the first 幅畫組成，新德里西藏之家有一套完整的收藏（Himalayan Art
to receive the title, and only later were the First and Second Resource，編號71934-71946）。但本拍品所示的「左十一」，是
Dalai Lamas, Gendun Druba and Gendun Gyatso, respectively, 指此像屬於一組二十三尊或以上的達賴喇嘛像。鑑於這批作品數量
recognized as previous incarnations of the office. It was 之多，加上每尊造型敦碩，銅和金均成本不菲，其地位之高自不待
actually the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso, who 言。
established the lineage of the Dalai Lamas and their ancient,
pre-Dalai Lama incarnations, utilizing an ancient text called the
Kadam Legbam, which recounted the previous incarnations
of the great 11th century teacher, Dromton Gyalwai Jungne.
By tying their lineage to that of Dromton, Lobzang Gyatso
legitimized both the spiritual authority of the Dalai Lamas as
well as the political power of the Gelug order within Tibet.

After the establishment of the Dalai Lama lineage,
representations of the incarnations became increasingly
popular, in both sculpture and painting. Such depictions
were relatively standardized, and a popular format in painting
included thirteen compositions, a complete set of which can
be found in the collection of Tibet House, New Delhi (Himalayan
Art Resource, item nos. 71934-71946). The position number of
“Left 11” on the present figure, however, implies the sculpture
was part of a composition of at least 23 figures, if not more, of
the Dalai Lama lineage. Such a large grouping, particularly given
the size of each figure, would have been an extremely important
commission, given the material cost in bronze and gold.

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