Page 60 - Nov 28 Chinese Art Hong Kong

The protective figure of Yama Dhamaraja is superbly cast and gilt, 閻魔護法又名降閻魔尊，乃大威德金剛法門裡一位重要的智慧本尊，
richly adorned with jewellery embellished with semi-precious stones. 於薩迦派、噶舉派和格魯派的教法中皆有出現。根據教義，文殊菩薩
The exquisite craftsmanship is evident in the attention to detail in the 化身為閻魔護法，以降伏代表無盡生死輪回之苦的閻魔。閻魔護法之
facial expressions of the main deity and the bull and in the individual 於格魯派地位尤為重要，被奉為三大主護法之一，另外兩位為六臂大
facial features of the heads suspended from the necklace. 黑天與財寶天王。

Yama Dhamaraja is a wisdom deity crucial to the Vajrabhairava Tantra, 此尊造像威風凜凜，展現出閻魔護法作為佛法與修行者之守護神所具
which is found within Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug teachings. According to 有的法力與威猛，尤其體現在其突出的帶褶皺之口鼻、火焰般的鬍
the teachings, Manjushri took the form of Yama Dhamaraja to subdue 鬚、以及怒瞪的雙眼之中。其他諸多細節，如公牛坐騎外擴的鼻孔、
Death (‘Yama’), the personification of endless suffering through the 其下方被降伏者分明的髮線、完整一圈蓮瓣之底座，皆體現出此造像
cycle of death and rebirth. Yama Dhamaraja holds special significance 工藝之精細，媲美宮廷造像的水準。
for the Gelugpa, who regard him, alongside Shadbhuja Mahakala and
Vaishravana, as one of the order’s three principal protectors. 其它重要參考作品出版於Pal，《The Art of Tibet》，紐約，1969年，
頁102，圖72；馮·施羅德，《印度與西藏的銅造像》，香港，1981
Imbued with a commanding presence, this sculpture expresses the 年，頁550-551，圖157E；Neven，《Art Lamaique》，布魯塞
power and ferocity of Yama Dhamaraja’s aspect as a protector of the 爾，1975年，圖87。另亦有兩尊尺寸較小作品可做參考，見紐約邦瀚
dharma and its practitioners. His pronounced, wrinkled snout, flaming 斯，2013年9月18日，拍品編號23；以及巴黎佳士得，2007年12月7
beard, and bulging eyes are especially evocative of this. Further details 日，拍品編號368。
such as the bull-mount’s flaring nostrils, the crushed figure’s parted
hair, and the lotus petals completed in the round indicate a level of
craftsmanship on a par with the Imperial Workshops.

Compare with other examples: a similar parcel-gilt copper figure
described as Yamantaka, 18th century, from the Qing Court Collection,
in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum:
Buddhist Statues of Tibet, Hong Kong, 2003, no.205; another
example illustrated by P.Pal, The Art of Tibet, New York, 1969, p.102,
pl.72; a gilt brass figure of Yama, 18th century, illustrated by U.von
Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, no.157E; and
see also a gilt-bronze figure of Yama Dharmaraja, 18th century,
illustrated by A.Neven, Lamaistic Art, Brussels, 1975, pl.87.

A smaller gilt copper-alloy figure of Yama Dhamaraja and Chamundi,
17th/18th century (19cm high), was sold in our New York Rooms,
18 September 2013, lot 23; another related larger example of Yama
and Yami, 18th century, was sold at Christie’s Paris, 7 December
2007, lot 368.

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