| This article examines how the "Cinnabar Stupa", | | | | 'chorten' form of the Cinnabar Stupa, maintains these |
| created in China during the Qing dynasty, possesses | | | | lunar/solar features at the peak above the umbrella |
| the original stupa form, integrates contemporary | | | | cone, projecting a partially eclipsed sun on top of the |
| symbols of spiritual enlightenment, and is an example | | | | moon, with flaming drop at the crest. This sun/moon |
| of master Chinese craftsmanship. This sacred art relic | | | | pinnacle portrays the mystical union of knowledge |
| belongs to the collection at The Jacques Marchais | | | | (sun) and compassion (moon) having reached their |
| Museum of Tibetan Art in Staten Island, New York. A | | | | zenith, from which the flame of enlightenment bursts |
| stupa is a Buddhist monument that uses architectural | | | | forth from the seed of the thousand-petal lotus. The |
| form to describe the path of the Buddha-Dharma, or | | | | Chinese character for 'moon' is carved onto the sun |
| attainment of the enlightened mind. Its structure has | | | | form at the top validating this cosmic union in symbolic |
| evolved through the centuries from monumental earth | | | | form. The change in this architecture from a dome or |
| mounds to the more elaborate chortens of the | | | | bell, which opens itself towards the earth to a vessel |
| esoteric Tibetan Buddhist sect, where the influence of | | | | shape that opens towards the sky, changes its nature |
| patriarchal domination is considered. The ancient art of | | | | from a terrestrial to a celestial oriented purpose. |
| lacquer provides an exceptional medium for | | | | Red is considered a sacred color in Tibetan culture |
| expressing both secular design work and religious | | | | having protective qualities, being one of the colors of |
| symbolism within the ancient religion of Buddhism. | | | | the five Buddhas, the color of the monks' garments, |
| The Cinnabar Stupa (18th-19 century China) is carved | | | | and representing the fire of transformation from illusion |
| red lacquer over wood, standing in full rounded form, | | | | to wisdom. As an interesting comparison, the Chinese |
| approximately 48" tall x 14" at its widest point. Made in | | | | have long associated red with auspiciousness, |
| seven separate sections pieced together, the red is a | | | | happiness, beauty and royalty, making red lacquer a |
| rather dull reddish-brown with the recessed areas | | | | beautiful, lucrative, and natural material for making |
| looking almost black. Although not part of the original | | | | Chinese Buddhist religious objects. Lacquer is derived |
| stupa, a small golden Buddha was placed into the | | | | from the sap of lacquer trees, grown throughout China, |
| sanctuary cavity of its vessel shaped belly (anda) to | | | | where the resin is tapped and collected. Carved |
| show scale, and to accentuate its frontal viewing. The | | | | lacquer began in China in the 3rd century B.C. but this |
| thickness of the carved relief is approximately 1/8" as | | | | laborious layering and carving process reached its |
| it was difficult to get close since it was enclosed in a | | | | perfection during the fourteenth century and has been |
| glass box. If it were possible, to view it from a | | | | handed down ever since. The polished red lacquers of |
| birds-eye perspective directly overhead, I imagine I | | | | the Ming dynasty had a purplish tinge, but those of the |
| would see a symmetrical round form looking like a | | | | Qing dynasty had a dullness, yet vivid color of darker |
| mandala (a sacred circular design used for meditation). | | | | reds, or reddish browns. Starting with a structured |
| Since prehistoric times, tumuli-massive structures | | | | wood base or sculpture, a covering of fabric saturated |
| originally in the form of earthen mounds, followed later | | | | with lacquer is adhered to the entire surface. Next, a |
| by hemispheres, pyramids, cones, and other | | | | thick black composite containing ash is layered on |
| symmetrical bodies-have been built to house relics of | | | | which gives a smooth, sturdy foundation for the layers |
| deceased heroes, saints, kings, or other great | | | | that follow. On top of the ash composite, a few layers |
| personalities. The tumuli and the cult of the dead | | | | of yellow are applied, then the red layers that are |
| existed outside of village life, while inside of the village | | | | interrupted with narrow black bands of three to four |
| simple altars were customarily set up with life-giving | | | | layers. This painstaking process required that each |
| forces such as the sacred fire (symbol of family), and | | | | layer, approximately 0.05 millimeters, needed to set and |
| Tree of Life. The Buddhist stupa merged these two | | | | dry completely and then polished before the next layer |
| primal aspects of humanity by combining the elements | | | | can be applied. Since the carved recess areas of the |
| of the village sanctuary with the monumentality of the | | | | Cinnabar Stupa were very dark in color, it could |
| ancient domed tumulus, in recognition that life and | | | | possibly be that the carving depth reached one of the |
| death are two sides of the same reality. The original | | | | black layers as the layers made in the Ming and Qing |
| Buddhist stupas were traced to India possessing a | | | | dynasties were very thin about 0.03 mm or less. |
| dominant dome shape named as "the dome of the | | | | Carbon and ochre were commonly used as pigments |
| all-embracing sky which includes both destruction, | | | | by mixing into lacquer along with cinnabar, which is a |
| creation, death and rebirth."1 This archaic stupa form | | | | red mercuric sulfide. |
| was preserved mostly through the schools centered | | | | Decorative borders became popular in the 16th |
| around the Buddha himself, or historical Buddha, well | | | | century and many secular and Buddhist lacquer art of |
| into the 12th century, as followers relied on this | | | | the 15th century revealed compositions of geometric |
| architectural style to most adequately express their | | | | patterns mixed with organic Chinese plant designs |
| mental and religious ideal. The stupa and other images | | | | similar to the motifs on the "Cinnabar Stupa", especially |
| represented the Buddha himself, as no images of him | | | | covering the anda and lotus petals. The intricate Qing |
| were allowed until two hundred years after his | | | | lacquer relief work emphasizing strong line, combines |
| parinirvana (final enlightenment). | | | | with Buddhist symbols that are seen in various designs |
| The Buddha gave a new meaning to stupas in that | | | | of this stupa: the cloud patterns that cover the top |
| they be erected for the Awakened Ones, Tathagatas, | | | | moon section are commonly found in Tibetan Thangka |
| and become more like memorials for the sake of | | | | paintings as symbols of the air or akasha (ether) |
| transferring their calmness to the hearts of those who | | | | element showing the higher realms of the subtle mind; |
| visit the stupa. Instead of the stupa serving the dead | | | | the lotus petal base-the lotus symbolizes purity of the |
| by centering on relics or deceased personalities, its | | | | enlightened mind; swastika signs, standing for |
| purpose was then elevated to the service of the living. | | | | well-being, are intermingled with geometric patterns |
| The Buddha did not want a stupa for him and his | | | | throughout the rings of cone tower and base; the row |
| disciples, but for all Awakened Ones and their disciples | | | | of kirtimukha heads strung around the top of the anda |
| to symbolize nirvana, or enlightenment-speaking to his | | | | depicts wrathful deities who are protectors of the |
| disciple Ananda, "'This is the cairn of that Able | | | | dharma. The extensive grid-work of diamond like |
| Awakened One' (or 'This is the cairn of that | | | | squares that fit within each other-found in many |
| Paccekabuddha', etc.), the hearts of many shall be | | | | secular and religious lacquer-wares from the 15th to |
| made calm and happy; and since they had calmed and | | | | 18th centuries-provides an extensive background |
| satisfied their hearts, they will be reborn after death, | | | | design in most places from which the other designs |
| when the body has dissolved, in the happy realms of | | | | project on top of. These diamond squares could signify |
| heaven."2 | | | | an aerial view of looking down upon hundreds of |
| Stupa architecture builds upon the essential attributes | | | | stupas created in the four-sided style, or could possible |
| of a fully realized human being through symbolic | | | | signify the 'diamond vehicle' of the Vajrayana Tibetan |
| representation of the Buddha Dharma, or Noble | | | | Buddhist sect. |
| Eightfold Path (right: action, thought, understanding, | | | | Red lacquer and Tibetan Buddhist objects were both |
| livelihood, speech, action, concentration, and | | | | widespread during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor |
| mindfulness). All of these enlightened qualities create a | | | | who was a prominent force behind the blending of |
| sacred arrangement called a mandala, of which the | | | | Chinese culture and Tibetan Buddhism. Viewing the |
| stupa embodies. The architecture begins with the circle, | | | | Tibetans as a potent force during the Qing dynasty, |
| a symbol for concentration, which forms the Cinnabar | | | | the Mongol invaders cemented their alliance by |
| Stupa's round platform base. The most important | | | | absorbing Tibetan Buddhism. The Qing emperors |
| feature being the anda, or dome, was initially closed off | | | | regarded themselves as the protectors of the Tibetan |
| from the outer world encasing the relics in its center, or | | | | lamas, and under the Qianlong emperor, Tibetan |
| where the cosmic universe is contained, is many times | | | | Buddhism was established as the official state religion. |
| referred to as the cosmic egg. Around the 1st century | | | | The Qianlong Emperor considered himself a literati and |
| C.E., in the land of Gandhara (now Pakistan), many | | | | had extensive collections of art with vast amounts of |
| small stupas were found placed around the relics | | | | lacquer made for the court. As ruler of the largest |
| centered within the large domed Abba Sahib China | | | | 'Chinese' empire in history, this emperor lived another |
| Stupa. These smaller yet still monumental stupas are | | | | life alongside of the court as a follower of Tibetan |
| intricately carved, similar in size and detail to the | | | | Buddhism under the tutelage of his 'Tibetanized' Mongol |
| Cinnabar Stupa, with some also having an open entry | | | | guru. He had many magnificent temples built within and |
| into the empty belly of their andas to signify the inner | | | | outside of the Forbidden City, and was dedicated to |
| cosmic universe that is both full and empty. The stack | | | | creating the finest Tibetan Buddhist ritual implements |
| of umbrellas under one honorific parasol on top of the | | | | with multitudes of objects being made in the imperial |
| anda, initially stood for royalty, but became more | | | | workshops for specific ceremonies. |
| significant in later adaptations as signifying the tree of | | | | The artistry of the meticulously carved Chinese |
| enlightenment, symbol for the center of the Buddhist | | | | lacquer enhances the meditative and sacred quality as |
| world. Also seen as the Tree of Life on the summit of | | | | shown by the Cinnabar Stupa, as well as creating a |
| Mount Meru, what was thought to be umbrellas | | | | style of Buddhist objects distinctly Chinese. The |
| appearing as parallel rings diminishing upwards into a | | | | question lies as to whether or not this father/sky spire |
| cone shape, was later interpreted through scriptures | | | | of the Tibetan chorten portrays a more Buddhist ideal, |
| as ascending levels of consciousness. Mount Meru is a | | | | or does it distract from the mother/earth principle since |
| sacred mountain in Buddhist cosmology considered to | | | | the dome (anda) has diminished in size, making it |
| be the center of all physical and spiritual universes. The | | | | appear that the earth plane is less important. It is hard |
| cone stands for vertical direction and one-pointedness. | | | | to say as religious dogmas also evolve over the |
| Prehistoric lunar and solar cults left behind their | | | | centuries alongside of the ever changing political |
| influences in the sun and moon symbolism of honoring | | | | leadership, as well as the different spiritual emphasis of |
| the mother and father principles through the stupa | | | | the three main Buddhist sects of Mahayana, |
| designs: the mother/earth lunar aspect of the dome | | | | Vajrayana, and Theravadan. Though, this phallic stupa |
| transformed through the centuries from a bell to water | | | | design does seem appropriate for a patriarchal climate |
| pot shapes in Tibet and China, and the once minimal | | | | amidst the turmoil of a culture being taken over by |
| umbrella spire grew in height and prominence as the | | | | foreign invaders, especially while the Qing dynasty |
| father/sky solar aspect, when civilization evolved from | | | | marks the closing of China's empire as the Era of |
| matriarchal to patriarchal leadership. This Tibetan | | | | Chaos approaches. |