南京弘覺寺塔地宮出土金銅尊勝塔像新考=New Study of the Gilt Bronze rNam rGyal mChod rTen Unearthed from the Underground Palace of Hongjue Monastery Pagoda(Hong Jue Si),Nanjing
The Tibetan-styled gilt bronze votive stūpa(Tib.mchod rten) preserved in the underground palace of Hongjue Monastery(Hong Jue Si) was commissioned by a eunuch named Li Tong in the first year of the Zhengtong(正統)reign(1436-49) of the Ming Dynasty.It has been studied to be rNam rgyal mchod rten of the Eight Great Caityas(Tib.bDe gshegs mchod rten brgyad),ranked among the earlier monuments of the sort that have ever discovered in the interior area of China.The 13th-14th century Tibetan architecture style and other elements it takes on display the blend of the Han-Tibetan artistry as well as the development in terms of shape and arrangement of the Eight Great Caityas.gTsug tor rnam rgyal lha dgu’i dkyil ’khor(Nine-deity Usnīsavijayā mandala) is enshrined inside the hollow stūpa vase,which results in the perfect combination of sculptural mandala with stūpa under the same name,indicating that the stūpa-shaped shrine where the goddess resides was transformed into a true stūpa.It is presumed that the jars with lids located at the four corners of the stūpa pedestal are related to the Tibetan Buddhist stūpa rituals,as is the Krsna Jambala(black Wealth Deity.Tib.Nor lha nag po) and jewels stored inside the pedestal.The study of the monument and the stone column inscribed with Usnīsavijaya Dhāranī which was also established under the supervision of Li Tong at Fahai Monastery,Beijing at the same period is of academic significance to look into what the Buddhist cults appealed to the imperial court at that time.
