'King Appearance' as an Iconographic Form in Himalayan Art
The 'King Appearance' in Himalayan art is a specific type of figurative form. The principal characteristics are the face often with a stern look achieved by upturned eyebrows accompanied by a mustache and goatee. The clothing is heavy and layered with multiple colours, a cloth head covering or hat sometimes with a small jeweled crown, and boots on the feet.
The specific group of Shambhala Kings have two systems of depiction. The traditional system, most commonly found in painting and sculpture, depicts the individual Shambhala Kings in 'King Appearance.' The second system originating with the Jonang Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism depicts the Shambhala Kings in 'Deity Appearance' with either peaceful, semi-peaceful/wrathful or wrathful forms depending on the specific king and their associated bodhisattva or Tantric deity.
In Tibetan Buddhist narratives there are also kings that are not depicted in 'king appearance.' There is also a category of worldly spirits called 'King Spirits' (gyalpo). These spirits are included in a larger group called the 'Eight Types of [harmful] Worldly Spirits.' From this group of 'King Spirits' some have been subjugated and added to the class of Worldly Protectors of Tibetan Buddhism. The most famous of these is Pehar Gyalpo.
Number Sets for Kings:
1. Three Kings of Tibet
2. Four Guardian Kings
3. Seven Kings of Shambhala
4. Twenty-five Shambhala Vidyadhara
Names of the Kings in Himalayan Art:
- Shakyamuni Buddha (as a prince as depicted in life story paintings)
- Four Direction Guardian Kings
- Tri Songtsen Gampo
- Trisong Detsen
- Tri Ralpachen
- (other Tibetan Kings and Ministers)
- Gar Tongtsen (Minister to Songtsen Gampo)
- Ligmincha (last King of Zhangzhung)
- Indrabhuti (also included in the 8 and 84 Mahasiddha sets)
- Gesar Dorje Tsegyal
- Konchog Bang (Dalai Lama Incarnation Set)
- Yashas (Panchen Lama Incarnation Set)
- Shambhala Kings (Sets of 25, 32 or 37 figures)
- Rudracharin (the last Shambhala King)
- Kadam Legbam Text (various Kings)
- Jataka & Avadana Stories (various Kings)
- Others....