Himalayan Art Resources

Blockprints: Panchen Lama (Nartang Iconography)

Nartang Iconography | Panchen Lama Main Page

Panchen Lama Incarnation Lineage Nartang Monastery & Printing House Composition

The Nartang blockprint composition was created in the 18th century with 13 prints in total, including the 3rd Panchen Lama. It was likely commissioned originally as a painting set in the late 17th or early 18th century first and then adapted to a wood block format. Since the 18th century there have been dozens if not scores or hundreds of sets of either directly produced from the wood block prints or painting sets patterned after the block prints. In the early 20th century this set was also re-produced in Hangzhou China as a woven textile set.

It has been suggested by some scholars that the Tashi Lhunpo artist Choying Gyatso might have been the designer of the original concept and possibly an original set of paintings from which the wood blocks for prints were carved. This same artist is believed to have created the original model depicting the 1st Panchen Lama on gold silk surrounded by the previous incarnations. That painting currently resides at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tsang Province.

Each composition follows a standard format of a central figure with two secondary figures at the top and one at the lower bottom positioned on the right or left side. The central figure alternates in posture facing either to the right side or left side depending on placement in the full display of the painting set. The top two secondary figures generally represent a teacher plus a meditational deity. The deity is often depicted in a simplified format such as a heruka with one face and two arms. The lower figure is of a protector deity.



View Annotated Image Gallery


Each composition has only one protector depiction until the composition of the 1st Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), number #11 in the set. He has two protector figures - a Vaishravana and a Begtse Chen. The subsequent compositions of the 2nd and 3rd Panchen Lamas each have three protector deities at the bottom of the composition, composition #12 and #13. The protector deities are the same for the two Panchens - Magzor Gyalmo, Dorje Setrab and Chingkarwa.

1. Subhuti Iconography: [1] Subhuti is attired as a monk. At the top left is another depiction of [2] Subhuti. At the top right is [3] Shakyamuni Buddha. At the bottom left are the [4] Four Guardian Kings.

2. Vidyadhara Manjukirti Iconography: [1] Vidyadhara Manjukirti/Yashas wears the garb of a king and is seated in front of a palace. At the top right is [2] Dharmaraja Sureshana. At the top left is [3] Heruka Kalachakra in the simplified appearance with one face and two hands. At the bottom left is a [4] worldly protector, red in colour, riding a horse.


3. Bhaviveka/Bhavaviveka Iconography: [1] Bhaviveka is attired as a monk and wears a pandita hat. The arms perform a debate gesture. At the top left is [2] Arya Nagarjuna. On the right side is [3] Heruka Chakrasamvara. At the bottom right is [4] Chaturbhuja Mahakala.

4. Abhayakara Gupta (11th century) Iconography: [1] Abhayakara Gupta is attired as a monk and wears a pandita hat. At the top right is the siddha [2] Ratnasambhava. At the top left is [3] Vajrayogini. At the bottom right is [4] Mahakala holding a staff.


5. Go Lotsawa (11th century) Iconography: [1] Go lotsawa Kugpa Lhatse wears monastic robes and a pandita hat. At the top left is [2] Jowo Atisha. At the top right is [3] Heruka Akshobhyavajra Guhysamaja. A the bottom left is [4] Kartaridhara Mahakala.

6. Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) Iconography: [1] Sakya Pandita is attired as a monk and wears a pandita hat. The arms perform a debate gesture. At the top left is [2] Arya Manjushri. On the right side is [3] Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen. At the bottom right is [4] Harinanda. At the bottom left is [5] Chaturmukha Mahakala.

7. Yungton Dorje Pal (1284-1365) Iconography: [1] Dorje Pal wears monastic attire and a pandita hat. At the top right is [2] Zurwang Jampa Sengge. At the top left is [3] Rakta Yamari. At the bottom right is [4] Bhagavan Mahakala (Legden).

8. Kedrub Geleg Pal Zangpo (1385-1438) Iconography: Dressed as a monk, [1] Kedrub holds a mandala offering plate with both hands, seated in a kneeling posture. At the top left is [2] Je Tsongkapa riding an elephant. At the top right is [3] Heruka Vajrabhairava. At the bottom left is [4] Shadbhuja Mahakala.

9. Sonam Choglang (1438-1505) Iconography: [1] Choglang wears monastic attire and a pandita hat. At the upper right is [2] Sonam Rinchen. At the top left is [3] Heruka Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja. At the bottom right is [4] Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo.

10. Ensapa Lobzang Dondrub (1505-1564) Iconography: [1] Ensapa wears monastic robes and a pandita hat. At the top left is [2] Chokyi Dorje in a rainbow sphere. At the top right is [3] Mahachakra Vajrapani. At the bottom right is 'Outer' [4] Yama Dharmaraja.


11. Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), 1st Panchen Lama, Iconography: [1] Chokyi Gyaltsen wears monastic attire and a type of pandita hat. At the top right is [2] Kedrup Chenpo Sanggye Yeshe. At the top left is [3] White Chakrasamvara according to the tradition of Tsongkapa. At the middle right is [4] Maitreya holding a water flask. At the bottom right is [5] Begtse Chen. At the bottom left is [5] Vaishravana Riding a Lion.

12. Lobzang Yeshe (1663-1737), 2nd Panchen Lama, Iconography: [1] Lobzang Yeshe wears monastic attire and a pandita hat while holding a begging bowl. At the top right is [2] Khenchen Dorje Dzinpa. At the top center is [3] Amitabha Buddha. At the top left is [4] Vajrabhairava. From the heart of the Panchen Lama emanates a rainbow sphere and the form of [5] Manjushri. At the bottom center is [6] Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo. On the left is red [7] Dorje Setrab. On the right is white [8] Chingkarwa.

13. Lobzang Palden Yeshe (1738-1780), 3rd Panchen Lama, Iconography: [1] Lobzang Palden Yeshe wears monastic attire and a pandita hat while holding either a book or a begging bowl. At the top right is the [2] 7th Dalai Lama. At the top center is [3] Amitabha Buddha. At the top left is [4] Vajrabhairava. At the bottom center is [5] Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo. On the left is red [6] Dorje Setrab. On the right is white [7] Chingkarwa.

14. Lobzang Tenpai Nyima (1782-1853), 4th Panchen Lama, Iconography: [1] Lobzang Tenpai Nyima wears monastic attire and a pandita hat while holding a book. At the top right is the [2] 8th Dalai Lama, Jampal Gyatso. At the top center is [3] Amitabha Buddha. At the top left is [4] Vajrabhairava. At the bottom center is [5] Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo. On the left is red [6] Dorje Setrab. On the right is white [7] Chingkarwa.

The painting set used above as an example is from Tibet House, New Delhi, and is one of the few remaining complete sets.

Jeff Watt 7-2013

Bibliography:

Tucci, G. (1949). Tibetan Painted Scrolls. Roma. 3 vols.

Jackson, David (1996). A History of Tibetan Painting. Verlag. Wein.