The fox fairy, this ancient mythological image, has been active in the cultural history of East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. As a mascot that symbolizes love, regains confidence, and brings good luck, fox fairies play an important role in people's lives. Thangka, as a unique painting art, has become an important carrier for expressing the image of the fox fairy and inheriting the fox fairy culture.
The most basic feature of the nine-tailed fox is the "nine-tailed". "Ruiying Atlas" said: "If the king is not inclined to color, the nine-tailed fox will be the best", but the nine-tailed fox was demonized into a cannibalistic image in the later period.
Thangkas, known as the jewels of Tibetan Buddhist art, are known for their exquisite painting techniques and profound cultural connotations. In thangkas, we can often see various mysterious creatures and sacred images, including the nine-tailed fox.
The nine-tailed fox is a kind of fox fairy, and the most basic feature of its image is the "nine-tailed". In the ancient Chinese Classic of Mountains and Seas, the nine-tailed fox is described as a mysterious creature with auspicious significance. And in East Asian countries such as Japan and North Korea, the nine-tailed fox has also become a symbol of marriage and love.
In thangka art, the nine-tailed fox has attracted the attention of countless people with its unique image and profound connotation. Her beauty, elegance and mystery make people fall in love with her. However, the nine-tailed fox does not always symbolize good things. In some legends, the nine-tailed fox is depicted as having demonic powers and even eating people. This change in image reflects people's understanding and imagination of the nine-tailed fox under different cultural backgrounds and historical periods.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the thangka is used as an object of worship to meet the needs of religious life. Whether it is a three-dimensional statue or a flat mural, thangkas are a symbol of faith that devotees can carry with them. By painting and enshrined thangkas in the image of fox fairies, people can express their yearning for love, the regaining of faith, the expectation of good luck, and their prayers for auspiciousness.
In addition to being a symbol of marital love, the nine-tailed fox is also related to the story of Dayu's control of the water in legends. It is rumored that during Dayu's water control, when he passed through Tushan, he sighed that he was not young and should get married. At this time, a nine-tailed white fox happened to come to him. In ancient times, the appearance of the nine-tailed white fox was considered a sign of auspiciousness from the sky, indicating that Dayu would get an ideal wife. Later, Dayu met the daughter of the Tushan clan, and the two fell in love at first sight and soon combined. Tu Shan people wrote "Tu Shan Song" to praise the marriage of the two, praising their union as a divine arrangement, which can bring auspiciousness and make the family prosperous.
In addition, in later legends, the image of the nine-tailed fox is often associated with the Tushan clan. The Tu Shan clan is believed to be the descendant of the nine-tailed white fox, and the totem of the tribe has become a symbol of auspiciousness. In classical literary works such as "Strange Tales from Liao Zhai", the nine-tailed fox is also often depicted as the image of Tu Shan, which has the characteristics of enchanting and mysterious, but is also endowed with symbolic meanings of love and marriage.
Fox fairy thangkas are usually themed around mysteries and fantasticalities, such as ghosts, animals, plants, etc., and these elements have special meaning and symbolism in Tibetan culture. So, if you are interested in Tibetan culture, love traditional culture, and want to enrich your life by learning about mystery, then Huxian Thangka might be for you.