It is suspected that the Dharma Bell of Tibetan Buddhism is a Dharma Instrument
Recently there was an exhibition at the Capital Museum, "1420: From Nanjing to Beijing." In the description of this object, there are the words "unknown use". This is suspected to be the Dharma Bell, a Dharma instrument of Tibetan Buddhism.
This should only be the part of the bell body of the Tibetan bell, and the square hole on the top is used to place the handle of the bell. According to the strict production specifications of Tibetan Buddhist ritual vessels, the bell body and the bell handle are cast separately, and then glued together with some plants. The bell handle is a cylinder with a square base that contains the same meaning as the base of a stupa in Tibetan Buddhism. At the same time, it is also for better sticky effect.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the dharma bell as a Dharma vessel represents "borough (re)paramita", "the completion of the highest wisdom of emptiness". It is the Buddha who wants to spread wisdom to the world through the Dharma Bell and make it acceptable to people in its entirety. In fact, it is the meaning of "emptiness" of "color is emptiness".
The pattern on the body of this object, the dragon flying between the clouds under the engraving process. The image of the dragon conveys more of the message of the dragon in the Tibetan Buddhist sense. The image of this dragon is somewhat different from our traditional Chinese dragon totem.
The ancient Indian worship of dragons, derived from the worship of snakes, was later introduced into Buddhism. The Tibetan Buddhist dragon flying in the clouds is a combination of the indian Buddhist dragon crowd and the traditional Chinese dragon totem.
Dragons, both In India and China, like to control the weather, so they fly between clouds. In Tibetan, "dragon" means "the sound of thunder," and it is the dragon that is using its roar to demonstrate solemnity to the people. Therefore, the place where the dragon flies is the "main domain", which is the most auspicious auspicious omen.
Who is the owner of this object
This cultural relic was unearthed in General Mountain in Jiangning, Nanjing, the tomb of Mu Qiyuan in the Mu family cemetery.
Mu Qiyuan, the Duke of Qianguo, who lived at the end of the Ming Dynasty, was stationed in Yunnan, a southwestern frontier, with heavy troops in hand. Because of his discord with the local magistrate, his domestic slave broke the law and was brought to justice by the magistrate. As soon as Grandpa Mu's violent temper came up, he set up a cannon at the gate of the local government and prepared to shell the mansion. Such an act, in any dynasty or generation, is the crime of rebellion.
Lady Song, Grandpa Mu's mother-in-law, looked at it, wasn't this going to destroy the Nine Tribes? Let's just kill the relatives. She prepared a glass of poisoned wine and poisoned her own son to death. While saving a family, he still felt extremely guilty about his son dying at his own hands. Five years after Grandpa Mu's death, he implored the then Chongzhen Emperor to return the body to the family cemetery in Nanjing for a beautiful burial. The Chongzhen Emperor saw the merits of the Mu family ancestors and the benevolence of the old lady, and agreed. It is said that the funeral was very grand at that time, and the women who watched the bustle were crowded. Shoes are lost, earrings are lost, and hairpins are lost.
To say that the status of this Mu family in the Ming Dynasty can be said to be extremely prominent. When Mu Ying was eight years old, both of her parents died. He was alone on the street asking for food and met Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still the leader of the rebel army at that time. He and Zhu Yuanzhang are fellow countrymen, both from Fengyang, Anhui. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang and Bigfoot's daughter-in-law Ma Shi did not have children, so he recognized Mu Ying as his son. Mu Ying also changed his surname to Zhu at one point.
Gan's father became the emperor, Gan's mother became the empress, and Gan's son was naturally the founding father, and later he was given the title of Marquis of Xiping. To tell the truth, Mu Ying is indeed a great general who is loyal to the king and loves the people. Emperor Zhu sent him to garrison Yunnan, and once said: With my son in the southwest to help me guard, I can sleep soundly at night.
Mu Ying was only forty-eight years old at the time of his death, and Zhu Yuanzhang posthumously honored him as the King of Qianning after his heartache. In the future, the hereditary Mu family boys will change from Hou Ye to Grandfather. While Emperor Zhu made him worthy of the Taimiao Temple, he also personally granted the Guanyin Mountain outside the South City Gate of Nanjing to the Mu family as a family cemetery.
Mu Ying spent his life following Zhu Yuanzhang in the east and the west, and the bloody and rainy battlefield earned such glory and prominence for the family. Later, the Mu family, as princes and nobles, led heavy troops to garrison Yunnan as feudal officials. There are mansions in the imperial city of Nanjing and Kunming, Yunnan, and Danshu iron coupons are enshrined in the family ancestral hall. The ancestral tomb was approved by the emperor himself, a mountain outside the imperial city. This mountain was originally called Guanyin Mountain, because the men of the Mu family were all great generals, and later it was commonly known as the General Mountain.
Three rooms and one hall plus one room and one hall of tombs
Mu Ying's grandson, Mu Bin, created the most brilliant era of the Mu family. But because of the years of rushing, the rebellion to quell The Yunnan Tusi was empty. He had two wives, Lady Zhang of the Main Chamber and Lady Liu of the Continuation. Bin Laoye only had one eldest son, but when he was in the conquest with him, the Ma Ge Shroud did not return. Later, the husband took the fifteen-year-old Mei Miaolan as a concubine and kept it with him. The hope of the Mu family inheriting the title and reproducing the descendants was entrusted to Mei Xiaoniang's belly. To say that this Mei Xiaoniang is also angry, giving birth to the next generation of little grandfather Mu Chun.
The little grandfather was just one year old, and the old grandfather Mu Bin drove to hexi. Under the guidance of Mei Xiaoniang, Xiao Gongye not only inherited the title, but also succeeded the general to continue to help the Ming government guard the southwest frontier.
This little grandfather is a model of filial piety, and also gives the most hard-core evidence of the word "mother is precious to the child". He did two great things for his mother-in-law, so that Mei Xiaoniang, who was a concubine, could be sealed and buried with Her husband.
In ancient times, the status of concubines, like servants, was to serve the masters of the house. When the concubine is alive, if she wants to live in better conditions, she has the right to speak at home. Just use the fox charm ability, try to do everything possible to please the husband. At most, it can be done, coaxing the husband to "spoil the concubine and destroy the wife".
After death, concubines are not eligible to enter the family cemetery, or find a place with better feng shui to bury. Or after cremation, the ashes are packed in jars and enshrined in the temple.
Don't even think about anything that has to be sealed. The commandments can only be sealed to the main chamber, and it is rare for the continuation strings to be sealed. Especially in the Ming Dynasty, where feudal shackles were extremely severe, the hierarchy was extremely strict.
Mu Chun directly went to the emperor at that time, and Emperor Xianzong Zhu saw that he had interceded deeply, and finally achieved his wish.
This commandment is easy to do, a matter of holy decree, but this burial is difficult. Originally, His father Mu Bin had been buried with two concubines, and the original burial chamber was already "three rooms and one hall". Where is Mrs. May's coffin? You can't always sleep on the couch in the foyer. Grandpa Chun still had a way, and next to the tomb of "three rooms and one hall", a smaller tomb of "one room and one hall" was built. Anyway, next to Dad, the next door neighbor lives, it is convenient to walk around, and it is easy to have a position. Grandpa Chun built a tomb for himself next to his mother. In another world, you also have to be with your mother day and night.
Hundreds of years later, when archaeologists excavated these three tombs, it was a great pity. The tomb of Grandpa Bin's three rooms and one hall, as well as the tomb of Grandpa Zhen, were all looted by tomb robbers. Only Mrs. May's small tomb has not been stolen and excavated. In this way, we are blessed to see so many exquisite cultural relics. Especially those jewelry with gold inlaid gemstones.
Gold box with gemstones
This gold box with gemstones is a tibetan Buddhist amulet box. It has the function of a private shrine and is usually worn on the chest to make sacred relics.
The lotus pattern on the front is the standard pattern of the lotus flower in the Tibetan Buddhist Eight Rays. In Buddhism, the lotus flower is the main symbol of purity and cessation, the divine source of the gods.
The description is inscribed with the "Six-Character Proverbs" on the back, which also shows more directly that this artifact is related to Tibetan Buddhism.
Shield pattern on the back of the top hairpin
The shape of the top hairpin is a typical three-layer lotus pattern. On the back, in particular, the engraving is a pattern of a weapon shield used as a ceremonial weapon in Tibetan Buddhism.
The shield of Tibetan Buddhism symbolizes the protection and victory over the enemy. Representing the Buddha in his victory over demons and all enemies, he used his wisdom and achievements to protect all sentient beings.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the shield is usually in its original form, with the outward petal pattern of a lotus flower. Insides are patterns woven of rattan or wicker, and some are made of tiger skin and cowhide.
The gold distraction set with gemstones is the shape of a ruyi treasure
In Tibetan Buddhist paintings and sculptures, such as thangka. Ruyibao is generally worn on the bun of a bodhisattva or Tara and has the meaning of universal sentient beings.
Buddhist women wear ruyi treasures, which means to give up their own needs to meet the wishes of others in order to make them convenient and beneficial. It is to sacrifice oneself to complete others.
Stationed in Mufu, Yunnan
Located in the southwestern border of Yunnan and Tibet, there are many good men and women who believe in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhist temples are everywhere in Yunnan. As feudal officials, the Mu family was stationed in Yunnan all year round. It is also natural to follow the local customs and follow Tibetan Buddhism. In ancient times, beliefs were generally passed down from family to family.
Mrs. Mei's golden box with the "Six-Character Proverbs" at the bottom indicates that she believes in Tibetan Buddhism.
The Buddha-character golden hairpin in the picture above is the burial product of Mu Bin's father, Grandpa Mu Sheng. This shows that Grandpa Mu Sheng also believes in Buddhism.
In the funerary works of Grandpa Mu Qiyuan on display, there is no strong evidence that he believed in Tibetan Buddhism. In the process of his beautiful funeral, his mother, Mrs. Song, should be the highest leader of the funeral committee. So is she a believer in Tibetan Buddhism? This is also to be examined. If she believes, it is also very likely that some Buddhist burial items will be placed in the tomb.
Unsolved mysteries
There is also an unsolved mystery of what the inner structure of this artifact looks like. There is no ring with a bell tongue hanging inside, and if there is, it is right.