Carved wooden mask of a Dharmapala, a Tibetan guardian deity of the Buddhist faith. Face painted red with a third eye on the forehead, eyebrows black and shaped like flames as are the incised moustache and beard. The grinning mouth has a protruding tongue and fangs, ears are elongated. On top of the head a green crown with five grinning skulls with protuberances on top of their heads.
Masks of this type were worn in dance dramas performed by monks in front of the monastery at the year’s end, as Christian mystery plays were once performed outside churches. The character of this mask represents a protector of the religion, intended to frighten away the enemies of Buddhism: the ceremony involved exorcism so that the new year could begin purged of evil. The theme of the dance is the struggle Carved wooden mask of a Dharmapala, a Tibetan guardian deity of the Buddhist faith. Face painted red with a third eye on the forehead, eyebrows black and shaped like flames as are the incised moustache and beard. The grinning mouth has a protruding tongue and fangs, ears are elongated. On top of the head a green crown with five grinning skulls with protuberances on top of their heads. good and evil and performances proceeded according to precise ritual. The dancers wore richly coloured costumes of Chinese silk and were accompanied by trumpets, shawms and drums.
