The Qiang Mu masks of the Nyingma Sect (Red Teaching) have their own features. They are best represented by the Luohantang Temple in Guide County, Jidong Temple in Gonghe County, Langjia Temple in Tongren County, and Qionggong Temple in Jianglong County. Qiang Mu in these temples are diversified, and best known for the death’s head facial makeup. For example, Lianhuasheng Baminghao is the most famous mask dance of the Nyingma Sect. It is shown only in Luohantang Temple.
The Dangka Temple in Yushu, of unique features, belongs to the Kagyu Sect (White Teaching). It treasres up the gilded copper Lianhuasheng Baminghao mask. The Longen Temple of Gande County, Guoluo Prefecture keeps the gilded copper Gesar King mask, developing a school of its own among temples in Tibetan regions in Qinghai. The facial makeup models and techologies are treasures in the mask art in Qinghai.
The Qiang Mu masks largely represent in the forms of Satyadevata, guardian divinities, and companion divinities. They are the main symbols of Qiang Mu facial makeup.
Satyadevata: It is used to refer to the reincarnation of Buddha, often appearing in the images of good looks, angy looks, and good-and-angry looks. The good-look Satyadevata include Manjusri Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and Tara. The angry-looking Satyadevata are represented by Vajrabhairava, Vajrakila, Hayagriva, and Vajrapani. The good-and-angry-looking Satyadevata are Guhyasamaja, Samvara, Hevajra, Kalachakra and Vajravarahi. A good many Satyadevata come forth in the form of angry-looking Satyadevata in the Esoteric Vajradharma dance, because the ghastful image contributes to remove bothers and evils. This is related to the ultimate goal of Vajradharma dance.
Guardian divinities: They refer to the guardian gods who are faced down by the Buddha and pledge allegiance to and protect the power of Buddha. They are also known as Protector thunderbolts. The dances are called Vajradharma dance.
Companion divinities (animal facial makeup): They are the companions to the guardian divinities. They constitute the largest number in Vajradharma dance. They manifest the various styles of facial makeup in temples of all sects. In Vajradharma dance, a throng of companions would show up first, dancing around the chief divinity who comes forth in the end. The companion divinities are largely shown in the images of animals.
The divinities of the primitive Ben religion generally have three heads and six arms. Their heads look like pigs, dogs, cattle or tigers. The biggest guardian divinity of Ben religion is the nine-head bird Maquesibajiemao, which means the best mother. Crow divination, bird divination, and pied magpie divination of the witchery culture features, remain to appear in Qiang Mu in some temples. Therefore, the chief Guardian divinity and some secular divinities in Tibetan Buddhism spell dances are often shown in the facial makeup integrating all sorts of animals and humans, presenting rich national and religious colors.
It must be noted that there is a type of masks exclusively designed to hang in temples than used in dances. The roles expressed by the masks are largely guardian divinities of the temples, and their subordinates. They are obstinate, hot tempered, and sharp eyed. These divinities are originally shown in sculptures and portraits in all scripture halls, enjoying same offerings like the Buddha. In addition to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, eminent monks and sages, the facial makeup present all sorts of immortals and apparitions in the two major types of guardians of Satyadevata Yixiba and man-and-ghost Jideba. The first type is an abstract creation of the divinity and Buddha spirits. Most of them look stately, infuriated, ferocious, bearing death’s-head.
Print
Save