Mongol Tsam Dance
Despite being a religious practice, the Tsam dance combines many Mongolian art genres, including fine art, smithery, applique, sculpture, and carvings.
Mongol Tsam Arts hallThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
Tsam dance was born during the 8th century. It's one of the most important ritual of Tibetan Buddhism. Young lamas dance it, wearing costumes and masks that symbolize different apostles, devils, animals, or real people.
Lion-Faced Dakini (XIX Century) by An anonymous artistThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
The dance principally stages characters of Buddhist legends and animals that symbolise good and bad influences. For example, the garuda and the lion (powerful beasts of air and earth), deer (symbol of beauty in the animal reign), or the crow (soothsayer).
The great Coral-encrusted Begtse mask (XIX century) by Unknown artistThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
The great Coral-encrusted Begtse mask
The costumes and masks used for tsam dances in the early 20th century have been kept in several museums. The masks are usually made by papier-mache with coral.
The Mongolian tsam dances include dances, music and luxurious costumes, and have a didactic side since they represent a scenery or some individuals from Buddhist philosophy. It's also supposed to bring good fortune to people.
Vaishravana mask
The mask is made by papier-mache. Depicted by an unknown artist’s work in the XIX century one of the Four Guardian Kings and the Ten Guardian Deities. Vaishravana helps the poor who suffer from the lack of meals and drinks and makes them wealthy.
The Sendombo Mask (Late XVII or early XVII century) by An anonymous artistThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
The Sendombo mask
The characters of the Tsam religious dance are mostly wrathful Buddhas, depicted with fierce, sharp eyes, open mouths, bared teeth and fangs, and sharp, vivid colors.
The mask is decorated with 'javdar' hanging on temples, 'darjin' covering the back, and earrings, all created with elaborate silk applique and embroidery with the crown and earrings carved.
The mask is twice the size of human head that allows the dancer's eyes to peer through the mouth. Crafted meticulously, these masks are made using a paper-mache mold engraved with intricate designs and are then adorned with vibrant colors.
The masks of wrathful deities have a diadem of five skulls, which symbolize the elimination of the five evils of anger and hatred, jealousy, pride, ignorance, and desire for the sources and causes of sins.
Flute
There’s a myth that the sound of the flute is derived from the singing of Galbinga (Kinnara), a mythical half-human and half-bird creature of heaven, and that the flute imitates its melodies.
Flute by Unknown artistThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
It’s blown with various techniques, producing different sounds depending on the religious mantra praying and tantric rituals, including the melody of Lama Chodpa, Sembrem, blowing at the end of GulDogpa, blowing on janden, and others.
Crocodile shaped boots
Those boots are made of silk with a crocodile shape and ornamented with camel bones.
Kangling
The making of human thigh bone symbolically represents the eradication and endurance of one’s body, the mortality of sentient beings.
Kangling by Unknown artistThe Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum
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Only specialized and highly skilled artists are involved in creating Tsam masks. This process demands precision, skill, and patience. Explore more masks in the Tsam Dance hall!
