Buddhist festivals and the second conversion

Buddhist festivals and the second conversion

The Mongols were reconverted to Tibetan Buddhism in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This conversion was accomplished among a dispersed, nomadic population through different means. One was the active suppression of shamanism, the native belief system of the Mongols, which nonetheless has persisted to the present day. A more effective means of promoting Buddhism was the staging of large public festivals. Buddhist monks performed tsam ceremonies, seasonal ritual dances which were held to exorcise evil forces. The Mongolian tsam, which was inspired by the Tibetan Buddhist cham ceremonies, had among its characters both Buddhist deities and shamanistic figures converted to Buddhism. Elaborate masks representing the various players in the performance are featured in this exhibition. These singular, dramatic, multimedia creations, made by the monks themselves, are among the greatest works produced by the Buddhist artists of Mongolia.

The Maitreya Festival, which honors the Buddha of the Next Age, Maitreya, was important in Tibetan Buddhism. It took on special significance in Mongolia where it was introduced by Zanabazar. The Maidar (Maitreya) Procession in Mongolia, depicted in intricate detail in an early twentieth century painting, focused on a sculptural image of Maitreya transported in a horse-headed cart. The Maitreya Festival in Mongolia came to symbolize hope for a New Age of Mongol rule and autonomy.

Dissemination of the Buddhist canon in Mongolia was also essential to instituting the faith. Fourteen elaborate book covers and manuscript pages from Buddhist sutras show the high regard and artistic attention given to these books.