When a 70×100cm thangka, layered with cinnabar red, lapis lazuli blue, and malachite green, unfolds before you, what you see is not just vivid Tibetan art—it is a vessel of wisdom holding Tibetan Buddhism’s belief that "wealth is a favorable condition for spiritual practice." This is the hand-painted Regong color thangka Yellow Jambhala & Five Directional Jambhalas from Qinghai: a "container of wealth wisdom" frozen in natural mineral pigments.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the "Five Directional Jambhalas" are never mere symbols of worldly greed—they form a cosmic protector system aligned with the "five directions and five elements":
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Central Yellow Jambhala (Earth Element): Governs stable spiritual merit and material resources;
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Eastern White Jambhala (Metal Element): Governs pure, untainted wealth;
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Southern Red Jambhala (Fire Element): Governs prosperous, smooth career fortunes;
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Western Green Jambhala (Wood Element): Governs health and resource growth;
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Northern Black Jambhala (Water Element): Governs the removal of obstacles to wealth.
Centered on Yellow Jambhala, with the other four Jambhalas positioned at the corners, this thangka constructs a complete "Five-Color Jambhala" protector array while embodying Tibetan believers’ wish for "complete good fortune." Tibetan Buddhism holds that wealth is a "tool for benefiting sentient beings"; worshipping Jambhalas is essentially a prayer for "freedom from scarcity to practice compassion."
The central Yellow Jambhala (Tibetan: Zambala Serpo) adheres strictly to the Iconometric Sutras, with every feature carrying doctrinal meaning:
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Golden Form: Corresponding to the Earth element, it symbolizes wealth as inclusive and stable as the earth; the large, broad physique is not a sign of greed, but a symbol of compassion that "embraces the wishes of the poor and suffering";
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Implements & Posture: The right hand holds a wish-fulfilling gem (granting reasonable aspirations), the left arm cradles a "treasure-vomiting rat" (dispensing, not hoarding, wealth), and the right foot rests on a conch (symbolizing the wisdom to "retrieve treasures from the sea")—these symbols directly dispel the secular misunderstanding that "Jambhalas represent greed";
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Aura & Lotus Seat: The green nimbus paired with a golden body aura is a signature Regong thangka ornament, signifying sacredness while symbolizing "protective light"; the blue wave patterns beneath the lotus seat allude to the idea that "wealth flows like living water."
The four directional Jambhalas at the corners are distinguished by color and implements, yet align visually and doctrinally with the central deity:
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Top Right: Green Jambhala (Wood Element): Emerald-green form holding a vase, governing "health and resource growth";
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Top Left: Red Jambhala (Fire Element): Vermilion form holding a victory banner, governing "prosperous careers";
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Bottom Left: White Jambhala (Metal Element): Milky-white form holding an umbrella, governing "pure, non-attachment wealth";
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Bottom Right: Black Jambhala (Water Element): Wrathful form trampling obstacles, governing "removing karmic barriers to wealth (such as stinginess and laziness)"—its wrath is not malice, but a symbol of "smashing obstacles."
This thangka is a quintessential work of the Qinghai Regong school, its craftsmanship a dual practice of "faith + skill":
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Natural Mineral Pigments: Local Qinghai materials (cinnabar for red, lapis lazuli for blue, malachite for green) undergo "seven layers of sediment grinding" and are mixed with aged yak glue (cured for 5+ years)—this is the secret to its "centuries of colorfastness";
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12 Rigorous Processes: From stretching the cloth, applying glue, and sanding to "opening the face" (painting the deity’s features requires seclusion), every step demands precepts and focus. Finally, a high monk consecrates the thangka, transforming it from "artwork" to "spiritual practice tool";
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Regong Style Traits: Flat composition (reflecting "cosmic unity of three realms"), hair-thin gold line detailing, and bold red/yellow/blue color contrasts—unlike the understated tones of Tibetan thangkas, Regong thangkas’ "opulence" mirrors the aesthetic preferences of Qinghai’s Tibetan communities.
This Yellow Jambhala & Five Directional Jambhalas thangka is never a "luck charm for wealth"; it is a carrier of Tibetan Buddhism’s "balance between spirit and material." It freezes the doctrine that "wealth must be guided by wisdom and compassion" in mineral pigments, and expresses Tibetan artisans’ "preaching through art" spiritual practice. When you gaze at it, you see color—but you understand wisdom.
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