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Rainey Knudson

47. Protector Goddess Kong Tsan Demo Dorje

Protector Goddess Kong Tsan Demo Dorje, Chinese, c. 1661–1722. Gilt lacquered wood, approx. 30 × 22.5 × 11 inches.

It’s as if all creation would do anything for her. Even riding a tiger, her face is serene. It's still giving a roar, but the creature is willingly pausing on all fours while she turns to greet you. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this powerful goddess is here to protect you. She and her sister mountain goddesses—this was once part of a group of 12 figures—were revered in pre-Buddhist Tibet. Her arm is raised in a salutary blessing, and her face, with its small enigmatic smile, wears an expression of deliberate, almost imperative serenity, as if to say: you’ve got this.



I’ll be back on Monday, 10/28 with no. 48. Have a great weekend!


 

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