On the afternoon of November 19, the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture opened a special exhibition entitled National Treasures - Heritage in the Heart of Da Nang , introducing 19 national treasures of the new Da Nang City. Among them, for the first time, the original statue of Bodhisattva Tara appeared along with two lost artifacts from about half a century ago.
The statue of Bodhisattva Tara is placed in a showroom with special security and protection system along with tempered glass cage.
The original Tara Bodhisattva statue makes a strong impression at first sight because of its majestic beauty crystallized in the ancient green bronze block on the outside.
The original Tara Bodhisattva statue has a beautiful green bronze layer.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
The statue of Bodhisattva Tara stands upright, her figure supple with a narrow waist and her hair in a high bun, meticulously sculpted.
Notably, after nearly 2 years since the historic restoration of the original statue with 2 hand-held objects identified as a lotus flower and a snail shell, this is the first time the statue has appeared with special completeness.
The statue holds a lotus in its right hand and a snail shell in its left. A museum official said the two relics were temporarily assembled for public viewing without using any adhesive.
For the first time in decades, the two hand-held objects of the Tara Bodhisattva statue have been reattached to the statue's body.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
According to initial assessment, both of the statue’s hand-held objects are precisely articulated, with a tight fit almost like the original. However, close observation can reveal a disconnection between the statue and these two hand-held objects, thereby helping the public visualize the ups and downs in the statue’s history.
In an article about the Bodhisattva Tara statue, researcher Ho Xuan Tinh (former Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam ), said that comparing the fractures on the statue's two hands with the fractures on the relic, it can be confirmed that the right hand of the Tara statue holds a lotus flower, the left hand holds a snail, not an areca nut as people mistakenly believe.
The connection of the two relics onto the statue body is quite complete.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
In Buddhist concept, the lotus flower symbolizes purity and bio-energy; and the conch – dharma conch – is one of the dharma instruments of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, symbolizing the sound of Buddha's teachings.
Combined with the image of Amoghasiddhi depicted sitting under the canopy of the 7-headed snake Mucalinda on the Bodhisattva's hair bun, these two dharma objects contribute to confirming the title of the Dong Duong statue as Bodhisattva Tara - a female incarnation of Avalokiteshvara.
The two hand held objects are identified as a lotus in the right hand and a snail in the left hand.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
Mr. Tinh commented that the return of the two magical objects, the lotus and the snail, to the Tara statue helps to fully recreate the value of a national treasure.
Researcher Ho Xuan Tinh added that on August 10, 1978, a group of people from Dong Duong village (Binh Dinh Bac commune, Thang Binh district, Quang Nam) while digging bricks accidentally discovered a large bronze statue of Bodhisattva Tara at a depth of about 1.5 m, about 100 m from the main temple area.
To have the appearance of the Bodhisattva Tara statue, the functional sector of Da Nang City spent decades searching, preserving and carrying out procedures.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
The Bodhisattva statue was moved to the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture in 1981.
According to locals, when the statue was first found, some people mistook the two hand-held objects for precious metals so they broke them and brought them to a jewelry store for inspection.
Afterwards, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh commune recovered and kept these two relics. When the representative of Quang Nam - Da Nang Museum came to work with the People's Committee of Thang Binh district and Binh Dinh commune to request to receive the artifacts, the commune said that the two magical weapons had been lost.
It was not until the end of 2019 that the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Bac commune officially handed over the two magical weapons to Quang Nam Museum.
For one month, people and tourists will have the opportunity to admire the original bronze statue of Bodhisattva Tara.
PHOTO: HOANG SON
After receiving the artifacts, Quang Nam Museum agreed to transfer the two artifacts to Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum for preservation and display. However, the procedures for handing over and receiving artifacts between specialized agencies were quite complicated, causing the transfer process to last nearly 4 years.
Tourists attentively listen to the presentation about Ekamukhalinga/Linga with one head of god (version). The artifact was displayed at My Son Museum in 2013 and recognized as a national treasure in 2015
PHOTO: HOANG SON
On December 9, 2023, after the agreement of the leaders of Quang Nam province and Da Nang city, Quang Nam Museum officially handed over two sacred objects of the national treasure, the Bodhisattva Tara Dong Duong statue, to the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture.
Dong Son bronze jar (in Hoi An, Da Nang City), dated 3rd - 1st century BC, bronze material, height 58 cm, mouth diameter 39 cm, base diameter 35.5 cm, weight 13.6 kg. Currently kept in the private collection of Luong Hoang Long
PHOTO: HOANG SON
Dong Son bronze drum treasure, dated 3rd - 2nd century BC, bronze material, height 35.5 cm, face diameter 49.5 cm, base diameter 56 cm, weight 18 kg. Currently kept in the private collection of Luong Hoang Long
PHOTO: HOANG SON
Regarding the exhibition of National Treasures - Heritage in the heart of Da Nang (taking place until December 25), Ms. Le Thu Trang, Director of the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, said that the event introduced to the public for the first time 19 national treasures of Da Nang, with 14 original artifacts, 2 versions and 3 artifacts presented through documents and images due to preservation requirements.
The exhibition reflects the rich cultural picture of the city, where the Sa Huynh, Dong Son and Champa cultures converge.
Siva head, early 10th century, gold alloy, 24 cm high, 11.7 cm wide, 1 mm thick. Currently kept at Da Nang Museum (formerly Quang Nam Museum) and recognized as a national treasure in 2015. The statue on display is a version
PHOTO: HOANG SON
Dragon Statue of Thap Mam, Binh Dinh (now An Nhon Bac Ward, Gia Lai Province), 13th century, sandstone, 158 cm high, 158 cm long, 61 cm wide. Recognized as a national treasure in 2024
PHOTO: HOANG SON
Lai Nghi gold jewelry collection, dated from the 3rd century BC to the mid-1st century, made of gold, including 4 gold earrings (0.8–2 grams) and 104 gold necklaces (0.08–0.38 grams). Currently kept at Da Nang Museum (formerly Quang Nam Museum) and recognized as a national treasure in 2024.
PHOTO: SX
Brahma Birth Relief My Son E1, My Son, Quang Nam (now Thu Bon commune, Da Nang city), dated 7th - 8th century, sandstone material. Recognized as a national treasure in 2024
PHOTO: SX
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lan-dau-trung-bay-bao-vat-quoc-gia-tuong-bo-tat-tara-hoan-chinh-18525111919012415.htm
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