Fragments of a Monastery, Reunited in Body and Spirit
THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Holland Cotter
NEW YORK---You have to hate or fear something a lot to do what China did to Tibetan Buddhism. In the early 20th century, Tibet had thousands of active monasteries; when the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976, it had fewer than 10. The politics of blame are always tricky; some scholars argue that Tibetans themselves, for complicated reasons, contributed to the purge. But one reality is plain: By the time the mass demolition wound down, centuries’ worth of religious art was gone. Among the major losses was the Densatil Monastery. In the campaigns of destruction, Densatil was cruelly hit. It wasn’t just dismantled; it was pulverized. But some did survive, hidden away by devotees, or taken by Chinese military personnel. “Golden Visions of Densatil: A Tibetan Buddhist Monastery” is on view through May 18 at Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, at 70th Street; 212-288-6400, asiasociety.org. [link]
By Holland Cotter
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| A 15th-century panel of goddesses is featured in an exhibition reconstructing elements of this destroyed site, at Asia Society. |
