Cham figure

The Weltmuseum Wien has 12 wooden figures in the Hans Leder Collection, which depict figures from the sacred Tsam dance that originated in Tibet. The figures were commissioned by Leder and are probably not an autochthonous Mongolian artefact. The Tsam dance is a religious ceremony or sacred festival in which lamas or monks dress up in elaborate masks and costumes (at a certain time of year) and perform pantomime dances in front of the temples accompanied by music. They represent various Buddhist patron gods, animals, garuda or heroes.

This figure is called Chaschin Khan and appears in the Tsam accompanied by six or eight children who play various monastery instruments. He invites the gods to the dance floor and welcomes them. There are various interpretations of the origin of this figure; for the Mongols, this figure is said to represent the Manchu ruler Kangxi, who promoted the spread of Buddhism in Mongolia in the 17th century.