MING DYNASTY, 16TH-17TH CENTURY

Ceremonial mandalas were significant in later forms of Buddhism, particularly Esoteric Buddhism, which flourished in Tibet from the tenth century and later influenced the Chinese court after the fourteenth century. This base likely supported a three-dimensional mandala, possibly made up of small sculptures, temple models, stupas, or colored sands.

Compare a related mandala base plate of similar form and decoration but dated to the Qing dynasty, in the Tibet Museum, Lhasa and illustrated in Tibet Museum, Encyclopedia of China Pub. House, Beijing, 2001. pl. no. 1.