A fine and rare gilt bronze ritual Thunderbolt emblem (Vajra) China, Qianlong mark and period

finely cast with the four-character reignmark incised on a central bulb between radiating lotus lappets and studded borders of conical drums, each drum supporting a projecting central spear encircled by four curling barbed hooks issuing from the mouths of dragon-heads, each spear of square section and slightly double-waisted before terminating in a tapered squared point, and richly gilded overall

Ritual emblems of power with Imperial reignmarks are extremely rare and point to the Qianlong Emperor's interest in Esoteric Buddhism and his promotion of several Lamaist monasteries. It is also interesting to note the reignmark reads in this instance Qianlong nian zao, as opposed to the more typical nian zhi mark.

Compare an unmarked vajra illustrated by Wang Jiapeng, ed. Buddhist Art from Rehol. Tibetan Buddhist Images and Ritual Objects from the Qing dynasty Summer Palace at Chengde, Taipei, 1999, cat.no.61, where it is illustrated with a ghanta or bell. As discussed ibid., p.253, the ghanta represents the evil-vanquishing aspect of illuminating wisdom, and the vajra represents compassion and the attainment of 'centeredness'. The five prongs on each side represent the Five Transcendental Buddhas, and cumulatively the 'ten wisdoms'. Note the discussion on the ritual use and significance of the vajra, John C. Huntington & Dina Bangdel, The Circle of Bliss. Buddhist Meditational Art, San Diego, 2003, pp.220-23, where a similar eighteenth century Tibetan vajra is illustrated, no.59.