dzi-bead-in-Tibetan-languagThe Lege

dzi-bead-in-Tibetan-languag
The Legend of Tibetan Dzi Bead
西藏天珠传奇

티벳천주

チベットてんじゅ
by


Tan Chin Hock
(DziCrystal.com)

Potala-Palace
The Potala Palace located in Lhasa Tibet Autonomous Region China, was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India after a failed uprising in 1959. Today the Potala Palace is a state museum of China and it is a popular tourist attraction; was named as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World".


Tah-shi de-leh! (Greeting in Tibetan language) If you have the chance to visit The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston or The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, most likely you will find a unique bead called Dzi – a stunning contrasts of black and white (or dark brown) bead of etched or treated agate, that is revered in Tibet.

In 1959 the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans fled abroad when the Chinese communists invaded Tibet. They took much valuable jewelry with them, such as coral, amber, turquoise and the mysterious dzi beads. The refugees sold these valuables during the journey in exchange for their daily needs. It was that time the world was exposed to this precious jewel from the Land of Snow!

Dzi or Gzi (pronounced as “zee”) in Tibetan word mean “good retribution, dignity and perfection”. The authentic “Pure Dzi” and “Chung Dzi” are found primarily in Tibet, and the “dzi family” can be found in neighboring countries such as India, Bhutan, Ladakh, Sikkim and Nepal. The later are “etched carnelian” and the history can be traced back to 5000 years ago where its main sources were Mesopotamia, Afghanistan and India.
sources-of-dzi-bead
"Pure" dzi beads, in the traditional Tibetan system for evaluating dzi, are regarded as the most valuable and desirable variety.
Etched agate beads not considered pure are called “Chung Dzi”, or "secondary, less important dzi". Lastly, “etched carnelian” is not recognized by the Tibetan. Chung dZi has such a huge variety of shapes, sizes and designs, from plain natural carnelian or striped agate, to huge, beads with many etched lines and patterns, that they would be impossible to value.
Very-Old-Five-Eyed-Dzi-Bead
A brown and milky white body color Tibetan dzi. The round brown dot surrounded by white circle is the eye of dzi. There are five “eyes” on this bead (called dzi mig inga pa in Tibetan language); three can be seen clearly from this photo, the other two are at the rear part of the dzi. The reader could also easily detect the weathering mark on the surface of the dzi bead. This authentic pure five-eyed dzi is a high value old bead.

stripped-chong-dzi-bead
The striped dzi (dkar khra men in Tibetan language) is considered the chung dzi.

Lumik-Dzi-Bead-2
Not all pure dzi comes in the shape of tube. The above goat’s eye dzi (Lumik in Tibetan language) is in round shape. This bead is the traditional and effective amulet for Tibetan when they are traveling.

Lumik-Dzi-Bead-back
The back of the above goat’s eye dzi forms a beautiful pattern that looks like an aura. This dzi is a sovereign piece among the topmost group of dzi.

The Origin of Dzi Bead
The dzi bead is one of the most mysterious of all the beads known to human being today. Numerous attempts to trace back to their source yield fruitlessly although many dzi beads have been passed down from generations to generations. They exist seemingly in isolation, as if snapped from a chain, with no links to their past. It is unclear to many bead scholars the exact origin of dzi bead, why, when and how it was manufactured. The fact is these tiny stone beads patterned with mystical eyes are one of the most treasured beads in the world today. The Tibetans believe the dzi beads are the precious jewels with supernatural origin.

There are many myths and legends in Tibet describing the origin of the bead. Among the many myths and legends that follow the dzi, the main belief is that the gods created them. The Tibetan theorized divine origin rendered the dzi to be precious and powerful talismans. Most Tibetans will not let go of it because this may cause bad luck to them. In addition, the rarity of the bead makes them as valuable as diamonds in Tibet.

Most Tibetans believe that the dzi were once insects that lived in a kind of nest call “dzi tshang” in Tibet. When the insects were unearthed they will continue to move for a while and eventually become petrified in the form of dzi that exist today. There are stories say that the dzi were once insects but became petrified by the touch of human hand, or by the people with good karma, or by woman’s shirt.

Another legend said that there was a time when Tibet was overwhelmed by severe epidemic and the Tibetans were facing very hard life. Fortunately, the compassionate Vajravarahi Buddha came to rescue by releasing the magical Dzi Beads from the sky. The beads are believed to bring good luck, ward off evil, and protect the wearer from physical harm.


Vajravarahi-Buddha
The painting of Vajravarahi Buddha in the Tibetan Tangka

One of the stories describes the dzi were once wore by semi-gods in heaven as ornaments during ancient times. When the dzi gradually blemished, the semi-god throw it to the earth. Therefore, no one can ever find the beads in perfect condition.

It is also believed that the dzi beads were made from meteorites fell from outer space thousands of years ago. The magnetic field of dzi bead is three times stronger than the normal crystals.

Another legend tells the story that after Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) built the first temple (Samye Monastery) in Tibet, he was blessed with dzi beads by the heavenly beings. Guru Rinpoche then buried the dzi beads all over Tibet, each with specific prayer, blessing or spiritual insight. Hundreds of year later, King Gesar ofLing Kingdom had defeated the Tagzig Kingdom, he found maps that led him to discover rare treasures, including millions of dzi beads. King Gesar brought them back as the spoils of military conquest to reward soldiers.

Guru-Rinpoche-Padmasambhava
Image of Guru Rinpoche in Samye Monastery.

The-King-of-Tibet
King Gesar of Tibet

Guru-Rinpoche-with-Dzi-Bead
Image of Guru Rinpoche with various old dzi beads.

Zambala-with-Dzi-Beads
Zambala - The God of Wealth in Tibet is wearing various old dzi beads (3 eyed, seven eyed and nine eyed) strung with red agate beads.
The Buddhism spread to Tibet during the Tang Dynasty approximately 1,300 years ago. The Tang Emperor Taizong sent his adopted daughter, Princess Wencheng, to become the bride of the 32nd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, as a strategy to harmonize the relationship between Tibet and China. Princess Wencheng brought along with her Buddhism and an image of the twelve-year-old Jobo Sakyamuni. The diadem, cape and decorative straps worn by the image of the young Buddha are studded with many pearls, agates, turquoises, corals and dzi beads. They look extremely splendid. The most precious are the three pieces of nine-eyed dzi on the diadem. Other dzi beads, around hundreds in number, display various designs including waves and tiger-tooth. At present, the image is housed and worshipped in the Jokhang Monastery.

Jobo-at-Jokhang

Jobo-with-nine-eyed-dzi-bea

Image of Jobo Sakyamuni in Jokhang Monastery is decorated with hundreds of dzi beads, corals and turquoise.


Criteria to Identify Dzi Bead

There are many criteria to identify dzi bead such as the weathering marks, cinnabar dot, diaphaneity, circular dragon mark, body color, surface pattern, degree of perfection etc. The value of a dzi bead is determined after considering factors mentioned above. The buyers are advised to understand these criteria before making any purchases. Hopefully readers are able to appreciate the value of dzi beads with the descriptions and photos below


1. Weathering Marks

Weathering marks are signs of aging and represent the age of a dzi bead. They are the tine lines of different thickness running irregularly on the surface of the dzi bead. However, not every old dzi bead will have the weathering marks.
three-eyed-bead-weathering-
The weathering marks can be detected from the center of this three eyed dzi (dzi mig gsum pa in Tibetan language).

2. Cinnabar Dots

Cinnabar Dots are the red or black speckles that grow from within the body of dzi to its surface. It is possible that these cinnabar dots are the effects of the magnetic interaction between the dzi and the human body after a very long time. There are two types of cinnabar dot: the red and the black cinnabar dot. The red one is more popular among the wearers. Dzi bead with black cinnabar dot is believed to have longer history or older than the red one. This is due to the observation that the red cinnabar dot will eventually turn into black after a few generations. However, dzi beads with cinnabar dots are extremely difficult to find thus the price usually very high.

two-eyed-dzi-bead-red-dot-2

two-eyed-di-bead-red-dot-1
A few red cinnabar dots can be seen at the white color body part of this two eyed dzi (dzi mig gnyis pa in Tibetan language).

five-eyed-dzi-bead-black-do
A few black cinnabar dots can be seen at the white color body part of this five eyed dzi (dzi mig gnyis inga in Tibetan language).


3. Diaphaneity
Diaphaneity is the transparency of the dzi body, which is the ability to allow light to pass through. It was once used as the method to identify the authentication of dzi beads. It was later concluded that this could be very misleading as many authentic old dzi are not transparent. Therefore, this should not be the ONLY criteria to determine the value of Dzi.

The-dzi-bead-diaphanity
4. Circular Dragon Marks

Circular dragon marks are the natural streaks that circulate the body of dzi. These marks are propitious signs resulted from the meditative practice of the gurus. The circular dragon marks should complete a full circle on the body of dzi and should not cut through t

Kết quả (Việt) 1:

dzi-bead-in-Tibetan-languagThe Legend of Tibetan Dzi Bead西藏天珠传奇 티벳천주チベットてんじゅ by Tan Chin Hock(DziCrystal.com) Potala-PalaceThe Potala Palace located in Lhasa Tibet Autonomous Region China, was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India after a failed uprising in 1959. Today the Potala Palace is a state museum of China and it is a popular tourist attraction; was named as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". Tah-shi de-leh! (Greeting in Tibetan language) If you have the chance to visit The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston or The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, most likely you will find a unique bead called Dzi – a stunning contrasts of black and white (or dark brown) bead of etched or treated agate, that is revered in Tibet. In 1959 the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans fled abroad when the Chinese communists invaded Tibet. They took much valuable jewelry with them, such as coral, amber, turquoise and the mysterious dzi beads. The refugees sold these valuables during the journey in exchange for their daily needs. It was that time the world was exposed to this precious jewel from the Land of Snow! Dzi hoặc Gzi (phát âm là "zee") ở Tây Tạng từ có nghĩa là "tốt trả thù, nhân phẩm và hoàn hảo". Xác thực "Tinh khiết Dzi" và "Chung Dzi" được tìm thấy chủ yếu ở Tây Tạng, và "dzi gia đình" có thể được tìm thấy trong các quốc gia lân cận như Ấn Độ, Bhutan, Ladakh, Sikkim và Nepal. Sau này là "khắc carnelian" và lịch sử có thể được truy trở lại 5000 năm trước đây, nơi thông tin chính là lưỡng Hà, Afghanistan và Ấn Độ.nguồn của dzi hạt"Tinh khiết" dzi hạt, trong hệ thống truyền thống của Tây Tạng để đánh giá dzi, được coi là nhiều nhất có giá trị và mong muốn đa dạng. Khắc agate hạt không được coi là tinh khiết được gọi là "Chung Dzi", hoặc "phụ, ít quan trọng dzi". Cuối cùng, "khắc carnelian" không được công nhận bởi Tây Tạng. Chung dZi có một loạt rất lớn của hình dạng, kích thước và thiết kế, từ đồng bằng carnelian tự nhiên hoặc sọc agate, để các hạt lớn, với nhiều khắc dòng và mô hình, rằng họ sẽ không thể để giá trị.Very-Old-Five-Eyed-Dzi-BeadMột màu nâu và sữa cơ thể trắng màu Tây Tạng dzi. Các dấu chấm màu nâu tròn được bao quanh bởi vòng tròn màu trắng là mắt của dzi. Có năm "đôi mắt" trên tài khoản này (được gọi là dzi mig inga pa trong Tây Tạng ngôn ngữ); ba có thể được nhìn thấy rõ ràng từ hình ảnh này, hai khác là ở phần phía sau của dzi. Người đọc có thể dễ dàng phát hiện đánh dấu thời tiết trên bề mặt của các hạt dzi. Này xác thực tinh khiết mắt năm dzi là một giá trị cao cũ hạt. stripped-chong-dzi-beadThe striped dzi (dkar khra men in Tibetan language) is considered the chung dzi. Lumik-Dzi-Bead-2Not all pure dzi comes in the shape of tube. The above goat’s eye dzi (Lumik in Tibetan language) is in round shape. This bead is the traditional and effective amulet for Tibetan when they are traveling. Lumik-Dzi-Bead-backThe back of the above goat’s eye dzi forms a beautiful pattern that looks like an aura. This dzi is a sovereign piece among the topmost group of dzi. The Origin of Dzi BeadThe dzi bead is one of the most mysterious of all the beads known to human being today. Numerous attempts to trace back to their source yield fruitlessly although many dzi beads have been passed down from generations to generations. They exist seemingly in isolation, as if snapped from a chain, with no links to their past. It is unclear to many bead scholars the exact origin of dzi bead, why, when and how it was manufactured. The fact is these tiny stone beads patterned with mystical eyes are one of the most treasured beads in the world today. The Tibetans believe the dzi beads are the precious jewels with supernatural origin. There are many myths and legends in Tibet describing the origin of the bead. Among the many myths and legends that follow the dzi, the main belief is that the gods created them. The Tibetan theorized divine origin rendered the dzi to be precious and powerful talismans. Most Tibetans will not let go of it because this may cause bad luck to them. In addition, the rarity of the bead makes them as valuable as diamonds in Tibet. Most Tibetans believe that the dzi were once insects that lived in a kind of nest call “dzi tshang” in Tibet. When the insects were unearthed they will continue to move for a while and eventually become petrified in the form of dzi that exist today. There are stories say that the dzi were once insects but became petrified by the touch of human hand, or by the people with good karma, or by woman’s shirt. Another legend said that there was a time when Tibet was overwhelmed by severe epidemic and the Tibetans were facing very hard life. Fortunately, the compassionate Vajravarahi Buddha came to rescue by releasing the magical Dzi Beads from the sky. The beads are believed to bring good luck, ward off evil, and protect the wearer from physical harm. Vajravarahi-BuddhaThe painting of Vajravarahi Buddha in the Tibetan Tangka One of the stories describes the dzi were once wore by semi-gods in heaven as ornaments during ancient times. When the dzi gradually blemished, the semi-god throw it to the earth. Therefore, no one can ever find the beads in perfect condition. It is also believed that the dzi beads were made from meteorites fell from outer space thousands of years ago. The magnetic field of dzi bead is three times stronger than the normal crystals. Another legend tells the story that after Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) built the first temple (Samye Monastery) in Tibet, he was blessed with dzi beads by the heavenly beings. Guru Rinpoche then buried the dzi beads all over Tibet, each with specific prayer, blessing or spiritual insight. Hundreds of year later, King Gesar ofLing Kingdom had defeated the Tagzig Kingdom, he found maps that led him to discover rare treasures, including millions of dzi beads. King Gesar brought them back as the spoils of military conquest to reward soldiers.Guru-Rinpoche-PadmasambhavaImage of Guru Rinpoche in Samye Monastery. The-King-of-TibetKing Gesar of Tibet Guru-Rinpoche-with-Dzi-BeadImage of Guru Rinpoche with various old dzi beads. Zambala-with-Dzi-BeadsZambala - The God of Wealth in Tibet is wearing various old dzi beads (3 eyed, seven eyed and nine eyed) strung with red agate beads.The Buddhism spread to Tibet during the Tang Dynasty approximately 1,300 years ago. The Tang Emperor Taizong sent his adopted daughter, Princess Wencheng, to become the bride of the 32nd King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, as a strategy to harmonize the relationship between Tibet and China. Princess Wencheng brought along with her Buddhism and an image of the twelve-year-old Jobo Sakyamuni. The diadem, cape and decorative straps worn by the image of the young Buddha are studded with many pearls, agates, turquoises, corals and dzi beads. They look extremely splendid. The most precious are the three pieces of nine-eyed dzi on the diadem. Other dzi beads, around hundreds in number, display various designs including waves and tiger-tooth. At present, the image is housed and worshipped in the Jokhang Monastery.
Jobo-at-Jokhang

Jobo-with-nine-eyed-dzi-bea

Image of Jobo Sakyamuni in Jokhang Monastery is decorated with hundreds of dzi beads, corals and turquoise.


Criteria to Identify Dzi Bead

There are many criteria to identify dzi bead such as the weathering marks, cinnabar dot, diaphaneity, circular dragon mark, body color, surface pattern, degree of perfection etc. The value of a dzi bead is determined after considering factors mentioned above. The buyers are advised to understand these criteria before making any purchases. Hopefully readers are able to appreciate the value of dzi beads with the descriptions and photos below


1. Weathering Marks

Weathering marks are signs of aging and represent the age of a dzi bead. They are the tine lines of different thickness running irregularly on the surface of the dzi bead. However, not every old dzi bead will have the weathering marks.
three-eyed-bead-weathering-
The weathering marks can be detected from the center of this three eyed dzi (dzi mig gsum pa in Tibetan language).

2. Cinnabar Dots

Cinnabar Dots are the red or black speckles that grow from within the body of dzi to its surface. It is possible that these cinnabar dots are the effects of the magnetic interaction between the dzi and the human body after a very long time. There are two types of cinnabar dot: the red and the black cinnabar dot. The red one is more popular among the wearers. Dzi bead with black cinnabar dot is believed to have longer history or older than the red one. This is due to the observation that the red cinnabar dot will eventually turn into black after a few generations. However, dzi beads with cinnabar dots are extremely difficult to find thus the price usually very high.

two-eyed-dzi-bead-red-dot-2

two-eyed-di-bead-red-dot-1
A few red cinnabar dots can be seen at the white color body part of this two eyed dzi (dzi mig gnyis pa in Tibetan language).

five-eyed-dzi-bead-black-do
A few black cinnabar dots can be seen at the white color body part of this five eyed dzi (dzi mig gnyis inga in Tibetan language).


3. Diaphaneity
Diaphaneity is the transparency of the dzi body, which is the ability to allow light to pass through. It was once used as the method to identify the authentication of dzi beads. It was later concluded that this could be very misleading as many authentic old dzi are not transparent. Therefore, this should not be the ONLY criteria to determine the value of Dzi.

The-dzi-bead-diaphanity
4. Circular Dragon Marks

Circular dragon marks are the natural streaks that circulate the body of dzi. These marks are propitious signs resulted from the meditative practice of the gurus. The circular dragon marks should complete a full circle on the body of dzi and should not cut through t