Tibet
Tibetan

Bronze
Mid 20th century
Diameter: 2.5 in
Idiophones – Struck Idiophones – Concussion – Cymbals

The tingsha (ting-ting-shags) is a concussion idiophone associated with Tibetan Buddhist religious communities in China (the Autonomous Region of Tibet), India, Nepal, and Bhutan.  These circular cymbals are connected by a leather strip/cord that passes through a hole in the center of the medium-size dome and are knotted on the inside of each dome.  They are less than three inches in diameter, but quite thick.   Buddhist monks use them during prayers to call spirits to offerings and for confession ceremonies.  They hold the connecting leather strip/cord and brush the rims of the two cymbals against one another horizontally to produce the ringing sound. 

This pair of tingsha (ting-ting-shags) has two dragons and two vajra icons cast into each of the exterior surfaces, with script characters engraved on its interior walls.  The dragon embodies strength, goodness and the spirit of change or transformation. This tingsha (ting-ting-shags) is used when masculine (yang) energy is required for clearing and balancing.

Reference: “Ting-ting-shags,” Mireille Helffer, “The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments,” 2nd ed., Vol 5., Lawrence Libin, Editor in Chief. Oxford University Press.