Antique Seated Taoist Priest Holding Elixir of Immortality, China (16312)

Description

Carvings of Taoist figures such as priests or deities are often placed on Chinese home altars alongside ancestor carvings and tablets and house-gods and religious figures to create a sacred space for familial veneration with spiritual protection. These venerated figures complement ancestor worship rituals and help maintain a “pure” environment at the altar. Acting as guardians, these Taoist images maintained the home’s spiritual order and were a bridge between the living family and the higher celestial deities. Commissioning and honoring ancestral figures and accompanying official and spiritual images were an important part of filial piety, a cornerstone of ancestor worship and a main tenet of Confucianism. Since Taoists were represented in many forms, we use the term Taoist to signify an official, priest or sage called a daoshi  (道士 “master of the Tao”).

During the Ming and Qing, Taoists were often portrayed wearing Manchu formal attire for ritual ceremonies or state occasions required by the Manchus rulers of China after the decline of the Ming dynasty. It consisted of a long-sleeve black Mandarin jacket/tunic (changshan) with 3 to 5 buttons and a black formal hat (guan).

This masterfully crafted official has a calm, sincere and expressive face. His forehead and mouth creases indicate his age and the wisdom associated with his senior status. He holds an auspicious Taoist ritual cup containing the elixir of immortality, a Taoist symbol of and a wish for a long and happy afterlife. Sitting on a backless pedestal with rear indentions to facilitate carrying by hand, the front of this antique Chinese carving likely had an rectangular attachment with identifying information, likely the date, the figure’s name and/or the name of the donor who commissioned the piece. The flat bung in the back covering the cavity held the script and other items placed there during an eye-opening consecration ceremony and is integrated into the back of the carving with a  pigtail extending over it and down the priest’s back.

While Buddhist monks were tasked with looking after souls in the next life, Taoist priests protected followers against evil spirits. Their images on home altars were a wish to ward off malevolence and bad luck. Mounted on a modern, uniquely crafted white frosted Acrylic base, this small very fine statue will work seamlessly with any décor and was featured in a VA instagram post.