The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ancestor worship as the “veneration of deceased ancestors who are considered still a part of the family and whose spirits are believed to have the power to intervene in the affairs of the living.” Based on love and respect for the deceased, it is the belief that showing respect and loyalty to the deceased is a reciprocal agreement: the living engage in ceremonial rites and make offerings that provide the deceased happiness and well-being in the afterlife in exchange for the departed protecting and looking after the welfare of the family. Although not required, having some type of physical memorial is often an important ancestor worship component that can be displayed in variety of forms: altars, shrines, plaques or tablets, sculptures, masks, gravestones, tombs, monuments, buildings and other designated places. While ancestor worship is often associated with the Confucian concept of filial piety, it is practiced in much of the world, in many religious traditions and among most socioeconomic groups. In China the concept of ancestor worship as a demonstration of piety originally espoused by Confucius is an essential belief and everyday practice among all major Chinese religious – Buddhism, Taoism and other folk religions. The Chinese family unit traditionally consisted of the deceased as well as the living and worshiping one’s ancestors has been a means of strengthening the family and Chinese society. As the “residence of ancestral spirits”, the family altar/shrine 祠堂, with ancestor carvings and tablets is the commemorative site for daily prayers, rituals and offerings. In contemporary settings ancestor worship can be viewed as a connection with our past, and perhaps reaping the benefits our forefathers provided us.
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Ancestor statue emphasizing his status as an official holding up his belt of office with official’s hat and boots, worn only by those who could afford them. Faded inscriptions on the back of the chair. Mounted on Lucite stand.
Carved ancestor figure as an official sits on a backless chair with a decorative pedestal in official’s attire holding a long slender curved hu-tablet, all signs of his office and status. He is vibrantly painted in red, the color of fu, as a wish for prosperity and status.
This excellently carved ancestor civilian official with gilt highlights was commissioned to be place on a home altar for veneration and impress those who viewed it and to honor the venerated ancestor’s persistence, success, status and power.
Unique ancestor figure of a huntsman in the round standing on a domed pedestal, holding a flint lock, wearing a hunting coat, a two-level hat, traditional under- and outer-garment, and thick boots.
Finely carved ancestor displaying status symbols: official’s attire and hat, horseshoe chair with feet on pedestal. Painted and lacquered front and back in red, traces of gilt, colors of “fu” as a wish for wealth, health and long life, aged from years of use into a great patina.
Shiwan stoneware glazed sculptures of fruit symbolizing life and new beginnings to place on temple or home altar. They augment plates of fresh stacked fresh fruit to honor ancestors. These pears symbolize long life.
When ancestral images are taken out of context they are very difficult to identify so we describe them in generic terms as a Chinese Officials or Taoist Officials. This antique-Chinese-wood-carving may represent the noted historical figure the principal regent Dorgon of the first Qing Emperor Shunzhi who ruled from 1643-1650 as a”quasi” emperor based on…
While major deities such as Guandi were officially sanctioned by government and religious authorities, many popular deities and historic figures were integrated into Popular Religion beliefs where they were assimilated and greatly modified with local traditions and iconographic depictions such as this. We assume this is Guandi, one of the most revered Chinese deities based…
Images of Taoist priests were often placed on a home altar along with other spiritual images, ancestral tablets and ancestor figures to honor the departed family members, practice familial piety and ancestor-worship, and request good fortune to the family dwelling and its household. Priests were called daoshi (道士 “master of the Tao”) identified by his…
Families placed cocoon jars with auspicious designs containing magical mixtures of mulberry leaves in tombs for souls of the departed to drink for a transformative afterlife. Ovoid shaped, it rests on a trumpet-shaped foot decorated with elegant cloud scrolls and circular “eye” motifs.
One of a set of 12 Zodiac attendant figures holding a small calendar animal of the year represented as part of mingqi placed in the graves of deceased.
Rare Timor ancestor mask for ritual offerings to honor the departed and provide space during village visits, repel evil spirits. Featured in 2002 Spiderman movie in collection of the Green Goblin.
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