Many Chinese wood images have a hallowed-out cavity on their back which was central to an “eye opening” ceremony held to imbue each carving with its own life force. All Images – Buddhism, Taoist or Popular religion – had to be consecrated by a Taoist Priest, Buddhist Monk or spiritual leaders to be placed on a home altar and to protect all family members and domestic animals. The cavity was filled with ritual objects and may have included documents like favorite Buddhist sutras, Taoist poems or prayers, messages to ancestors, entreaties to deities, or a script by the presiding person describing the figure and when and by whom it was commissioned. The ceremony was attended by the artist, donor, relatives and friends, and other Taoist or Buddhist congregants. The cavity was sealed and eyes were painted to impart sight, the final component of life. Stevens states carvings were “respectfully presented to have its eyes opened before the Gods so that it. would be able to rid their dwelling of evil spirits and bring them blessings.”Most bungs and contents have been removed; we believe unopened ones should remain in difference to the spiritual traditional and history they represent.
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Families often commissioned ancestor statues in the likeness of a civil or military official as these images conveyed the wish for a rise in rank or the aspiration to become an official as well as admiration for the integrity, endurance and perseverance associated with status as an official. This ancestor statue is a Chinese official…
The Queen Mother of the West is one of the most significant of the female Taoist-deities and as a syncretic deity, has a huge Popular Religion and Buddhist cult following. She is one of the Great Chinese Goddesses and patron deity of women who controls life and death, creation and destruction and determines the life…
The syncretic Queen Mother of the West is revered as one of the most significant of the female Taoist-deities with a large Buddhist and Popular Religion following. She was the first female deity represented in Chinese art. Her immeasurable powers include her complete control over life and creation as well as death and destruction. She…
Among the oldest Chinese female Taoist-deities, the Queen-Mother of the West Hsi Wang Mu is mentioned in 300 BCE in sacred texts as a goddess who “obtained the Tao.” A patron deity of women and a divine teacher associated with the cultivation of virtue and immortality, she controls the life, death, creation and destruction of…
The Keith Stevens’ article “An Unusual and Extraordinary Ancestral Image” describes a similar figure of a huntsman with a weapon, a flintlock gun, which he stated was the only ancestral image in his vast collection which “depicts the calling of the deceased.” (Stevens, Journal of Hong Kong) His piece was from Hunan, South Central China,…
Lohans are the only enlightened Buddhist beings that were allowed to be portrayed realistically rather than as idealized representations. This beautifully crafted antique and very rare large image looks like a portrait of a real person with very individual, distinctive, and un-idealized features. His eyebrows curve above a wide triangular nose with well pronounced cheekbones,…
This fine and rare kneeling image is Shen Nong (Shennong (神農), “Divine Farmer” or “Divine Husbandman”), one of most revered cultural heroes in Chinese mythology. Born in the 28th century BCE, he is the Founder of Natural Medicine, the 2nd of the Three Emperors of the Celestial Ministry of Health. A syncretic deity in both…
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the cult of Songzi (“Child Giving”) Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, became one of the most popular religious movements especially among Popular Religion and Taoist female and male devotees. It reached all Chinese regions and social strata and included the upper classes, court figures and the literati as…
Taoist images were represented as scholars, sages, heroes, deities, officials and priests. When these images are taken out of context they are very difficult to identify so we describe them in generic terms as a Taoist Officials, Priests or Deities. We identify this image an Official since he holds a hu-tablet associated with officials and…
Taoist images were represented as scholars, sages, heroes, deities, officials and priests. When these images are taken out of context they are difficult to identify so we describe them in generic terms. Seated on a backless chair wearing long flowing officials-robes with deep folds, we use the terms officials/priests for this image, since he his…
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…
This fine antique Chinese wood carving was likely placed in a clan shrine or home altar with other religious images, ancestor figures or folk heroes reflecting the Chinese syncretic tradition that adhered to multiple spiritual and belief systems. Although it is difficult to identify specific figures, this image is likely a Taoist priest in officials…
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