In many world religions, home altars are spiritual tables on which sacred images, symbols or texts are placed and honored with offerings made for venerating deities and/or ancestors by family members that generally include light from candles or lamps, incense, flowers, food, and water. In Buddhism, home altars are physical spaces that support spiritual practice, encourage devotees to attain enlightenment and show gratitude to the Buddha for showing the way to enlightenment. Buddha and Buddhist deity statues and other spiritual symbols remind devotees of the qualities of Buddha’s wisdom and compassion and serve to inspire devotees to develop these qualities as they recall Buddha’s teachings.
Chinese Taoist and Popular Religion family home altars or shrines (Kam or Kung) honor ancestors, attract blessings and avert malevolent forces and influences. Ancestor worship is a family affair to communicate with and provide greetings and support to the deceased, engage in prayer, display filial piety and make offerings to ancestor statues and/or tablets. Taoist, Popular Religion and Buddhist deities maybe placed along with images of Taoist and Buddhist priests, deified local heroes and legends. Home altar statues are blessed in an eye-opening consecration ceremony performed by a Taoist or Buddhist priest or monk to imbue with them with chi and give them life. Offerings of candles, incense and foods are placed to attract blessings of fu which they augmented by placing furniture in certain locations and using propitious colors (red and gold attracts the most fu).
In Hinduism, the home altar is the most important part of a household where all family actions and decisions are made, special events are celebrated, and members gather to perform daily prayers (puja) to show reverence and devotion through prayer, supplication, songs, ceremonial worship and rituals. Hindu statues, images of deities who protect the family and engender good fortune, are placed there along with other ritual items of devotion.
Home altars are now viewed as spiritual, and often meditational spaces to celebrate one’s family. Along with spiritual icons or statues, they include photos of loved ones, well-loved mementos or trinkets, hand-written notes, or letters. Additional spiritual elements include candles, crystals, or incense.
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Shiwan stoneware peaches and lotuses on footed bowl auspicious symbols associated with springtime, fertility, long healthy life for many generations and therefore are propitious gifts for birthdays, especially for the elderly.
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.
Delicate white robed Guanyin in meditation on radiating lotus throne. Provincial humble, modest, relatable, yet beautiful matronly figure.
Antique bronze Nandi tribal or regional folk art piece with aged patina from use on a home altar. With incised decorative details, delineate sinuous body and graceful long horns it is based on a South Indian humpback cow.
Antique recumbent long horned Nandi seated on a high pedestal throne, with “bejeweled”decorative motifs on head and body. Fashioned as an incense or oil holder for a home puja. Beautiful patina, finely cast.
Rare and beautiful provincial Songzi Guanyin is modest, compassionate and humble with lotus leaf crown, unadorned robe and pedestal with simple leaves. Her baby resembles the infant Buddha. Was probably in a temple setting or on a home altar of wealthy couple desiring a (male) baby.
This stone flu lion is not an elegant protective beast, it’s just a friendly pet hanging out. He probably lived in a garden and is looking for another one with people like old wonderful pieces to remind them not to take themselves too seriously.
Probably placed on a home altar with other carving, this Taoist official holds a long, curved hu, wearing a high hat, collared robe with painted cobalt blue clouds and official’s belt. Consecrated with original script inside.
Taoist official/priest on backless chair, arms at chest and hands covered by ritual cloth symbolically holding a hu tablet. Darkened by incense and candle smoke from ritualistic offerings it was re-lacquered probably in early 20th-century.
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 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…
Taoist priest wearing a winged hat with a taotie warning against excess, and hands in the Sword Gesture used to cast out evil and offer blessings. Often on horses, priests were models of morality reflecting the Way of the Tao stressing harmony and oneness with nature.
White Clad Guanyin sits in royal ease her hands in karana mudra on her lap to expel evil, remove problems and rid sickness or other negativities. This powerful mudra is rarely used for Guanyin images. The cavity Consecrated for home altar use.
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