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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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…
This image from Guandong wears typical Taoist priest or shaman attire – an undergarment crossed at the neck, an overcoat clasped at the waist and a double-winged high hat centered with an image of a taotie. The taotie is a mystical animal sometimes on the hat of Taoist priests or shamans as a guardian or…
Consecrated red lacquer and gilt home altar provincial Guanyin, elaborate 5-lobed crown centered with radiating bars symbolizing Amitabha Buddha and his aureole that represent the flames of Buddhism.
This provincial Guanyin made for a home altar sits in anjali mudra. Portrayed as humble, approachable, she wears a 5-lobed diadem, hair in a chignon with braids and modest robe seated on a waisted lotus throne with stacked lotuses.
Very rare and fine 16th century home shrine image with compassionate countenance of Songzi Guanyin the “Bestower of Children.” With joyful half-closed eyes, she looks lovingly at the child whose arm is draped over hers.and leans slightly forward.Wearing a 5- lobed crown centered with a camellia flower a Chinese symbol of young sons and daughters. Inscription dates it to 1521-1567
Although this rare Ming image is missing its arms, it is a powerful yet charming sculpture of the infant Buddha as humble and confident with a youthful torso.
Rare provincial image of Guanyin tenderly holding a young child’s hand similar to Songzi “Child-Giving Guanyin”. Consecrated with vibrant gilt and red surface in front and back.
Rare provincial consecrated carving of Nanhai Guanyin on a lotus, representing purity of the mind, above a fish symbolizing her power to help beings sail through sea of suffering separating mortal world from the Western Paradise.
Carved from one piece of wood, triad depicts Nanhai Guanyin and 2 acolytes (one deteriorated) , crown centered with Amitabha Buddha in meditation bordered by flames of Buddhism.
Rare provincial home altar consecrated gender neutral Guanyin is in meditation on lotus throne wearing five-lobed crown symbolically representing the 5 Dyhani Buddhas in the Vajrayana Tantric tradition.
Rare provincial carving of Guanyin on an ox reflecting the concept of bodhisattva reverence for “draft animals” (beasts of burden) who were integral to rural daily and agricultural activities in Chinese Popular Religion, Buddhism and Taoism.
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