(祠堂)The Karana Mudra is generally a Buddhist mudra that focuses on removal of obstacles and fear and helps eradicate negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, depression, and foster positive emotions like happiness and contentment. Also known as the “gesture for warding off evil ” and called the Tao or Sword Gesture, it is said to be the most important Taoist mudra by priests to conduct rituals, deliver incantations and perform other Taoist ceremonies including consecrating Taoist statues. Many Taoist and Buddhist rituals use this mudra to cast out demons, malevolent spirits and negative energy and, purify/cleanse infected spaces and protect the Dharma against corruption. Performed by one or both hands, the thumb holds the tips of the middle and ring finger while the little and the index fingers are extended upwards or sideways. Some believe it also symbolizes the connection of heaven and earth reflecting the Taoist belief that all energies are united. In our collection we have several monks or priests on horseback using the Karana mudra.
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During the Ming and Qing dynasties, artists created small scale icons of Bodhisattva Guanyin and other deities for private use on a home altar and in local temples and shrines. While more sanctioned images and those made for wealthier devotees were created in porcelain, jade, bronze and ivory, those created for Popular Folk Religion, Taoist…
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…
Zhenwu was known by many names and titles, the most common ones being the True Warrior, Perfected Warrior or Northern Emperor. As one of the most popular Taoist-Deities during the Ming and Qing dynasties he was an emperor known as protector of the state and the imperial family. During the imperial dynasties was a patron…
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…
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