Showing 73–84 of 182 results
The origins of Nuo Opera, performed in provincial villages in Southern China since antiquity, is found in spirit and ancestor worship and Taoism. Performances use a few dozen to 200 masks having distinctive facial features, decorations, regional and ethnic individuality and aesthetic diversity. Usually carved from poplar or willow which are light and less likely…
Nuo Chinese-Opera performances are religious dramas and operas as well as secular entertainment based on historic events, folktales, or literature that are still popular among ethnic groups along the Yangtze River. The two types of performances include the grand Nuo ceremony held by the royal court during national holidays, and local performances exemplified by this…
Ancestor-figures portrayed as Chinese-officials were placed on a home altar with other house gods and religious images to bring fu to the household. During the Qing dynasty, designation as an Official was so significant families sought to emphasize this achievement in family ancestral figures. As traditional, this carve official has a serious expression, sits on…
Officials are often portrayed in Chinese woodcarvings in a stable seated position with feet placed and firmly planted on a plinth. This compact Qing portrayal presents a person of importance and control, and it is reinforced here with an intense expression and closed eyes making him a bit detached to fortify his status, rank and…
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…
Buddhist and Taoist deities were often placed on a home altar accompanied by a pair of attendants, one on each side, looking downward with modesty or inward with respect. Taoist attendants often carried unique offerings such as medicinal gourds/potions or pillboxes for medicine gods or baskets or sacks of gold and silver blocks for wealth…
Heddle pulleys were used in strip-weaving, a small-loom process producing long cloth strips sewn together creating a larger textile such as blankets and ritual cloths. A source of pride for the carver, heddles were decorated with carved figures or animals symbolizing auspicious beings scholars believe protect the weavers and assure their weavings were of good…
Burmese carvings are known for fine craftsmanship, masterful decoration, and functional items including carved heddle pulleys used in strip-weaving. In pairs at the top of the loom, heddles are functional and aesthetic and usually were decorated with auspicious images symbolizing figures or animals protecting the weaver and assured good quality weaving that pleased the gods…
The peacock is very significant in Buddhism, especially the Theravada Buddhism practiced in Burma. It is one of 108 images on the Buddha’s footprint and reflects the short-lived nature of all things, since it appears and vanishes as swiftly as it displays and furls its tail. It is believed that peacocks can eat poisonous plants…
Mazu has been one of the most popular Taoist-deities in southeastern coastal China since the early Song dynasty, a syncretic goddess revered by followers of Buddhism and Popular Religion and one of the Great Chinese Goddesses (Irvin). Mazu was a legendary young female shaman named Lin Mo who used her powers to save seafarers and…
Monks, called Bhikkus, have had a significant role in Buddhism since its inception, and its monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of institutional organization of monks in the world. Monks and nuns (Bhikkunis) of local Mahayana Buddhist monastic communities collectively are called the Sangha and are responsible for teaching and preserving the Buddhist principles…
Puppet theatre has traditionally assumed a major role in Chinese religious rituals and honoring major life and historical events. Local productions with beautifully carved puppets, music, drama and costumes instilled societal and cultural values as well as providing entertainment to audiences of all ages and educating provincial ones. This head has a typical tapering shaft…
End of content
End of content