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The end of Guandi’s name (di) is significant, as Chinese names ending with di refer to an imperial cult and their canonized status. A military general late in the Han dynasty who died in 220AD, he was deified during the MIng in 1594 and was declared The God of War and Justice and Protector of…
This fine gilt and lacquer Nanhai Guanyin of the South Seas creates an aura of serenity, peace and radiance. She sits in meditation (dhyana mudra) hands in her lap, legs in lotus position (padmasana) under her flowing 3-part robe. Her high bun is behind a 5-lobed crown with the 5 Dhyani Buddhas of Wisdom, three…
This masterfully and elaborately carved image represents the legendary Guan Ti (also Guandi, Guan Yu), the Chinese God of War and Justice wearing a celestial scarf. This most popular Chinese historical military hero is all things to all men, prayed to for protection and prosperity. He is generally portrayed as here wearing a soldier’s uniform…
This Nanhai Guanyin sits on a rocky outcrop with stylized draped moss below her rounded robe. In pensive meditation – hands in dhyana mudra with thumbs touching and covered legs in padmasana – she gazes down with half closed eyes Her finely carved face is framed with hair looped over her pendulous ears signifying her…
Unglazed earthenware pottery cocoon jars were used extensively during the Han dynasty as mingqi, items made for placement in tombs to comfort the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. These ancient pottery vessels were ancestral objects, part of ancestor worship, made to revere and honor the deceased, fulfill Chinese duties of filial piety, and have…
Nanhai Guanyin of the South Sea was one of the most popular Mahayana Pure Land manifestations of this Bodhisattva in the late Ming and Early Qing Dynasties. Nanhai Guanyin and other Buddhist statues at this time where syncretic, blended in form and tradition and appearing everywhere in Buddhist, Taoist and Popular Religion Guanyin Temples, village,…
Fu lions are auspicious mythical animals used as decorative motifs on accessories, furnishings, architectural structures and as free-standing inside and outdoor figures s. Carved red and gilt lacquered lions appeared everywhere as auspicious symbols of protection, harmony, fu (the Five Blessings or Happinesses) and high rank. Based on the cut-outs underneath, this pair of antique …
Most ethnic Luristan (Lorestan) Iron Age bronzes were small items found in the the Zagros Mountains valleys in Lorestan Province, Western Iran. Other items found included tools, small vessels and horse-fittings, many buried with the deceased as ancestral pieces for use in their afterlife. Although their origin is not certain, they were likely Persians related to…
This extraordinary rare piece is a special Chinese Popular Religion image of a Buddhist bodhisattva seated atop a round lotus throne with five arched and pointed petals atop a recumbent ox. It is a variant of Guanyin sitting in a typical posture with one leg up and the other bent in the position of royal…
Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in Mahayana and Pure Land Buddhism has 33 manifestations, each who hears the cries of humanity and delivers them from suffering or desire through her compassion, wisdom and skill. Her images are always gentle, calm and sweet, reflecting her compassion, wisdom, serenity and love that calms those who are angry…
This rare and beautiful cadence drum was used in a Chinese temple to help monks and chanters think about the meaning of the texts they recite. Carved fish scales and two fish heads embrace a pearl carved on the handle to symbolize unanimity and accord. The fish pair is similar to the popular pair of…
According to Buddhist scriptures the conception and birth of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, were miraculous. Immediately after birth, he walked in seven directions, one hand pointing to heavens, the other to earth symbolizing his supremacy over all realms and lotus sprung up around him. The Buddha is depicted as baby but with fully formed mature…
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