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26 - 50 of 115 Records
Southern Xiangtangshan, sculpture fragments
- Title Translation: ååå å±±ę“ē©“ē¾¤ , éå”ē¢ē
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: The two main groups of caves are known as Northern and Southern Xiangtangshan. The Northern Group, Bei Xiangtang, is the earliest and largest in scale and has three caves begun with imperial sponsorship; the Southern Group, Nan Xiangtang, has smaller caves numbered from one to seven; and a third site at Shuiyusi, also known as Xiao Xiangtang or āLittle Xiangtang,ā has one Northern Qi cave with sculptures.
550 - 577
Apsaras Flying
- Title Translation: é£å¤©
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Arhat (Luohan)
- Title Translation: ē½ę±
- Period: Liao, 907-1125 C.E.
- Project: Yixian Arhat
- Work Description: This life-size sculpture is part of a group of sixteen figures that have been known in the West since 1913. Thought to have come from a cave in Yixian, Hebei province, they represent arhats (or luohans, as they are known in China). Arhats were thought to have achieved an advanced state of spiritual development, and were revered as protectors of Buddhism. Regarded as masterpieces of ceramic sculpture, for their size, naturalistic modeling, and the quality of their three-toned (sancai) glaze, they can be dated securely to the late tenth or eleventh century based on material discovered in 1983 at an ancient kiln site near Beijing.
907
1125
1125
Pratyekabuddha Head
- Title Translation: č¾ęÆä½(ē¼č§)夓
- Period: Northern Qi, c. 580 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
580
Monster Kneeling
- Title Translation: č·Ŗ鬼ē„
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Monster Head
- Title Translation: 鬼ē„夓
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: This leonine head of a beast originates from a group of Buddhist cave temples in northern China known collectively as Xiangtangshan, or the āMountain of Echoing Halls.ā Commissioned in the sixth century by rulers of the Northern Qi dynasty, the Xiangtangshan Caves are believed to have been an important place of worship for the royal family. The masterfully carved images are a vivid testament to the power, religious piety, and political aspirations of these royal patrons, who believed that the construction of temples and making of Buddhist images generated spiritual merit for the state. Although demons and monsters were generally thought to be harmful, their representations in Buddhist contexts were intended to demonstrate the efficacy of Buddhaās teachings in subduing evil. This head originally belonged to a winged monster, shown crouching beneath the weight of a massive altar at the center of the cave, reminding worshippers that Buddhism had the power to tame malevolent creatures and bring them into the service of good.
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: č©čØ夓
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Pratyekabuddha Head
- Title Translation: č¾ęÆä½(ē¼č§)夓
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Hand
- Title Translation: č©čØę
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Pratyekabuddha Head
- Title Translation: č¾ęÆ(ē¼č§)ä½å¤“
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Standing
- Title Translation: č©čØē«å
- Period: Sui, 581-518 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Standing Guanyin Bodhisattva, head and both hands broken off. The smoothly falling robe forms thin ornamental folds.
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: č©čØ夓
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Both the Eastern Wei (535ā50) and the Northern Qi dynasties were ruled from a capital at Ye (presentday Linzhang) in southern Hebei province; both sponsored the construction of new cave temples. The complex built at Xiangtangshan (not far from the capital) dates from the Northern Qi period. It consists of two sites: the three enormous cave temples at the top of the mountain are known as Northern Xiangtangshan, while an additional seven smaller shrines, about nine miles to the south, are known as Southern Xiangtangshan. This head comes from the southern site, which was constructed slightly later.
550 - 577
Southern Xiangtangshan, seated buddha
- Title Translation: ååå å±±ę“ē©“ē¾¤ , åä½
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: The two main groups of caves are known as Northern and Southern Xiangtangshan. The Northern Group, Bei Xiangtang, is the earliest and largest in scale and has three caves begun with imperial sponsorship; the Southern Group, Nan Xiangtang, has smaller caves numbered from one to seven; and a third site at Shuiyusi, also known as Xiao Xiangtang or āLittle Xiangtang,ā has one Northern Qi cave with sculptures.
550 - 577
Arhat (Luohan)
- Title Translation: ē½ę±
- Period: Liao, 907-1125 C.E.
- Project: Yixian Arhat
- Work Description: This life-size sculpture is part of a group of sixteen figures that have been known in the West since 1913. Thought to have come from a cave in Yixian, Hebei province, they represent arhats (or luohans, as they are known in China). Arhats were thought to have achieved an advanced state of spiritual development, and were revered as protectors of Buddhism. Regarded as masterpieces of ceramic sculpture, for their size, naturalistic modeling, and the quality of their three-toned (sancai) glaze, they can be dated securely to the late tenth or eleventh century based on material discovered in 1983 at an ancient kiln site near Beijing.
907
1125
1125
Arhat (Luohan)
- Title Translation: ē½ę±
- Period: Liao, 907-1125 C.E.
- Project: Yixian Arhat
- Work Description: A seated pottery Lohan decorated with three color glaze, green, yellow and light tan. Shown seated in meditation, with palms open on lap.
907
1125
1125
Disciple Standing
- Title Translation: å¼å
- Period: Northern Qi, 589-618 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Expressing serene dignity, these youthful monks stand erect, their eyes downcast and hands firmly joined in reverent prayer. Their long earlobes allude to earrings that were worn by the Buddha as a young Indian prince and to his rejection of material wealth. Characteristic of Sui dynasty sculpture, the monksā sharply defined facial features and the folds of their robes enhance the figuresā flat, understated modeling. Each of their robes was originally painted with rectangles of different colors, signifying the patchwork mantle worn by the Buddha and by pious monks who emulated his humble values. Only shadowy traces of these pigments are now evident.
589 - 618
Buddha Head
- Title Translation: ä½å¤“
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: At the Xiangtangshan Buddhist sites in Hebei province, cave-temple construction and image-making were supported by the Northern Qi imperial court and nobility. Under the constant shadow of political uncertainty and the theory of the "Law of the Decadence" (or mofa, the deterioration of the True Law after the historical Buddhaās attainment of nirvana), the Buddhist faith was embraced as the ideal for rulership. The Buddhaās smile offers reassurance and consolation.
550 - 577
Monster Squatting Caryatid
- Title Translation: 鬼ē„č¹²å„³åę±
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Disciple Mahakasyapa
- Title Translation: éØå¾ę©čÆčæ¦å¶
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Mahakasyapa, the disciple of Shakyamuni, is presented with closed eyes in an expression of meditative concentration. He is holding a reliquary for the Buddhaās ashes, which symbolize the Buddha entering final spiritual attainment (nirvana) at death. The artistic simplicity exemplifies the spiritual content of this figure.
550 - 577
Disciple Ananda Head
- Title Translation: å¼åéæé¾å¤“
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Monster Kneeling
- Title Translation: č·Ŗ鬼ē„
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Pratyekabuddha Head
- Title Translation: ē¼č§ä½å¤“
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Monster Kneeling
- Title Translation: č·Ŗ鬼ē„
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Figure of a demon, intended to serve as a support for an engaged column. Body with wings, large horns, three fingers, and two toes; with shoulders hunched and arms braced on thighs.
550 - 577
Buddha Hand
- Title Translation: ä½ę
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Apsaras Hand Jewel
- Title Translation: é£å¤©ęé„°
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577