Thank you for viewing my musings. I have been absent for several years but I hope to continue to write and post and share my experiences soon,
Musings on Chinese Furniture and Culture
The intention of this blog is to share knowledge, experiences and personal anecdotes pertaining to Chinese antique furniture. Furthermore, it is a discussion on ways to furnish the living environment with Chinese furniture and accessories.
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Thursday, August 13, 2020
Friday, May 13, 2016
A Painted Tibetan Cabinet with a Warrior Diety
Tibetan cabinets
are always colorful. The quality of the painting is dependent on the
ability of the artist, often a monk painter who earns merit as he paints
religious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism on the cabinet's surfaces. The
cabinet is in two parts. The top section has ample storage and can be
converted for storing wine. The interior surfaces are lined with printed
yellow paper of Tibetan prayers and religious symbols. The reason for this
is simple. Many areas of Tibet are in high altitudes above tree lines. In
the lower areas where trees grow, the lumber available for furniture
making is mostly evergreen, such as pine which is not an attractive wood.
So paper is used to beautify the interior surfaces.
This Tibetan cabinet is distinctively different
for having recessed doors to highlight the image of an unusual looking warrior
deity seated at royal ease with right leg bent and left leg pendant with a
tiger at his back. His full beard and large ears made him fierce compounded
with the fact that he holds a long drawn sword. A worshipper pays homage with a
bent knee and holding a plate of offering. The figures are situated against a
pastoral background with lush green trees and ground. The background is set
with craggy rocks and vegetation. A tall tree with green leaves stands at a
corner and Garuda, a bird deity appears at the left corner on the top. His beak
holds a long snake and his claw hands hold it in place. According to a Tibetan
expert, this bearded deity is probably a protector worshipped by people of a
certain local, and he would not be found in the pantheon of Tibetan deities. He
is acknowledged as a princely figure, seated in a princely pose.
The cabinet has
good age and the restorations made it attractive. Details in the architectural
elements that frame the header of the cabinet, and on the bottom section show
everything was hand chiseled. It was said that a prayer went with every wood
square as the carving was performed. These architectural elements are not
unlike the ones in the temples. The paintings everywhere on this particular
cabinet appear to be older than the painting of the pig face warrior on the
doors. It is very possible that original door painting was defaced and needed a
replacement. This cabinet is like a miniature temple, and the original purpose
was storage for religious objects. It is very attractive and should be
appreciated regardless of the alterations. The overall dimensions are 36 inches
wide, 22 inches deep and 84 inches high.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Now for something
entirely different: thirty three years ago, I began graduate studies in
the Division of Humanities at the University of Chicago. My field of study was Chinese Art
History. For the five years that
followed I wrote research papers on Chinese art history, literature and history. Then a turn of events necessitated my
departure from academia and plunged me into the world of business. My ability to look at previously unknown
objects and turn out pages of organized research went dormant. Sometime in
2006 we acquired this piece of Buddhist sculpture, its provenance unknown. I have looked at it for many years before I gathered
enough courage and made this attempt at research using the same analytical
methods that previously served me well.
Niche on an Ornamental
Base with Guardian Lions
An unpublished
research paper by Margaret Chung, AM University of Chicago
The niche with an assembly of Buddhist figures is carved from a block of
micaceous marble. It is placed on an elaborately carved square
base, also made of the same material. The form is unusual and can be
viewed as a grotto in miniature. For ease of carving, the top slab appeared to
have been removed and then restored upon completion. n a symmetrical plane, the Buddha Sakyamuni emanates from the center and is flanked by his attendants in a semi-circle extending beyond the niche’s interior. He is seated cross-legged on a lotus throne, his right hand in abhaya mudra, and his left hand resting on his knee in the varada mudra. Behind him, around the circumference of the nimbus are four soaring apsarases with flying scarves.
.
On his right and left are two monks, Ananda and
Kasyapa, Their faces are almost similar, though by tradition, Ananda
the young monk stands on Sakyamuni’s right and Kasyapa the older on the left.
The monks stand with their hands folded in their sleeves and next to them are
two bodhisattvas. They are plainly attired save a pectoral neck band
and double strands of flowing scarves across the dhoti. Their upheld
right hands hold lotus buds antheir left hands hold a heart shaped
fan. Next to the bodhisattvas and behind the lokapalas are
donor figures. The one to the right of Buddha has been damaged in
the face.
Seen only from the
waist up, both donors wear the voluminous garments, their hands tucked in the
sleeves and resting on the halos of the lokapalas. The lokapala on
the right holds a long sword and the other has his hands in tight fists across
his chest. Two dvarapalas with bare chests stand on guard at the
exterior of the niche under the hanging strand of lotus blossoms framing each
wall. The musculature of their well toned body is clearly defined.
With their right arms up and left arms tautly extended in a martial gesture,
they are fine manifestations of powerful guardians. The assembly of figures is
placed under an elaborately carved canopy with scallop edge plaited
drapery. Specks of mica are spotted here and there.
The niche’s exterior
is left unfinished on the sides and backs. Was that the intent or were
the surfaces saved for inscription and more carving? The niche is
supported by a beautifully ornamented marble base, finished on all
four sides with the same design. At the top on which the niche rests is a
band of repeat pattern of double upturn lotus petals. Underneath are
three dwarf caryatids or atlas figures. Each dwarf strikes a different
pose. Like the dvarapalas, the musculature of each dwarf is
well defined. Two lion dogs sitting on their haunches act as guardians at the
upper corners.
In Buddhist sculptures, assemblies of multiple figures are
common. Each composition is an illustration of a particular sutra, done
in accordance to a prescribed iconography. In the case of
the marble niche, the makeup of this particular pantheon of the Buddha
figure accompanied by bodhisattvas, lokapalas, dvarapalas, lions and donors are
rarely seen before the Tang Dynasty (CE 618-907.) The best example of
such a grouping is the assembly accompanying the colossal image of Vairocana at
the Fengxian Temple of Longman, Henan Province. The Fengxian Temple was
constructed after the mid 7 century with support from Empress Wu Zetian (CE
625-705.)
(photo credit Wikipedia Fengxian Temple Longmen Grottoes)
Upon the review of the groups named above, the construction of
the marble niche clearly predates the construction of the Fengxian
Temple at Longman. The serenely seated Buddha and the columnar forms of
the standing dvarapala monks and bodhisattvas with square
fleshy faces are more reminiscent of Northern Qi sculptures. The canopy
with the line of triangular forms superimposed on the plaited drapery is even
more evocative of earlier times. Inasmuch as the enlivened figures of thedvarapalas portrayed
with upturned head ribbons and long flying scarves are more animated, it is not an exception but rather a rule for guardian figures.
In the assignment of a date, the base should also be taken into
consideration. The marble base with the dwarf atlas figures
bears a close resemblance to a pedestal base of a similar design and of the
same material that was excavated and accessioned in 1954 to the Beilin Museum
of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province. This base without the two lion dogs was
made to support a statue. It is dated by inscription to 706 and measures
57cm in length, 53cm in width and 39cm high. According to the inscription,
the base was one of four commissioned by Fazang (CE 643-712,) a scholar who had
great expertise on the Avatamsaka Sutra (Huayan Sutra)
even before he became the founder of the Huayan School.
Under the patronage of Empress Wu, Huayan Buddhism flourished
and temples were built in Luoyang as well as Chang’an. It is believed that
these bases were made in veneration of the Huayan Patriarchs,
of which Fazang was the third and their relics were housed in the five stupas
built on the compound of the Huayan Temple outside of present
day Xi’an. Today only the first and the fourth stupas are left standing.
Is it even plausible to link the the niche with the base together
within the same time of manufacture? The answer is no. Although they look
the same, the depiction of the lions on the marble niche base predates
the Tang period and the dwarf figures are often seen in Northern Qi
sculptures. It is possible that the aesthetics of the base is so pleasing
that it has become a design for bases in Buddhist sculptures. The reason
why it is rarely seen is probably due to the time and labor required for its
making. Besides, the Buddhist persecution that took place around 846 destroyed
an immeasurable number of Buddhist images. In addition, it was really
fortuitous that the marble niche fits exactly into the base and the
visible chips and losses probably resulted when the niche was removed from the
base after a long period of time.
In the construction of the marble niche, the artisans made skillful
use of the space. In their efforts to preserve the accurate iconographic
prescription, the artisans took liberty in the juxtaposition of the
deities. During the conversations with the late Harrie Vanderstappen, my
mentor at the University of Chicago and other people in the field, I have
gained some understanding of this object. According to Father
Vanderstappen, marble is a medium for use by those who enjoyed
imperial patronage. Could the donor figures be imperial personages?
They are even adorned with halos, and stand on the same level with the
bodhisattvas, a highly unusual practice for donor figures who are portrayed in
a small size and in kneeling in adoration. Others have suggested that it is the
base of a reliquary to be placed within a cave tomb high on a hill, thus making
it unnecessary to finish the niche’s side walls. For what purpose did
this marble niche and base serve, I may never know. But based
on the stylistic analysis of the figures compared with
other marble sculptures of the same period, Northern Qi is a likely
date.
This dating is further
supported by a theory that I formulated based on the history of the Avatamsaka
Sutra in China. The first full
translation was made in 420 CE. The
ruling house of the Northern Qi was very religious. It is highly lightly that the members were
reading the Avatamsaka sutra, where this particular iconography of Buddha
flanked by two monks, two bodhisattvas, two lokapalas and two dvarapalas is
associated with. Therefore this marble
niche would predate the the sculptures at Longmen.
Dimensions:
The marble niche:
53cm x 36cm x 41cm high
Buddha: 24cm high
(from lotus base to top of halo)
Monk: 20cm high
Bodhisattva: 24cm high
Donor: 14cm (from
chest to top of halo)
Lokapala: 14cm high
Dvarapala: 25cm high
Marble base: 65cm
square
Dwarf caryatid: 10cm
high
Lion: 10cm high
Total height of niche
on base: 65cm
The Marble Niche and
Base is offered for sale through www.liveauctioneers.com in the following link:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/45075516_marble-niche-on-an-ornamental-base-with-guardian-lions
Friday, September 5, 2014
Flowers and Floral Patterns in Chinese Jade Carvings
Flowers and Floral Patterns in Chinese Jade Carvings
Sometimes unforeseen circumstances motivate the inspiration to write. I was cleaning the portion of my book shelf containing research books on Chinese jades when, quite by chance I came upon a book Jade Flowers and Floral Patterns in Chinese Decorative Art by Cheng Te-k’un. Dusting was put aside and I spent the next hour refreshing my knowledge of jade flowers. My love for jade flowers was instilled early in my childhood by my mother who loved jades. When it was time to name her daughters, she selected the character hua (flower) for all her seven daughters, and identified each of us after a certain type of jade. Dr. Cheng’s writing was thorough. He discussed the earliest form of jade flower was found during the Warring States period (475 – 221 BC.) The popularity grew and by the Tang Dynasty (CE 618 – 907) jade flowers were in vogue. Ladies wore them as personal ornaments. The best examples of flowers and floral patterns in jades still extant today are dated to the Yuan (CE 1279 – 1368) and Ming Dynasty (CE 1368 – 1644.) They are carved out of nephrite. In the Qing Dynasty, jade flowers were carved in both nephrite and jadeite, the green color jade from Burma. The illustrations in the Jade Flowers book are plentiful but the common practice in the older scholarly books, they are in black and white print.
However, it was not long that I came to a 1991 exhibition catalog from
Spink & Son Ltd titled Chinese Jade. There
are some really good photographs. The oldest flowers are No. 67 in the center and No. 69. They are dated Song (CE 960-1279.) The rest are Song to Ming.
The five large jade plaques to the left are also from the Spink catalog. Each piece is a good illustration of how floral patterns flow smoothly in the background.They are dated to the Yuan to Ming. The small flower at the center bottom is a very popular Ming design.
While browsing through Leslie Hindman Auctioneer's September Asian Sale, to my delight, I found more examples of the related topic. http://catalogues.lesliehindman.com/asp/search.asp?pg=1&st=D&sale_no=329
Jade Flowers |
Smaller Jade Flowers, very much like the one at Spink's |
Jade Flower, very similar to Spink's No. 68 |
Jade Hairpins of the Ming Dynasty |
The two end pieces are jadeite carvings and the center is a rust color jade |
Please note that these examples of jade flowers are randomly selected and further research at other auction and internet sites will yield more examples.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Return to Yunnan Part I
Autumn Woods near Lijiang, Yunnan Province |
I was born on an autumn evening in the city of
Kunming, Yunnan Province in Southwest China. Within a year WWII ended, my
father, my sister and I in my mother’s arms boarded a transport plane and left
Kunming. I never returned until another fine autumn evening more than half a
century later. The city held no memory, except for a phrase from a children’s
ditty that my mother and sister used to sing to me. It said something about a
temple on East Street and a temple on West Lane. To my surprise and disappointment, the temples
still exist but impossible for me to reach.
The streets and lanes in the older section of town were too narrow for
the tour bus and therefore not on the itinerary.
My tour began with a visit to Da Guan Lou
Park – a beautiful garden with traditional architecture. Any adjective to describe gardens in Yunnan
is superfluous. Yunnan Province is the
mother garden of the world. In the period between late 19 to early 20 century, botanists from all over the world over came to identify and collect specimens. Many common flowers such as the Easter lily were propagated from the Yunnan originals.
A Pavilion at Da Guan Lou Park |
A lake full of lotus plants |
A solitary lotus flower standing |
Accustomed to small ponds of lotus in botanical gardens, this huge lake of green leaves as far as the eye could see was breath taking! But we were too late to see the lotus flowers in bloom. Many of the leaves already turned brown, but I was thrilled to find a solitary pink flower still standing.
Chrysanthemums of all varieties were on display |
The next morning we boarded a plane for Lijiang, home of the Naxi, one of the ethnic minority people in China. The Old Town, now a UNESCO Heritage site, was on the confluence of the horse and tea trade for over 800 years. Most of the buildings around Old Town dated to the Ming Dynasty CE 1368 - 1644.
Small horses are more tolerant of the cold temperature |
Tower in the town square |
Restored buildings were interesting and pleasing to the eye, but I was glad to see a few of the more traditional houses built with bricks.
We left the city and headed for a higher altitude. The tour brought us to a station where we boarded a ski lift for a ride to the forests above. The trees - autumn colors in a mist, made for a good painting study. And moss - growing in mounds were everywhere! I was in heaven. My fascination with moss began by watching my grandfather trying to grow moss in his miniature grotto. He knew he could not make moss grow, but that did not deter him. If he could only be with us, he would surely collect specimens out of the moss laden fallen logs.
A moss lover's dreamscape |
A glimpse of snow covered mountains |
Snow capped mountain range - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain near Lijiang, Yunnan Province 2006 |
After what seemed to be a long hike, we arrived at a scenic area where we could view the snow capped mountain range of the Yuelongxue Shan - the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It was a sight to behold!
(to be continued)
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