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The Art of China

These works from China deal with themes of religion and contemplation in a number of ways. They show the use of several different media and also the separate the more functional from the more esoteric images and objects which were aligned with religious practise. The variety of techniques, styles and modes of representation which proliferated in China with its strengthened connections to surrounding countries makes it difficult to generalise about specific artworks, so it is more useful to look at each individually within the collection.

For a broader view of Chinese painting, literature and culture, you might like to take a look at the net page entitled


[image] 1. Title: Padmapani, the bodhisattva
Date: c.1426-35
H.=26.6cm

This sculpture has a distinctly Indian appearance in the way the body of the bodhisattva has been modelled. The torso tapers down to a narrow waist and the spine is slightly curved, with this twist being carried through in a slight tilt to the head and the uneven positioning of the legs. The pose carries a lot of movement, with the arms also being held out at angles to the body. His right hand is lowered toward the ground and he sits on a lotus platform, as with other depictions of the Buddha calling the earth to witness (see Burma-image 1, Thailand-image 2), but unlike these other representations, the bodhisattva is far more decorated with jewellery and organic forms which entwine his arms. He also does not wear the simple robes of a monk, but instead some softly draped, fine cloth pants. He wears a crown on his head, unlike the signature curls of Buddha's hair. The figure adopts the pose of Buddha, with the movement and ornate working of a Hindu figure.

[image] 2. Title: Tile with guardian figure
Date: Tang Dynasty, 7th-early 8th century
H.=43.5cm

Once installed under the eaves of the Buddhist pagoda known as the Xiudingsi (Temple where Contemplation is Cultivated), this ceramic tile depicts a robustly muscled guardian figure who warded off evil spirits from the pagoda roof. Other tiles on the temple bore pictures of dancers, spirits, monsters, lions, elephants and flowers and the range of styles of representation they display show the great number of influences which came to bear upon Chinese Buddhist art making during this period, largely because of links to other countries via the Silk Road. Ceramics work in China developed significantly during the Tang dynasty.

[image] 3. Title: Standing horse
Date: Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25-220)
H.=84cm

This dynamic sculpture of a horse was created to be entombed with a deceased noble in the Sichuan province in central China. The practise of placing representations of symbolic value and signs of earthly wealth became common among nobles during this period, when China became a powerful empire, expanding its borders and exerting greater influence over and ties with neighbouring countries. It supported a growing interest in the search for immortality and a greater respect for ancestors. This ceramic horse has been built from several pieces and is quite stylised, especially around the head. The fierce expression signified by its bared teeth and tongue show the horse's strength and power, attributes which the owner of the animal would no doubt have liked to have been remembered.

[image]

[image][Detail]
4. Title: Escaping summer's heat in the Jiucheng palace
Artist: Ying Lan
Date: 1633
297.5/99cm

(Apologies for the poor quality of this image) This unusually long silk painting was probably intended to be hung in a formal residential room with adequately high ceilings and makes use of harmonious blue and green hues to give a feeling of rest and ease. The artist, Ying Lan, was greatly influenced by the painting of former periods and the text in the top right corner of the frame gives reference to the artist Li Sixun who developed this colour scheme for painting in the time of the Tang dynasty (7th-8th century). By travelling throughout China, Lan could draw on many different landscapes to represent in his paintings, exploring the effects of colour and the use of different brush techniques in new environments.


To read the Zen Heart Sutra with comments, plus a glossary of Zen terms, see my page on



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