Statue
Object Number:
C432
Current Location:
China Gallery
Culture:
Chinese
Provenience:
China
Henan
Zhengzhou
Period:
Wei Dynasty
Date Made:
Wei Dynasty- Late 6th Century
Early Date:
386
Late Date:
599
Section:
Asian
Materials:
Limestone
Technique:
Carved
Iconography:
Fu Lion
Description:
Massive stone fu lion sitting very erect on its haunches and throwing out its chest. Weathered grey limestone with traces of yellow paint on lower part. Huge muzzle, round eyes, short ears, mouth open showing tongue; small beard; mane represented in low relief, very flat, indicating flame and scroll; vertical pillar-like front paws. The lion, associated with royal power and prestige, may be a reference to the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, who was known as the "lion of the Shakya clan." This lion is one of a pair with C433 and would have been placed along the entrance to the tomb as a guardian or as a protector at a gate to a temple.
Height:
137.2cm
Credit Line:
Purchased from C. T. Loo
Current & Past Exhibitions:
Chinese Rotunda (1968)
Chinese Halls (1941 - 1966)
Bibliography:
[Article] Jayne, Horace H. 1941. The Chinese Collections of The University Museum: A Handbook of the Principal Objects. The University Museum Bulletin. 9 (2-3) : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 13, Fig. 5
[Book] Siren, Osvald. 1925. Chinese sculpture from the fifth to the fourteenth century; over 900 specimens in stone, bronze, lacquer and wood, principally from northern China. : Page/Fig./Plate: Plate 114
[Article] 1924. Chinese Sculpture. The Museum Journal. Volume XV (No. 4): 258-287. : Page/Fig./Plate: Pg. 264, plate VII
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