Appendix II

The Chinese Collections of the University Museum

Originally Published in 1941

Brief descriptions of less important objects not mentioned in the foregoing survey, but which are usually on exhibition in Harrison Hall.

Gilt statue of Guanyin in the royal ease pose, with one leg pendant and a bent knee against the ledge — Museum Object Number: C408A
Image Number: 1422

Overlifesize Figure of a Seated Bodhisattva

Wood, overlaid with gesso, coloured and gilt.
The deity is depicted in the pose known as the maharajalila or pose “of royal ease” (?). Figures of this character, although without identifying symbols, are usually identified as the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or Kuan Yin. Several parallel examples exist in public and private collections, but the present statue is the largest known.
The gesso has apparently been applied in many successive layers, indicating that the statue had been several times restored in the course of the centuries. Note should be made of the areas where the gesso is applied in low relief designs and thereafter gilded. This seems to be a technique first introduced at the end of the T’ang Dynasty.
Height 7 feet.
Yüan Dynasty (1280-1368) or perhaps a little earlier.
University Museum. Journal, Vol. XV, No. 4; International Studio, June 1922; Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 586.

Stone statuette of Buddhist guardian, nude to the waist and the thick neck and broad muscular chest, right arm raised as if to strike; left arm hanging at side holds gourd — Museum Object Number: C398
Image Number: 1305

One of a Pair of Guardians

Black limestone, grey patina. Typical for minor deities of this sort. Holds in his left hand a gourd supported by a strap on his shoulder, right arm upraised, fist clenched. Uninscribed.
Height 201⁄2 inches.
T’ang Dynasty, perhaps from Honan Province.
Given by C. T. Loo.
University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), No. 21. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 480.

Stone statuette of Buddhist guardian, nude to the waist and the thick neck and broad muscular chest, both arms are broken at elbow — Museum Object Number: C399
Image Number: 1306

One of a Pair of Guardians. Mate to the Above

One hand and one forearm broken off. Uninscribed.
Height 2l 1/2 inches.
Tang Dynasty, perhaps from Honan Province.
Given by C. T. Loo.
University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), No. 21. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 480.

Stone carved altar frontal with relief carving of an incense burner between two seated lions — Museum Object Number: C693
Image Number: 1412

Large Altar Frontal

Dark grey limestone, brown patina. Carved in high relief with two chimaera, in three-quarter view, guarding an incense burner from about the base of which curl lotus leaves and blossoms. Upper part, largely missing, has remains of a frieze of small niches filled with figures of the Buddha and bodhisattvas.
Height 2 feet, 6 inches.
Early Sixth Century. Uninscribed. It is said to have come from the same temple in the San-Yang district, Chihli province, as the Maitreya statue dated 514 A.D.
Given by C. T. Loo.

Statue of a Bodhisattva of wisdom riding a lion in the royal ease position — Museum Object Number: C96
Image Number: 1284

Statuette of the Bodhisattva Mi Lei Fo Riding on a Lion

Coarse, light grey sandstone, traces of color and gilding, discoloured by fire. Left hand, which formerly rested against cheek, and forearm missing. Uninscribed.
Height 2 feet, 3 inches.
T’ang Dynasty. From the cave temples of T ‘ien Lung Shan, Shansi, or a nearby site.
University Museum Bulletin, March 1930. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 502.

Bas relief of a Bodhisattva with both arms broken off at the elbows, in draped clothing and pearls — Museum Object Number: C98
Image Number: 1286

Statue of a Bodhisattva

In high relief. Yellowish marble, brown patina, with traces of color. Head turned somewhat. Both forearms arc missing. Uninscribed.
Height 3 feet, 3 inches.
T’ang Dynasty. Siren attributes it to the province of Hopei. A companion piece was formerly in the collection of C. T . Loo.
University Museum Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), no. 18. Siren. Chinese Sculpture, pl. 543A. University Museum Journal, Vol. VII, No. 3.

Carved stone stela with top missing, showing Buddhist figures surrounding a larger Bodhisattva with open palms extended — Museum Object Numbers: C446A / C446B
Image Number: 1374

Small Votive Stela

Yellowish marble. The top of the halo is missing. The stand is separate and each side of it decorated in low relief. Uninscribed.
Height 2 feet, 5 inches
The date of this piece is somewhat controversial. While it is of the style of the early T’ang Dynasty, Siren with considerable weight argues that it is a later production in the earlier manner, and associates it with a group of somewhat similar stelae, one of which bears an inscription which would seem to associate it with the reign of the Emperor Wan Li of the Ming Dynasty. Each piece of the group has the somewhat crowded handling of the background and they may be Ming products.
Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 288. 60

Stone head of bodhisattva, life size, narrow oval face with half-closed eyes and tiny mouth; no urna; long ears with pierced lobes and earrings; three peaked headdress with tassels partly missing — Museum Object Number: C444
Image Number: 1325

Head of a Bodhisattva

Life size. Grey limestone, greenish patina. Headdress somewhat damaged.
Height 16 1⁄2 inches.
North Ch’i Dynasty. Perhaps from the Nan Hsiang Tang cave temples in Honan whence the trinity of large standing figures is supposed to come. The headdress with three tassels, one in front and one on each side, does not seem to identify what bodhisattva is intended to be represented. University Museum, Journal, Vol. V, No. 3. University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), No. 20. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 475C.

Stone head of a buddha with wavy Greco-Roman influenced hair, downturned eyes, large cheeks and long earlobes — Museum Object Number: C64

Head of a Buddhist Monk

Life size. Grey limestone, greenish patina. Nose repaired.
Height 15 inches.
North Ch’i Dynasty. Provenance probably the same as the foregoing head. The similarity of the hair arrangement with that of two full length figures, also attributed to the Nan Hsiang T’ang cave temples (Siren, 473 A, B) tends to confirm this provenance. University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), No. 22. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 475D.

Four marble shrine figure of a bodhisattva, most likely Guanyin, with a jewelled headdress, necklace, and scarves, standing on a simplified lotus bud with oval halo, two on either side of a marble shrine figure of a seated Sakyamuni buddha on lotus throne with round halo — Museum Object Numbers: C105 / C106 / C104 / C107 / C108
Image Number: 1276

Set of Five Small Figures of Sakyamuni and Attendants

White marble, yellowish patina; traces of color. The figure of Sakyamuni is seated on a cylindrical throne and has a large circular halo. The right hand is missing.
Height 21 inches.
The two outer figures represent Ananda, the older wrinkled one, and Kasyapa, the youthful one. These were the Buddha’s two favorite disciples and their presence identifies him as Sakyamuni since it is only with this Buddha that Ananda and Kasyapa appear. Since it is a Sakyamuni group the two bodhisattvas flanking the central figure are probably Maitreya (Mi Lei Fo) and Avalokitesvara (Kuan Yin) the latter being the one that holds in its pendant right hand the palette shaped object, while Maitreya holds a lotus bud. Each of the four subsidiary figures stands on a lotus bud pedestal and is l foot, 4 inches in height. North Ch’i Dynasty. Probably from Hopei Province. University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (1917), Nos. 27-30. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 254.

Pottery model of a Han house or watch tower with three stories and birds on the roof — Museum Object Number: C356

Spirit Dwelling

Green glazed pottery. Various small figures of attendants and animals are applied to the roofs and balconies. Of interest as an illustration of the architecture of the period. Late Han Dynasty, about 150 A.D. Unpublished.
Height 28 inches.

Statue of a Bodhisattva in elaborate draped clothing and jewelry, holding a flower in right hand from which has sprung a small deity — Museum Object Number: C97
Image Number: 1285

Small Figure of a Bodhisattva

Marble with traces of pigment and gilding. Uninscribed.
Height 29 inches.
T’ang Dynasty.
University Museum, Journal, Vol. VII, No. 3. Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pp. 314.

Stone head of a Pratyekabuddha, head covering in spiral peak form — Museum Object Number: C65

Large Head of the Buddha

Grey limestone, brownish black patina, traces of pigment.
Height 22 inches.
T’ang Dynasty, probably from Honan Province.
University Museum. Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3; University Museum, Catalogue of Oriental Sculpture (19I7), No. 19; Siren, Chinese Sculpture, pl. 467D.