One of the thirty-three: Special Edition of the Statue of Guanyin in the Water Moon
Csy_Sean
This content has been published with the author's permission
preface
Shuiyue Guanyin is a guanyin statue style created by the famous artist Zhou Fang in the Middle and Tang Dynasties, which belongs to the Han-style Guanyin system and has a considerable influence on the statues in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period. Zhou Fang praised the Water Moon Guanyin as "quite abundant, and the full French crown is still close to Lu Li." The clothes are simple and the colors are soft. The bodhisattva is strict and creates the body of the water moon. ”
The Water Moon Guanyin is one of the Thirty-Three Kannons, and in the tantric teachings, it is the water auspicious bodhisattva of the Mandala Guanyin Temple in the Tibetan realm, and also has the alias "Self Guanyin". The statue of Guanyin of the Water Moon is often enshrined in some monasteries on the mainland, and it became fashionable to offer offering the Water Moon Guanyin during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and its influence can still be seen until the Ming and Qing dynasties. In particular, the sitting posture of the Water Moon Guanyin statue is often used in other bodhisattva forms.
The water moon and the rock that symbolizes Mount Putraoga (i.e., the Guanyin Dojo) are the main elements of composition, and the bodhisattva Shuzi sits on the rock as if he were looking at the moon in the water, which is an illusory and ephemeral symbol in Buddhism. Such statues are often decorated with landscapes and bamboo stones, changing the solemn sense of distance of the traditional bodhisattva image, full of Chinese poetry and Zen realm beauty. I think the best example is the mural on the north wall of Cave 2 of Yulin Cave, which was excavated in the Western Xia Period.
Figure 1 Water Moon Guanyin Xixia Yulin Cave No. 2 (Source Sina Weibo @ Mogao Grottoes)
In this issue, 12 statues of Guanyin of different materials are selected, including metal, wood carving, and porcelain, hoping to convey the beauty of this type of Guanyin to everyone.
Metal statues
The National Museum of China houses a gilded bronze statue of Guanyin of the Water Moon, excavated in 1957 at the Underground Palace of the Ten Thousand Pagodas in Jinhua, Zhejiang. This is a statue from the Wuyue Kingdom period (907-978), 53 cm high, the bodhisattva is stern, has a circular backlight, and sits in a playful sitting position on a rock platform symbolizing Mount Putuo luojia, in front of which the lotus pond is purified, in the shape of a moon in the water.
This statue adopts the backlight of a freehand round wheel-shaped flame and presents the mountain stone in the form of bronze casting, which is the original creation of the Buddhist statue of Wu Yueguo, and the overall image is full of Zen meaning, highlighting the artistic beauty of elegant and clear rhyme.
Figure 1-1 Photographed at Shenzhen Museum #Southeast Duosheng: Leifeng Pagoda and Wu Yueguo Buddhist Art Exhibition # Special Exhibition
Figure 1-2 Side view
Figure 1-3 Side back
Fig. 1-4 Back of the bodhisattva
Fig. 1-5 Bodhisattva game sitting posture
Fig. 1-6 Round wheel flame backlight
Fig. 1-7 Sitting posture and positioning of hands of Shuiyue Guanyin
Fig. 1-8 The design of the rock platform coincides with the drawings at the beginning of the design of the Water Moon Kannon
Fig. 1-9 Guanyin's crown, hair bun, and charm are all delicately carved
Wood carving artifacts
The wood-carved Water Moon Guanyin statue is one of the more important categories in this issue, and many of these wood-carved Buddha statues were originally enshrined in temples. In particular, the large-scale wood-carved Guanyin statues of the Two Song Dynasties were valued by museums, and museums in the United States, Germany, and Japan also collected them, and most of these wood-carved Buddha statues were originally placed behind the back screen of the main figure of the Temple's Daxiong Treasure Hall, which was one of the popular styles at that time. (From the official website of the Palace Museum)
First look at the palace museum collection of wood carvings painted gold Guanyin statue, 127.5 cm high. Like a full body painting, it consists of several pieces of wood inserted. Guanyin wears a high crown on her head, with a Buddha on the crown, a treasure, a treasure and a hair strand that droops, and the silver inlay is lost. Thin eyebrows, beautiful eyes, plump cheeks, lips painted beard, upper body exposed drapery, lower long skirt, chest ornaments, arms with treasures, clothing is light and flowing, full of rhythm. Sit half-toe, leaning forward slightly.
The so-called half-toddler sitting is divided into two types: the left leg droops, the right leg is crossed on the left strand, called auspicious half-toddler sitting, also known as the left Shuxiang stomping sitting; the leg posture is opposite, called descending demon half-toddler sitting, also known as right Shu Xiang stomping sitting.
Guanyin Bodhisattva was introduced to Middle-earth from India, after a long period of integration with Chinese culture, the Tang and Song dynasties, the worship of Guanyin continued to fade, Guanyin Bodhisattva became one of the most popular gods in China, so that bronze, stone, wood, mud, porcelain Guanyin statues of various textures emerged in an endless stream. This Guanyin statue looks like it is also warm, and it can be called the best work in the wood carving of the Northern Song Dynasty. (From the official website of the Palace Museum)
Figure 2-1 Taken in the exhibition hall of the Cining Palace Museum #Sculpture Hall
Figure 2-2 Front
Fig. 2-3 Guanyin statue is missing
Figure 2-4 Game sitting posture
The Shanghai Museum houses a lacquered gold painted wooden statue of a bodhisattva with a height of 92 centimeters. Originally from Shanxi, this statue is a representative work of the Bodhisattva Statue of the Song Dynasty. The statue is painted in gold and wears a side shirt and a long skirt. The head is crowned, the face is plump, the eyes are staring, the look is peaceful; the right chest is exposed, the chest is gorgeous, the belt is hanging down, the face is beautiful, and the expression is warm and quiet. The right leg is propped up and the right hand rests on the knee; the left leg is crossed in front of the body in a half-stomping, half-reclining position. This kind of casual sitting, comfortable and comfortable sitting style is a manifestation closer to secularization, and it is also a typical Song Dynasty style. (From the official website of Shanghai Museum)
Figure 3-1 Photographed in the exhibition hall of the Shanghai Museum #Ancient Chinese Sculpture Museum
Fig. 3-2 Depicting gold clothes, game sitting posture
The Nanjing Museum also has a Song Dynasty wood carving of the Water Moon Guanyin statue, which is 97 centimeters high. Due to the widespread cultural belief of Guanyin Bodhisattva in "great compassion and great compassion, saving suffering and saving suffering", during the Song Dynasty, Guanyin had changed from a male phase when it was introduced from India to a localized female phase, and began to appear in the form of a single figure.
However, for this statue, I personally feel that the look and feel is a little strange, and there is a slightly unnatural feeling.
Figure 4-1 Photographed at ##展厅 of Nanjing Museum
Figure 4-2 Side
Figure 4-3 Partial
The Rijksmuseum Asia Room displays a 12th-century wood-carved painted statue of Guanyin, 117 cm high. In addition to the pekoe between the foreheads, the bodhisattva's crown also seems to be partially missing. The upper body streamer is extremely dynamic, and the right hand positioned on the right knee is safe.
In addition, if you look closely at the painting of the bodhisattva's lower skirt (Fig. 4), you can still see some gold geometric ornaments similar to the turtle shell brocade, which is very exciting.
Fig. 5-1 photographed in the #展厅 of the #Asian Pavilion of the Rijksmuseum
Fig. 5-2 Side
Fig. 5-3 The forehead pekoe has been lost
Fig. 5-4 Details of the clothing ornament are painted
There are also many examples of wood-carved Water Moon Guanyin statues from the Two Song Dynasties (including the Liaojin) period in overseas museums. For example, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (pictured 2), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (with figure 3), and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (with figure 4). In particular, this Liao Dynasty statue of the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum can be called a fine statue of the Bodhisattva in this period in terms of form shaping and color painting.
Figure 2 Wood carving painting of guanyin statue of the water moon Liao Collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, USA
Figure 3 Wood carving painted water moon Guanyin statue in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States
Figure 4 Wood carving depicting the statue of The Golden Moon Guanyin, Gold, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Look at two Ming Dynasty wood carved Guanyin statues. The National Museum of China has a painted lacquered gold wood carved seated statue of a bodhisattva, 200 cm high. The bodhisattva has slender eyebrows, looks down, has a high nose bridge, a small cherry mouth, and a peaceful expression. He wears a floral crown on his head, a drapery drapery draped over his shoulders, a drapery hanging down his shoulders on the right, and a drapery wrapped around his arms on the left. The other drapery is draped from the right armpit up to the left shoulder, knotted under the left shoulder. The right arm is rested on the right knee, the left hand is supported in the left rear of the body, one leg is propped up, and the other leg is drooping, in a playful sitting posture, which is the typical sitting posture of the Water Moon Guanyin Statue. (From the official website of the National Museum of China)
Figure 6-1 Photographed in the exhibition hall of the National Museum of China #Ancient Chinese Buddha Statues
Figure 6-2 Side
Fig. 6-3 Facial details
The Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany, holds a 15th-century wood-carved statue of Guanyin of the Water Moon, 109.9 cm high. The bodhisattva wears a crown with a small Buddha on it, and has a peaceful expression. Wearing a glitter on the chest, the dress is shaped with a dynamic feeling, and sits peacefully on the rock platform in a game sitting posture.
Figure 7-1 Photographed at the special exhibition #Moon Hundred Styles at the Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne, Germany
Figure 7-2 Side
Figure 7-3 On the other side
Fig. 7-4 Front details
Figure 7-5 Game sitting posture
Figure 7-6 Game sitting posture
chinaware
Among the porcelain cultural relics, many statues of Guanyin of the Water Moon can also be seen. Among the 5 porcelain statues introduced in this issue, including famous kilns such as Jingdezhen kiln, Longquan kiln, and Dehua kiln, first look at the Capital Museum's Collection of Jingdezhen Kiln Green and White Glazed Water Moon Guanyin Statue, excavated in 1955 in Xicheng District, Beijing.
The statue of the bodhisattva wears a crown with a small Buddha on it, which is crippled. The forehead is broad, the eyes are slightly closed, dignified and kind, and the temperament is elegant. The right leg is propped up, the left leg is drooping, and the right arm is placed on the right knee, and the look is beautiful. Guanyin wears a robe on the upper body, a long skirt on the lower body, adorned with beads on the chest and skirt, and an arm on the wrist, and the whole body is very elaborately decorated. The whole body is applied with green and white glaze, the glaze color is white and green, and the tire quality is white and delicate. The production of Guanyin adopts a variety of decorative techniques such as molding, shaping, and kneading, which vividly expresses the religious temperament and connotation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, reflecting the superb level of porcelain sculpture in Jingdezhen in the Yuan Dynasty. (From the official website of the Capital Museum)
Figure 8-1 at the Capital Museum ##展厅
Figure 8-2 has traces of restoration
Fig. 8-3 Sitting posture
Fig. 8-4 Gestures and clothing patterns
This celadon Guanyin seated statue collected by the Fuzhou Museum, according to its sitting gesture, we can also judge it as a water moon Guanyin. The pekoe between the foreheads has also been lost, and Guanyin is sitting on a rock platform, and the water below the rock platform is rippling, which is in line with some of the compositional elements of the Water Moon Guanyin.
Figure 9-1 taken at Fuzhou Museum ##展厅
The Hangzhou Museum exhibited a ming Dynasty Longquan kiln blue-glazed statue of the boy worshiping Guanyin, although it was named Tongzi worshiping Guanyin, but from the sitting posture and gestures of Guanyin, it still conforms to the characteristics of the Water Moon Guanyin. In addition, when we compare the Ming Dynasty Water Moon Guanyin mural at Fahai Temple in Beijing, we can see that Guanyin also has the image of a virtuous boy on his side (picture 5), which is also similar to this Longquan kiln porcelain statue.
Figure 10-1 Photographed in the Exhibition Hall of the General History Exhibition hall of Hangzhou Museum #"The Most Memorable is Hangzhou"
Figure 5 Water Moon Guanyin Mural Ming Fahai Temple in Beijing
Finally, we look at two pieces of Dehua kiln white porcelain, and the white porcelain statue is the most well-known part of The Dehua kiln product. These two white porcelain Guanyin statues from the Qing Dynasty are in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, one is named Zi Guanyin, and the other is only named Guanyin. But from the perspective of game sitting, sitting freely and so on, I personally think it can be called Water Moon Guanyin.
Figure 11-1 Photographed in zhejiang provincial museum (gushan hall) #昆山片玉: ancient Chinese ceramics exhibition hall # exhibition hall
Figure 12-1 Photographed at the #昆山片玉 of The Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Gushan Pavilion): Exhibition Hall of Ancient Chinese Ceramics
epilogue
In fact, I am relatively less concerned about cultural relics with religious themes, probably because I do not have special religious beliefs and lack some of the necessary background knowledge to understand these cultural relics. However, the attraction of water moon guanyin to me is relatively large, and tracing back to the source, it should be the sense of peace brought to me by some wonderful water moon guanyin statues. For example, the gilded bronze Water Moon Guanyin statue of Wu Yueguo, as well as some wonderful wood carved Guanyin statues from the Two Song Dynasties, can unconsciously calm people down. Therefore, with this issue of the topic, I also hope to share this tranquility with you.