The fundamental tenet of Buddhism is that
salvation is possible to all sentient beings
because they possess the Buddha nature in them
and hence all can potentially be enlightened.
Enlightenment is simply achieved by faith and
devotion to Buddha and the religious ideal,
represented by the Bodhisattva Pratyekabuddha
(Pizhifo) or Arhat (Aluohan/Luohan), among
others. These beings, though qualified to enter
nirvana, delay their final entry in order to bring
every sentient being across the sea of misery to
the calm shores of enlightenment. The
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin Pusa) is the
Buddhist deity of compassion and mercy.
The late part of the M’ing Dynasty saw an
increased emphasis upon Confucianism,
combined with strong martial elements oriented
towards defence – the Great Wall dates mainly
from this period. When the ultra-conservative
Manchus (from Manchuria, north east of China)
took over in 1644 and founded the Q’ing
dynasty, they set in motion a series of changes
that utterly altered the face of China, including
insistence upon the Emperor as a divine being,
and a strongly separatist attitude towards the
outside world. Paradoxically, the arts flowered
during this period, although it has been
suggested that the stylistic conventions
engendered during this period remained
essentially unchanged until the end of the
imperial dynastic system with the hapless Pu-Yi
(deposed in 1912). This figure, which dates to
near the transition of the dynasties (17th century
AD) therefore pertains to a highly dynamic and
socially restive time, peculiarly at odds with the
serene appearance of the figure’s face.
This Bodhisattva is seated in padmasanam (lotus
position) with one hand resting in the lap and
the
other raised in a gesture of reflective
benediction. The Bodhisattva's worldly
ornaments – such as the high tiara and rich
necklaces in sumptuous detail – contrast with the
plainer image of the Buddha, whose minimal
markings indicate his earthy purity. The lower
half of the body is clad in a loose tunic-like
garment tied at the waist with an ornate knot,
overlain by a set of long robes carved with
extreme attention to detail and with a great
sense of movement. The face is framed by long
curls of hair protruding from beneath the ornate
tiara, and by long earlobes. The whole is
ornamented yet further with a long, complex
necklace that hangs down to the mid chest area.
The face is naturalistic and well-nourished in
general demeanour, with sensitively carved eye,
nose and mouth. The texture and patina of the
wood is superb. This is a beautifully made and
well-preserved sculpture, dating from a dynamic
and exciting period in China’s history. It would
be a major and important addition to any serious
collection, but would look superb in any setting
into which it was placed.
