SOUTH, EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTH, EAST &SOUTHEAST ASIA

Terra cotta warriors Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China. Qin Dynasty c. 221-209 BCE. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor whose purpose was to protect the him in his afterlife. The figures, dating from approximately the late third century BCE, were discovered in 1974 by local farmers. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.

Terra cotta warriors Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China.Qin Dynasty c. 221-209 BCE.

Funeral banner Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui). Han Dynasty c. 180 BCE. Painted silk. Xin Zhui was the wife of the Marquis of Dai. Discovered in 1972, Xin Zhui's body and tomb are considered one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.Besides having some of the best preserved human remains ever discovered in China, the contents of Xin Zhui's tomb revealed an incredible amount of information about life in the Han Dynasty that was previously unknown. Lady Dai's painted silk banner is a precious window into Han-dynasty legends and funeral practice; it was carried in front of the funeral procession, then draped upon her coffin. Banners like this were employed to attract the spirit of the deceased to its tomb, where it could be properly started on its afterlife journey instead of remaining on earth to bother the living.

Funeral banner Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui). Han Dynasty c. 180 BCE. Painted silk. The banner's design1 is divided vertically into Yin (left), Mixture (center), and Yang (right); and horizontally into the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld. The banner describes Lady Dai's journey to heaven; it is decorated with grave goods, spirits, legends, and symbols of immortality associated with Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West.

Longmen Caves Longmen Caves. Tang Dynasty,493-1127 CE. Limestone. The Longmen Caves are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples, they are located 12 km (7.5 mi) south of present day Luòyáng, China. The images, many once painted, were carved into caves excavated from the limestone cliffs of the Xiangshan and Longmenshan mountains, running east and west. The grottos were planned and carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), when the rulers relocated their capital at Luoyang near the end of the 5th century. At that time Buddhism was spreading east into China and was venerated by the imperial court. The Buddhists adopted the practice of carving rock temples, dedicated to the Buddha.

Longmen Caves Longmen Caves. Tang Dynasty, 493-1127 CE. Limestone.

Longmen Caves The Grottoes at Longmen Caves. Tang Dynasty, 493-1127 CE. Limestone.

Gold and Jade Crown. Three Kingdoms Period, Silla Kingdom, Korea. 5th to 6th Century CE. Metalwork. The crowns of Silla were made in the Korean kingdom of Silla approximately in the 5th-7th centuries of the Common Era. These crowns were excavated in Gyeongju, the former capital of Silla, and are designated National treasures of South Korea. The Silla crowns are very fragile and weigh more than one kilogram (2.2 pounds). The Silla kings probably did not wear the golden crowns like hats. They were probably used only for formal and ceremonial occasions.

Gold and Jade Crown. Three Kingdoms Period, Silla Kingdom, Korea. 5th to 6th Century CE. Metalwork. This magnificent crown was found in the Silla queen's tomb at the double-burial of Hwangnam Daechong. The king, who had been the reigning monarch, had crowns made of silver and gilt bronze only. The crown comprises a headband with five vertical elements—three shaped like trees and two like antlers—and six dangling pendants.

Todai-ji Todai-ji.Nara, Japan. 743 CE. Rebuilt c.1700. Bronze and wood (sculpture); wood with ceramic-tile roofing (architecture). Todaiji ("Great Eastern Temple") is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs. Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

Todai-ji Daibutsu (The Great Buddha), Todai-ji.Nara, Japan. 743 CE. Rebuilt c.1700. Bronze and wood (sculpture). The size of his open hand is about the length of an adult human!

Todai-ji Great South Gate, Todai-ji. Nara, Japan. 743 CE. Rebuilt in 962. Wood. The impressive wooden Great Southern Gate, called Nandaimon, leads to Todai-ji temple main building, on the northern side of the park. The original gate was destroyed by a typhoon in 962 and rebuilt in 1199 (Kamamura period), ih the very same installment we see today.As you enter, the gate, you see the temple guards, known as the Nio, who are around 25 feet tall.

Todai-ji Great South Gate, Todai-ji. Nara, Japan. 743 CE. Rebuilt in 962. Wood.

Todai-ji Nio Guardian Statues,Todai-ji.Nara, Japan. 1203 CE. Wood. The Niō (“Benevolent Kings”) are a pair of protectors who commonly stand guard outside the temple gate at Japanese Buddhist temples, one on either side of the entrance. The open-mouth version is commonly placed to the right of the temple, the closed-mouth version to the left. In Japan, the gate itself is often called the Niō-mon. At Shintō shrines, however, the Niō guardians are replaced with a pair of koma-inu (shishi lion-dogs) or with two foxes. These mythical and magical shrine guardians are commonly (but not always) depicted with similar iconography -- one mouth open, one closed. (Mouth open to scare off evil spirits, closed to keep in the good ones!)

Todai-ji Nio Guardian Statues,Todai-ji.Nara, Japan. 743 CE. Rebuilt c.1700. Wood. The Niō (“Benevolent Kings”) are a pair of protectors who commonly stand guard outside the temple gate at Japanese Buddhist temples, one on either side of the entrance. The open-mouth version is commonly placed to the right of the temple, the closed-mouth version to the left. In Japan, the gate itself is often called the Niō-mon. At Shintō shrines, however, the Niō guardians are replaced with a pair of koma-inu (shishi lion-dogs) or with two foxes. These mythical and magical shrine guardians are commonly (but not always) depicted with similar iconography -- one mouth open, one closed. (Mouth open to scare off evil spirits, closed to keep in the good ones!)

Borobudur Temple. Central Java, Indonesia. Sailendra Dynasty. c. 750-842 CE. Volcanic stone masonry. This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m2. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha.

Borobudur Temple. Central Java, Indonesia. c. 750-842 CE. Volcanic stone masonry.

Borobudur Temple. Central Java, Indonesia. c. 750-842 CE. Volcanic stone masonry. Queen Maya riding horse carriage retreating to Lumbini to give birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautama

Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat. City of Angkot Thom, Cambodia. Hindu, Angkor Dynasty, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone. Angkor Wat was first a Hindu, later a Buddhist, temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in present-day Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture.

Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat. City of Angkot Thom, Cambodia. Hindu, Angkor Dynasty, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone.

Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat. (Viewed from the rear).Hindu, Angkor Dynasty, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone.

Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat. (Interior).Hindu, Angkor Dynasty, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone.

Angkor Thom (which literally means “Great City”), is located in present day Cambodia, and was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII. It covers an area of 9 km², within which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman's state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north. The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was Mangalartha, which was dedicated in 1295.

South Gate at Angkor Thom (Cambodia)

Churning of the Ocean Milk, the temple of Angkor Wat. (Interior). Hindu, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone. The myth of the Churning was very popular in the Angkor era. It is depicted at temples in Angkor and all over Cambodia. Hindu mythology tells a story about the churning of the Cosmic Ocean in order to obtain Amrita - the nectar of immortal life. At the suggestion of Vishnu the gods and demons churn the primeval ocean in order to obtain Amrita which will guarantee them immortality. This well-known bas-relief is seen on the southeast wing of the temple.

Jayavarman VII as Buddah, the temple of Angkor Wat. Hindu, c800-1400 CE. Stone masonry, sandstone. Jayavarman VII (1181–1215) was the greatest of all Khmer Buddhist kings. Jayavarman VII worked tirelessly to establish Buddhism as the state religion of Angkor. He was already an elderly man, perhaps 60, when he ascended the throne. Before becoming king, he had devoted his long life to meditation and tantra. Sensing his mortality, he worked feverishly to accomplish his works in "saving" the Khmer people and establishing a Buddhist empire in a race against time. As a "bodhisattva king" Jayavarman VII was considered to be a living Buddha, or bodhisattva who turned his back from the brink of enlightenmentto redeem or save his people from suffering; he imagined himself in a role similar tothat of the present day Dalai Lama.

Aerial view of Angkor Wat

Plan of Angkor Wat

Lakshmana Temple. Khajuraho, India. Chandella Dynasty. 930-950 CE. Sandstone. The Lakshmana temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu, was built from 930-950 AD during the reign of King Yasovarman of the Chandella kingdom. It houses a sacred image of Vaikuntha-Vishnu brought from Tibet. Though the temple is one of the oldest in the Khajuraho fields, it is also one of the most exquisitely decorated, covered almost completely with images of over 600 gods in the Hindu Pantheon. The main shrine of the temple, which faces east, is flanked by four freestanding subsidiary shrines at the corners of the temple platform. The temple is famous for the explicitly sexual carvings on the southern side of the temple, though these make up only a small fraction of the total.

The Lion and the Warrior, Lakshmana Temple. Khajuraho, India. Chandella Dynasty. 930-950 CE. Sandstone. The temples are superb examples of Indo-Aryan architecture, but it's their liberally embellished carvings that have made Khajuraho famous. Around the temples are bands of exceedingly artistic stonework showing a storyboard of life a millennium ago – gods, goddesses, warriors, musicians, and real and mythological animals.

Lakshmana Temple. Khajuraho, India. Chandella Dynasty. 930-950 CE. Sandstone.

Lakshmana Temple, layout plan. Khajuraho, India. Chandella Dynasty. 930-950 CE.

Travelers among Mountains and Streams. Fan Kuan. c.1000 CE. Ink on silk. 6.75 ft x 2.5 ft. Fan Kuan was a Chinese landscape painter of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) and considered among the great masters of the tenth and eleventh centuries. Travelers among Mountains and Streams, a large hanging scroll, is Fan Kuan's best known work and a seminal painting of the Northern Song school. It establishes an ideal in monumental landscape painting to which later painters were to return time and again for inspiration. The classic Chinese perspective of three planes is evident - near, middle (represented by water and mist), and far. Unlike earlier examples of Chinese landscape art, the grandeur of nature is the main theme, rather than merely providing a backdrop.

Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace. Kamakura Period, Japan. c.1250-1300. Handscroll (ink and color on paper). The Siege of the Sanjō Palace is an example of Japanese historical narrative painting. It depicts some of the civil war of the 1159 Heiji Rebellion between the Minamoto and their rivals, the Taira. It all started when Taira warriors abducted the emperor in a nighttime attack. The viewer can see the warriors on horseback, armed with bow and arrow and dressed with an array of armor and dressings compiled of a tan, brown and black color. Flashes of color beautifully capture the drama of the night attack and burning of Emperor Goshirakawa’s palace.

Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace (detail). Kamakura Period, Japan.c.1250-1300. Handscroll (ink and color on paper).

The David Vases. Yuan Dynasty, China. 1351 CE. White porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze. Porcelain was first produced in China around 600 CE. Chinese ceramics, by far the most advanced in the world, were made for the imperial court, the domestic market, or for export. The David Vases are the best-known porcelain vases in the world because of the rare inscriptions around their necks, dating them to precisely 1351. When first discovered they were believed to be the oldest dated example of blue-and-white porcelain in the world. They are named after their most famous owner, Sir Percival David (1892-1964), who built-up one of the world's greatest Chinese ceramic collections. They were originally altar vases, commissioned by a man called Zhang Wenjin, and presented as an offering to a Daoist temple.

The David Vases. Yuan Dynasty, China. 1351 CE. White porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze. Aside from the inscriptions providing the earliest date on blue and white porcelain, the inscriptions offer information about the man who commissioned them, where they were going, and what purpose they served. The man responsible for their creation, Zhang Wenjin from Yushan county, commissioned the two vases from a Jingdhezhen kiln to offer as a gift to a Daoist temple in Wuyuan. The inscriptions indicate that this took place on May 3, 1351.

The David Vases. Yuan Dynasty, China. 1351 CE.White porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze.

Portrait of Sin Sukju (1417-1475).Imperial Bureau of Painting. c.15th century CE. Hanging scroll (ink and color on silk) Sin Sukju was one of the politicians who ruled in this period. During his rule, this propagandistic portrait of Sin Sukju was created. The importance of this painting is represented in its location sat the Imperial Bureau of Painting. Silk was one of Asia's main trade goods during the time; the popularity of this soft material was evident in the formation of the Silk Road. The high demand and value of this material indicates thus a high value of this artwork. Traditional Asian art commonly featured silk as a canvas. Sin Sukju is a powerful leader during this time period, and this painting is evidence of his dominance.

Forbidden City. Beijing, China. Ming Dynasty. 15th century CE and later. Stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. Located in the center of Beijing, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government, for almost 500 years. Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 180 acres. Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artefacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Forbidden City. Beijing, China. Ming Dynasty. 15th century CE and later. Stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile.

Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City. Beijing, China. Ming Dynasty. 15th century CE and later. Stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest hall within the Forbidden City. It is located at its central axis, behind the Gate of Supreme Harmony. Built above three levels of marble stone base, and surrounded by bronze incense burners, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is one of the largest wooden structures within China. It was the location where Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty Emperors hosted their enthronement and wedding ceremonies within its grand hypostyle hall. The original hall was built by the Ming Dynasty in 1406 and was destroyed seven times by fires during the Qing Dynasty and last re-built in 1695–97.

SOUTH, EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA