Both figures are positioned with one arm raised
fist clenched as if once grasping a weapon and
the other arm resting on the hip. One leg is
fixed while the other is raised atop the head of
an ox or cow which serves as the base. They
wear layers of robes beneath clad armor pulled
in at the waist by a wide ornate belt decorated in
celestial motif. Close-fitting pantalones adorned
with black streaks and rounded red boots are
exposed. Also an iconographical elemet of Deva
King subjects, a helmet-like headdress with a
top knot covers the head. The "Deva King" is an
image of fear and respect. Borne out of a
synthesis of the indigenous Chinese "Heavenly
Kings," legendary guardians of the four
directions, and the Buddhist "Guardian Kings," or
Lopakalas, these supernatural beings were held
in high esteem among T'ang burial objects for
their protective role. They were presented as
supernatural beings, with facial features and
body proportions unlike those of ordinary
human. Their ferocious expressions and
menacing gestures are borrowed from their
Buddhist counterparts, and their hair is often
depicted pulled up into a distinctive knot in the
fashion of Buddhist deities. Up to 1.5 meters tall,
they trample on evil in the form of a small
demon, or they stand on an ox or cow,
symbolizing that the king is the guardian of the
south. T'ang figurines reached their peak in the
first half of the eighth century, just before the An
Lushan Rebellion which resulted in the
weakening of the dynasty and later persecution
of Buddhism. They are considered to be the
finest examples of Chinese burial objects. The
important role assigned to these models in T'ang
tomb arrangements and their significance as
status symbols and powerful guardians
protecting the dead meant that these clay
figures became luxury objects. Created during
one of the greatest periods in Chinese history,
they reflect the artistic vitality of the time, the
re-ordering of social and political life, and give a
unique perspective into the luxurious and
sophisticated world of contemporary upper class
life.
- (H.012)
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