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Lot
Number
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B000069 |
| Lot
Title |
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A Miniature Gilt Bronze Figure of a Bodhisattva, Shakyamuni |
| Date
of Origin |
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Ming Dynasty |
| Country
of Origin |
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China |
| Material
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Gilt Bronze |
| Measurements |
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5.7 cm |
| Lot
Quantity |
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1 |
| Estimate |
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| Description:
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Description (guaranteed):
This is a Buddha statue that I bought a while ago, and at the time, I only felt it was a piece that small but very cute, and with inscription. Later, I found out more information and introduction of the same Buddha statue from the articles of (The Story of Buddha, P48) by National Palace Museum,(Interesting Talk of Ancient Buddha Statue, P172) and (Appraisal and Collection of Buddha Statue, P24) by Mr. Jin Shen. I have to say I highly respect the works and studies done by Mr. Jin on this small statue, and extracted some contents as following to share with all collectors.
This Buddha statue is small but cute, only 5.7cm in height, very detail and delineated in facial appearance, robe lines, and pedestal design. With the imposing of a great statue, little but majestic. One hand shows in the mudra of meditation (dhyana-mudra), and the other hand shows in bhumyakramana-mudra representing Sakyamuni calling the earth god to witness his just and Buddhahood.
The most interesting and value point of this statue is that it has wish statement inscribed on the neck of its Sumeru Throne , total 50 Chinese characters stating:
Chou family to return 4 graces, asked craftsman casting Buddha statue, 5048 sets in the same style, all gilt with gold, widely support to public offering, admire and respect Buddha, good luck and happiness as one wishes. Hong Wu year 29, Apr, auspicious day made
The Chou family was once mistakenly recorded as Tong family at Collector Magazine, but later was corrected by Ms Hsu from Shanghai who also introduced one of the 5048 Buddha in the magazine and said it should read as Chou family, and that should be right. Hong Wu year 29 is 1396 which is more than 600 years from now.
Chou family should be the 5th son of Hong Wu Emperor (Zhu YuanZhang),in Hong Wu year 3 was conferred as King of Wu, and year 11 (1378) changed the confer to King of Chou, year 14 stationed in KaiFong, Hong Shi year 1 (1425) died, and was conferred posthumous honor as Din, so also known as Din King of Chou.
Now back to the wish statement of this Buddha, why they made 5048 sets of Buddha? Did not quite understand the reason in the beginning, however, after the article was published on the magazine, a knowledgeable monk named Hosho Hattori in Tokyo also saw the article and explained the reason why made 5048 sets. It was due to the Buddhist Scriptures (Canons, Tripitaka, Da Zang Jing) has 5048 rolls, so each set of Buddha meaning one roll of the Buddhist Scripture, and casting one set of Buddha has the same function of reading one roll of the scripture. This explanation is reasonable and right on the spot.
Once the article introduced to the public, it surprisedly reached out to Shanghai, Tokyo, and now because of my collection it reached to Taiwan, so you can say the world is big and also small, as long as there is a fate to connect. |
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| Condition
and Additional Specification: |
Condition:
The gilt bronze figure is in an excellent state of preservation, thou most of gilt colors were off. The details are incised and well delineated. There is some minor encrustation under the base, and on the recessed areas in the back and the front of the sculpture.
The similar Buddha Statue has been very popluar at the auction in the recent year, and always got sold out in high price. Please refer to one example from Christies Sept 2014 New York Auction, Sale 2872, lot 1023. It is the exactly the same piece to this collectio and from the same maker and period. See photo B000069E.
Description from Christies:
A MINIATURE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA
MING DYNASTY, HONGWU BINGZI CYCLICAL YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1371, AND OF THE PERIOD
The figure is shown seated on a lotus plinth in dhyanasana with right hand lowered in bhumisparsa mudra and left hand in dhyanamudra, the whole raised on an hexagonal pedestal finely incised with a dedication, including the cyclical date, first month of the bingzi year. Another inscription is incised on the back of the lotus plinth.
2¼ in. (5.7 cm.) high
The inscription on the pedestal base, Hongwu bingzi yiyue jiri shi, made on an auspicious day in the first month of the bingzi year (29th year) during the Hongwu reign, is similar to the inscription dated to the fourth month of the bingzi year, inscribed on a similar miniature gilt-bronze Buddha sold at Christies Hong Kong, 27 November 2007, lot 1806, which also bears a lengthy dedicatory inscription, referring to the figure as being part of a group totaling 5,048 made for worship by future devotees. Another of these figures dated to the 29th year of the Hongwu reign is illustrated in Gems of Beijing Cultural Relics Series: Buddhist Statues I, Beijing, 2001-2004, p. 73, pl. 34. |
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