Thousand-Armed Kannon is a bodhisattva worshipped in Buddhism.
The statue stands on a lotus base, wears a broad-shouldered kesa (robe), and is decorated from the waist down.
The central hand is clasped in prayer, and the six surrounding hands are three-dimensional, each making a mudra.
There is a circular plate on the back, with a main hand on the inside and countless small hands on the outside, all of which are three-dimensional.
Each hand has an eye, which is why the statue is officially called “Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Kannon Bodhisattva.”
The thousand hands represent the breadth of Kannon’s compassion, which ensures the salvation of all living beings without exception.
A jeweled crown is placed on top of the statue’s head, and on top of that there are eight faces, plus three on the front, left and right, for a total of eleven faces.
Larger Buddhist statues were often made of wood or stone, while smaller ones were mainly made of bronze.
Compared to these materials, ceramic Buddhist statues were easier to mass-produce, and are thought to have been made to house large numbers in temples or as gifts to foreign countries.
The entire piece is covered in a refreshing turquoise-like glaze.
This color is the skin tone of Hindu gods and Buddhas, and there is a strong connection as Buddhist paintings featuring blue skin were also introduced to China during this period.
The glaze is cracked, with clay rising from the cracks.(Photo No.18)
This clay was wiped off for the photograph, but will naturally rise again if left for a while.
This is a very interesting phenomenon.
In recent years, there has been a growing belief that this type of item is from the Chai ware, which was made during the Five Dynasties period.
It is very light for its size, weighing only around 1900g.
When lightly tapped with a finger, it makes a high-pitched sound, which shows that it is very thin, as the saying “Chai ware is like paper” suggests.
The bottom is stamped with the seal of “大周,” which is thought to be from the Later Zhou period, the last dynasty of the Five Dynasties.
In fact, the site of the Chai ware has yet to be discovered, so this view may change in the future.
| Title | Chai Ware Blue Glaze Thousand-armed Kannon Statue |
|---|---|
| Period | Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907 – 960）/ 10C |
| Culture | China |
| Area/Kiln | Chai ware |
| Dimensions | H. 15 3/4 in. ; Diam. 5 3/16 – 9 7/16 in. |
| Classification | Ceramics |
| Glaze | Blue Glaze |
| owner | WD Collection |
| Number | 000171 |
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