1/17/2024 0 Comments Shan hai jing creaturesThese mirrors gained popularity as Manichaeism developed in China. Since the mirror incorporates numerous foreign cultural elements as well as mythical animals which are difficult to identify, this type of mirror is also known as a ‘Mirror of Enigma’. The decoration on the back of the mirror can be viewed in three parts: the inner border, which features six mythical animals, including the mythical horse, tianlu and bixie the middle border, which depicts dragonflies and butterflies and the outer border, which shows pairs of phoenixes, luan birds, hoopoes and peacocks, alternating with other mythical figures. The ‘Mythical Animals and Grapes’ mirror was first mentioned in Xiqing Gujian, a 40-volume catalogue of Chinese ritual bronzes in the collection of the Quianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, compiled between 17. In Manichean iconography, mythical sea creatures and grapes both held special significance, the former representing a large family and the latter referring to warriors. Manichaeism was introduced into China around the time of the reign of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian (649-683 A.D.). Its face was widely used on vessels and dining utensils to warn against greed. Taotie was a savage whose gluttony was such that it was prepared to eat its own body. According to Shan Hai Jing, another classic Chinese text on mythical geography, Taotie had a goat’s body, a human face, tiger’s teeth, human hands and the voice of a baby - and its eyes were under its arms. Taotie was the fifth son of the dragon, and was first mentioned in Zuo Zhuan, an ancient Chinese narrative history covering the period from 722 to 468 B.C. Below, we take a look at Chinese bronzes sold at Christie’s that illustrate some of the individuals that make up this fascinating menagerie. For example, before Confucius was born, it was said that a qilin - a mythical beast with dragon-like features - appeared and delivered a jade book. They were thought to possess magical powers and were associated with prosperity, disaster or, in some cases, the birth of sages. Unique in their appearance, character and symbolic significance, the mythical creatures of Chinese folklore were first recorded in books such as Shan Hai Jing and Er Ya. An integral part of Chinese culture, these tales have gone on to inspire artists for centuries. These myths were transmitted by word of mouth, and eventually became the subject of religious worship, superstition and folklore. In ancient China, farmers and hunters explained natural and social phenomena through stories about deities and mythical creatures.
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