APAH Content 8

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192. Great Stupa at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh, India Buddhist; Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty c. 300 B.C.E.-100 C.E. Material: Stone masonry, sandstone on dome. Form: Base of stupa grew taller like a tower, circular plan. This walking meditation at a stupa enables the practitioner to visualize Enlightenment as the movement from the perimeter of the stupa to the unmoving hub at the center marked by the yasti. Function: It is considered to be sepulchral moment, or a place of burial and receptacle for religious objects. It is a Buddhist shrine that represents the burial mound of Buddha, and is a focal point of worship. Content: There are four torahs (carve architrave scenes) at cardinal points of compass at entrances. Ashes activated with Buddha's energy. Context: Stupa is Sanskrit for "heap." The dome is a replication of dome of heaven.

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193. Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China Qin Dynasty 221-209 BCE Form: life-size, painted clay Function: Funerary art; part of the vast underground burial complex of the first emperor. Content: 700 life-size terra-cotta figures. Context: Qin Shihuang built himself a tomb, a vast underground city, which guarded a life size terracotta army including warriors, horses, chariots, and weaponry.

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194. Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui) Han Dynasty, China 180 BCE Painted silk Form: T-shaped Function: employed to attract the spirits of the deceased to the coffin, where it could properly start on its journey to the afterlife, rather than remain on the earth with the living Content: from top to bottom; segues from heaven, to the human realm, to the underworld; in heaven, dragons and immortal beings appear between and below two orbs - the red sun and it symbol, the raven, on the right, and the silver moon and its symbol, the toad, on the left. On earth, the Marquise of Dai stands on a white platform, awaiting her ascent to heaven; under her, the artist depicted her funeral; two intertwining dragons unify the whole composition Context: function aligns with the prominent Chinese belief in the veneration of ancestors; use as a sort of "attraction point" for the spirits of the deceased solidifies the belief that they still posses the ability to intervene in worldly affairs; expresses the richness of yin-yang duality in early Chinese thought

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195. Longmen Caves Luoyang, China Tang Dynasty 493-1127 CE Limestone Form: Low relief carving covers the lateral walls, ceiling, and floor. Finely chiseled haloes back the images. Function: served as an important pilgrimage destination for over five hundred years, and during that period it received numerous foreign and domestic visitors and dignitaries. Renowned poets such as Du Fu and Bai Juyi (the latter is buried just north of Longmen) visited the grottos and left literary tributes. Foreign pilgrims made donations toward its upkeep or to underwrite the cost of additional shrines. Content: There are as many as 100,000 statues within the 1,400 caves, ranging from a 1 inch (25 mm) to 57 feet (17 m) in height. The area also contains nearly 2,500 stelae and inscriptions, whence the name "Forest of Ancient Stelae", as well as over sixty Buddhist pagodas. Situated in a scenic natural environment, the caves were dug from a 1-kilometer (0.62 mi) stretch of cliff running along both banks of the river: Context: Fifty large and medium sized caves are seen on the west hill cliffs which are credited to the Sui, and Tang Dynasties, while the caves on the east hill were carved entirely during the Tang Dynasty. The change of style is more distinct in the Tang Dynastic periods which are "more complex and incorporate women and court figures as well".

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196. Gold & Jade Crown Three Kingdoms Period Silla Kingdom, Korea Fifth to sixth century C.E. Metalwork Form: Tree shape, ornamental, elongated, luminous in light Function: Use for royalty in burials and religious ceremonies. Content: Crown emphasized the power of the wearer through imagery worn around the forehead, 3 middle (branches) evoke the sacred tree that once stood in the ritual prescient of Gyeongiu, "World tree" Gold and Jade disks (Gogok) symbolize fertility, ripe fruit, and abundance Context: Silla Kingdom, "City of Gold", one of three major rival cities, practiced Shamanism at the time, (commonly involved a priest), Found in royal tombs

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197. Todai-Ji Nara, Japan Various Artists, including sculptors Unkei & KeiKei, as well as the Kei School 743 C.E., rebuilt c. 1700 Bronze and wood (sculpture); wood with ceramic- tile roo ng (architecture). Function: Place of worship Content: Temple, Buddhist, ceramic, pagoda, garden Context: Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples. Tōdai-ji is a temple of the Kegon sect of Buddhism, which reveres the Buddha Vairocana (Birushana in Japanese) as the cosmic, central Buddha. The principal image of the temple is a bronze statue of Vairocana, colossal in scale.

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198. Borobudur Temple Central Java, Indonesia Saliendra Dynasty c. 750-842 C.E. Volcanic-stone masonry Form: Stone blocks Technique: Stupa and candi Function: Blends the Indonesian indigenous cult of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana Content: Stupa: mound-like or hemispherical structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the ashes of the Buddhist monks used by Buddhists as a place of meditation Context: Buddhism is a nontheistic religion with the ultimate goal of attainment of the sublime state of nirvana, by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path (also known as the Middle Way).

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199. Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat, and the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. Hindu, Angkor Dynasty c. 800-1400 CE Stone masonry, sandstone Form: Mortise and tenon joints, bamboo scaffolding Function: Angkor Wat was built to serve their God Vishnu. Although many claim that it is a temple, some say that it is also Suryavarman's tomb Content: Bold, angular, naturalistic, monumental, rough Context: Unlike most of the Hindu architectures of the time, the Angkor Wat is facing west due to its holy 4 purposes. It is commonly believed that Angkor Wat served as a temple when Suryavarman was alive and when he died, it functioned as a monument embedding the emperor who is embodied by the Vishnu, the original "owner" of the temple.

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200. Lakshamana Temple Khajuraho, India Hindu Chandella dynasty 930-950 C.E. Sandstone Form: Roofs rise from lowest to tallest. All temples have interconnected rooms with east and west segments, Ardhamandapa is the entrance. Cult image. Sense of space and light. Sculptures have classical style: figure and balance. Decadence shown in how difficult the poses of the sculpted nymphs are. Eroticism in most temples. Function: temple Content: Buddhist, temple, Vishnu, religious Context: New temple in the middle of nowhere, pilgrimage to visit vishnu

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201. Travelers among the Mountains and Streams Fan Kuan c. 1000 CE Ink and Colors on Silk Form: Chinese Landscape painting (shanshui); gnarled pine trees and mountains, both symbolic and significant to Chinese tall and vast appearance of nature in seven foot tall scroll huge boulders are at eye level, two men lead donkeys and firewood through the rock and tree covered mountains; temple also hidden in trees Function: Kuan expresses neo-confucian thoughts through his depiction of a balance between Li and Qi, or principles and energy. Content: the tall pine trees are viewed as a representation of the virtuous man, gaps between the three distances act as breaks between changing views relied on suggestions rather than descriptions to convey the size of the landscape Paths down the mountain may represent life's journey, while the trees and boulders could signify the difficulties that we all must overcome Context: Example of Chinese landscape painting Chinese have always viewed mountains as sacred and imagined them as the home of immortals During the tumultuous five dynasties period in the early 10th century tall pine trees were seen as representatives of the virtuous man

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202. Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) Hindu, India Chola Dynasty c. 11th Century C.E. Cast bronze Form: Hindu, creation, reincarnation, bronze, loose, green, balanced, Function: Praise Shiva Content: M: Nataraja combines a single image Shiva's roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe and conveys the Indian conception of the never-ending cycle of time. Shiva's dance is set within a flaming halo. The god holds in his upper right hand the damaru. His upper left hand holds agni. With his lower right hand, he makes abhayamudra. The dwarflike figure being trampled by his right foot represents apasmara purusha, Shiva's front left hand, pointing to his raised left foot, signifies refuge for the troubled soul. The symbols imply that, through belief in Shiva, his devotees can achieve salvation. Context: Nataraja is a depiction of the god Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for the god Brahma to start the process of creation.

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203. Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace Kamakura Period, Japan c. 1250 - 1300 CE Hand scroll (ink and color on paper) Form: Apart of a large hand scroll, historical Narrative Ink and Watercolor Function: Documentation of the attack of the palace by the Minamoto Content: read from right to left; one of the few depictions of Japanese armor during the Kamakura era Context: The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185 This scroll is important in that it is a documentation of the attack on the Minamoto's and is a reflection on history and is meant to show the battles that made their community stronger, and is a turbulence of times reflected within the scroll.

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204. The David Vases Yuan Dynasty, China 1351 C.E. White Porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze Form: Blue and white porcelain with intricate designs and an overall shape/style based on bronze works. Function: Was made as an offering to a Daoism Temple. Was then owned by a Sir Percival David who then put them on display as part of a collection. Content: Tall white vessels decorated with blue stylized dragons, birds, clouds and floral designs. The necks of the vases have handles that resemble Asian elephants' heads. Context: The long dedication is one of the earliest known on Chinese blue and white vases. These porcelain vases were made in Jingdezhen, and the inscription demonstrates that blue and white porcelain production was already well established in Jingdezhen by 1351, which is when a man named Zhang Wenjin from Yushan country presented these vases along with and incense burner to a Daoist temple in Xingyuan (or so the dedication on the vases describes). It was made during the reign of the foreign Yuan dynasty, when China was at the heart of a vast Mongol empire with trade flourishing between China and the Middle East, including cobalt from Iran (which was used to create the blue effect)

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205. Portrait of Sin Sukju (1417-1475) Imperial bureau of painting c. 15th century C.E. Hanging scroll (ink and color on silk) Form: angular lines; color graduation, leather shoes, elaborate footstool; birds (peacocks), clouds, and flowers on his robes, black silk hat, upper part of arms is convex and the lower part is concave, full length portrait Function: Propagandistic and aggrandizing portrait. The piece suggests his loyalty to the king and the idea that Sin Sukju deserves respect. The portrait would also serve as a site of ritual to Sin Sukju's family and would guide the family's worship. The portrait also immortalized Sin Sukju's rank and title as well as reminded his family and loved ones of his appearance, however these uses were not considered to be as important as the spiritual uses. Content: depicts Sin Sukju as an official honored for his service to the court and loyalty to the king during a chaotic period, dressed in official robes with rank badge on chest Context: Sin Sukju= scholar and politician that rose to status of Prime Minister interest and detail on face was furthered when Jesuit missionaries introduced Korea to Western painting techniques in the 18th century

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206. Forbidden City Beijing, China Ming Dynasty 15th century C.E. & later Stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile Form: traditional Chinese palatial architecture, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 180 acres. Function: served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. Content: Designed to be the center of the ancient, walled city of Beijing. It is enclosed in a larger, walled area called the Imperial City. The Imperial City is, in turn, enclosed by the Inner City; to its south lies the Outer City. Its walls served as both defensive walls and retaining walls for the palace. They were constructed with a rammed earth core, and surfaced with three layers of specially baked bricks on both sides, with the interstices filled with mortar. Context: was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

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207. Ryoan-ji Kyoto, Japan Muromachi Period c. 1480 C.E.; current design most likely dates to the eighteenth century Rock garden Form: Landscape, karesansui garden, Aesthetic, harmonious, rhythmic, austere, simplicity, contemplative, meditation, balance, contrast, religion Function: One of its original functions in its early years was to serve as a mausoleum to the late Hosokawa Emperors. But the temple's main purpose soon became to serve as a place where Zen Buddhist monks could work on obtaining enlightenment. Content: There are also many common theories that the rocks represent islands and the sand represents water, or the rocks represent mountain peaks rising above a bed of white clouds. There are 15 rocks, but the garden is designed so that only 14 can be seen from any viewing position, and it is said that only through achieving enlightenment can one be able to see the 15th rock. Context: This piece is important because it is the most important and well-known Zen garden out of all of the rock gardens in Japan. It is also important because its simplicity and mundane design differs from most rock gardens, but it is still able to elicit a high level of peace, serenity, and meditation.

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208. Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings Bichitr c. 1620 C.E. Watercolor, gold, and ink on paper Form: flames of gold radiate from emperor's head & Gold disc behind king are sun and moon fused together. Complex flower designs and beast motifs. Function: show the gory of Emperor Jahangir, a visual manifestation of honor. Content: Four bearded men, religious at the top and powerful at the bottom, show that king prefers faith to power. Context: Jahangir means "Seizer of the World." This emperor favored a holy person over a king.

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209. Taj Mahal Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India Supervision of Ustad Ahmad Lahori, architect of Emperor 1632-1653 CE Stone masonry and marble with inlay of precious and semiprecious stones; gardens Form: Famous for large scale, gardens, ornamentation, and white marble. Contains a mosque as well Function: A burial place for empress Mahal. Honor the empress and show off the wealth of the emperor. Lush plants and nature displayed. Content: Indian palace Context: Mughal dynasty, Emperor's wife died, so emperor Jahan constructed a resting place. Called "the luminous tomb." Most sunni muslims favor simple burial with open sky. Building made by the Yamuna River for easy access to water.

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210. White and Red Plum Blossoms Ogata Korin c. 1710-1716 C.E. Ink, watercolor, and gold leaf on paper Form: Tarashikomi (colors are blended by dripping one over the other when wet) White plum tree, on the left screen, is outside of the screen and only one branch, that is pointing downwards, is visible. The Red Plum tree, on the right screen, is the center of the screen and its branches are pointed upwards. A stream cuts through the center, which expands the scene. The plum flowers are depicted with only pigments and no outline. Function:to show how this artist was influenced by his school and masters to create something beautiful like that. Content: The stream symbolizes the rhythmical flow of water; wo pieces of work, back to back, with a little different position of a tree on the golden paper, but representing the same concept. Context: Edo Period

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211. Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki name ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji Katsushika Hokusai 1830-1833 C.E. Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper Form: Peak of the mountain with a massive creating wave. Paintings within the different views. Some have Mount Fiji in them. Some have three fishing boats and some have a bridge. Function: To show the beauty of Japan and it's different natural art beauty. Content: Mount Fuji, a large blue and white wave that seem to be in mid-crashing position. Context: Aesthetics type of art that is created for the beauty for art's sake from the artist. This artwork reveals Japan's beauty.

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212. Chairman Mao en route to Anyuan Artist unknown; based on painting by Liu Chunhua 1969 C.E. Color lithograph Form: "Mao Zedong", as he is about to address the lives of the working class. Power is shown behind his piece with the sign that is almost a device. Function:To reveal that Mao is almost divine being-like with his posture. It is trying to convey that he saved China. Content: Dark blue and purple hues to show Mao's courage through bravery when he is about to address the people of his country that are suffering. Context: Historical image to show how Mao tried to save his country with the way that the water and clouds behind him flow to his direction.