Plaque in the Form of Hsi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West, late 2nd century
Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more
Gilt bronzeexpand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 2003.137.15
On View in Gallery 215expand_more
The Queen Mother of the west, Hsi Wang Mu, is shown seated at her throne with a winged tiger and dragon rampant at either side. Wearing a crown and voluminous robes, she faces south with the dragon protecting the east and the tiger, the west. Hsi Wang Mu was the Queen of Mount Kun lun, the sacred mountain of immortality, and by Eastern Han (25-220 a.d.) she had been incorporated into the Taoist pantheon. Her image within a tomb represented the Taoist spiritual cultivation toward immortality and eternal happiness. The tiger and dragon, standard directional animals most likely were understood as protectors of the eastern and western directions. This basic Hsi Wang Mu also appears in bronze mirrors and money trees discussed in eastern Han tombs of Szechwan province, where Taoism has its origins.
Details
- Title
- Plaque in the Form of Hsi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2003.137.15
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.