COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
ASIA.1979.109a-b
amicoid
ASIA.1979.109a-b
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
1998
aly
1998
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
oty
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
Object Type
false
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
crc
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Chinese
crt
Chinese
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Censer in the Shape of Mount Bo (Boshanlu)
otn
Censer in the Shape of Mount Bo (Boshanlu)
Title
false
View:
Full view
rid
Full view
View
false
Creation Date:
Eastern Han period, 1st-2nd century CE
oct
Eastern Han period, 1st-2nd century CE
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
1
ocs
1
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
199
oce
199
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Gilt bronze
omd
Gilt bronze
Materials and Techniques
false
Classification Term:
Ceremonial Containers
clt
Ceremonial Containers
Classification Term
false
Creation Place:
North China
ocp
North China
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); D. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm) saucer
met
H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); D. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm) saucer
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
Asia Society
oon
Asia Society
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York, USA
oop
New York, New York, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1979.109a-b
ooa
1979.109a-b
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
ooc
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
Credit Line
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>
Rights
false
Context:
During the Han dynasty (206 BCE-CE 220), bronze was used to make a wide range of vessels as well as weights, tallies, tomb sculptures, lamps, censers, coins, mirrors, and other objects. This bronze incense burner can be dated to the 1st or 2nd century CE by the rather static composition of the landscape and animals (dog, tortoise, and monkey) depicted in the upper part. Cast in the shape of a mythical mountain, the censer rises from the body of a flower that is supported on the back of a coiling dragon, which rests on the interior of a small plate. In earlier examples, the dragons are often incised into the plate rather than fully carved; the sculptural treatment of this dragon helps date the piece to the Eastern Han period (25-220 CE).
Made in both ceramic and bronze, censers in this shape are now commonly known as Mount Bo or boshan incense burners. The use of these censers can be traced to the prevailing interest in magical paradises and immortality. Mountainscapes are often interpreted as images of the mythical land of Penglai, an imaginary mountain paradise inhabited by immortals and other semidivine creatures, said to be located in either the western mountains or the eastern seas. Belief in magical worlds such as Penglai had begun as early as the 4th century BCE. By the Western Han period (206 BCE-CE 9), interest in the land of the immortals had become more widespread and more concrete. It was believed that such a paradise could be found and that an elixir of immortality could be obtained there.
The mountaintops of this type of censer were made in two parts and open in the center to allow for the placement and lighting of incense. The smoke from the incense escapes through small holes cleverly hidden in the top part of the mountains. The smoke was believed to represent cloud-breath, or yunqi, an auspicious omen that was generally depicted in the visual arts as trailing wisps of smoky clouds. The sight of the smoke rising from a censer such as this one would have been interpreted as a tangible manifestation of cloud-breath, making such censers invaluable tools for adepts in the various cults of immortality. Such censers were also used, however, to mask odors in bathrooms and to perfume the air at banquets.
cxd
During the Han dynasty (206 BCE-CE 220), bronze was used to make a wide range of vessels as well as weights, tallies, tomb sculptures, lamps, censers, coins, mirrors, and other objects. This bronze incense burner can be dated to the 1st or 2nd century CE by the rather static composition of the landscape and animals (dog, tortoise, and monkey) depicted in the upper part. Cast in the shape of a mythical mountain, the censer rises from the body of a flower that is supported on the back of a coiling dragon, which rests on the interior of a small plate. In earlier examples, the dragons are often incised into the plate rather than fully carved; the sculptural treatment of this dragon helps date the piece to the Eastern Han period (25-220 CE).<P>Made in both ceramic and bronze, censers in this shape are now commonly known as Mount Bo or <I>boshan</I> incense burners. The use of these censers can be traced to the prevailing interest in magical paradises and immortality. Mountainscapes are often interpreted as images of the mythical land of Penglai, an imaginary mountain paradise inhabited by immortals and other semidivine creatures, said to be located in either the western mountains or the eastern seas. Belief in magical worlds such as Penglai had begun as early as the 4th century BCE. By the Western Han period (206 BCE-CE 9), interest in the land of the immortals had become more widespread and more concrete. It was believed that such a paradise could be found and that an elixir of immortality could be obtained there.</P><P>The mountaintops of this type of censer were made in two parts and open in the center to allow for the placement and lighting of incense. The smoke from the incense escapes through small holes cleverly hidden in the top part of the mountains. The smoke was believed to represent cloud-breath, or <I>yunqi</I>, an auspicious omen that was generally depicted in the visual arts as trailing wisps of smoky clouds. The sight of the smoke rising from a censer such as this one would have been interpreted as a tangible manifestation of cloud-breath, making such censers invaluable tools for adepts in the various cults of immortality. Such censers were also used, however, to mask odors in bathrooms and to perfume the air at banquets.</P>
Context
false
Related Document Description:
Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 52.
rdd
Asia Society. <I>Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection.</I> New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 52.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Fontein, Jan, and Tung Wu. Unearthing China's Past. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1973, p. 103.
rdd
Fontein, Jan, and Tung Wu. <I>Unearthing China's Past.</I> Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1973, p. 103.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Hay, John. Kernels of Energy, Bones of Earth: The Rock in Chinese Art. New York: China House Gallery of the China Institute in America, 1985, pp. 68, 74, 75, 134.
rdd
Hay, John. <I>Kernels of Energy, Bones of Earth: The Rock in Chinese Art.</I> New York: China House Gallery of the China Institute in America, 1985, pp. 68, 74, 75, 134.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Hay, John. 'The Rock and Chinese Art.' Orientations (December 1985), pp. 24-25.
rdd
Hay, John. 'The Rock and Chinese Art.' <I>Orientations</I> (December 1985), pp. 24-25.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Lee, Sherman E. Asian Art: Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd--Part II. New York: Asia Society, 1975, pp. 37, 95.
rdd
Lee, Sherman E. <I>Asian Art: Selections from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd--Part II.</I> New York: Asia Society, 1975, pp. 37, 95.
Related Document Description
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
ASIA.1979.109.a.tif
ril
ASIA.1979.109.a.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false