FK, an older resident of Montecito, sent me a Kodak photo of her Temple Lion in the US Post (snail-mail). She asked if her Chinese ceramic was in fact late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as told by relatives. Also, what is a temple lion, and why a lion?
Buddhist temple lions, the male of the species, sit on their haunches, sometimes with one foot raised on a brocade ball. He does appear fierce, with his head raised in a wide roar, a tongue sometimes visible. The mane and tail appear as stylized abundant curls, the ears and eyes bulge from the head. Some call him a Foo Dog. He bares his teeth in a fantastic reference to fearlessness. His backbone usually knobby and coiled. Often times we see the lion saddled, highly symbolic…more later. Asian art generally doesn’t give a perceptible “gap” between the spiritual and the material. These symbols truly “live.”
What do these symbols mean?
“Temple lion” refers to this object’s former position on the roof corners of a Buddhist temple. Buddha, formerly known as Shakyamuni, was himself a member of the lion clan called “Shakya.” Why then does the lion roar? Why did they place him on the edge line of a temple roof? Because the lion roars out the dharma, the Four Noble Truths, across the landscape for all to hear.
The lion represents a fearless ensign of royalty and nobility, kings of the animal world, with no natural enemy. Furthermore lions live in clans, and male lion protects the clan. Males don’t hunt, the females do. Buddhists hold the male lion in the highest regard. They call all the “sons” of Buddha, the Bodhisattvas, Buddha’s lions. As FK’s figure represents a real animal, the Bodhisattvas agree to remain in the animal world as material beings, until all sentiment beings are free from suffering.
FK’s lion is a protector creature, found at entrances of monasteries, shrines and temples. The white of FK’s lion references the “snow lion,” the loftiest on a high mountain. Of course a reference to a mountain represents the “peak” of wisdom. He’s missing his brother, as two temple lions sit at two corners of a structure, reminding devotees of compassion and fierce wisdom.
FK asked the date of her temple lion
She suspects the curator of the Pasadena Asian Art Museum gave her the correct date of 1620 (late Ming). The way the pottery body has been fired, leaving certain “gaps” in finishing, indicates this early date.
As I mentioned, FK, some temple lions appear saddled or caparisoned. This is because the great beasts are a warrior’s companion in war. The tradition lives on today in state funerals, when a rider-less horse is led, saddled, in the funeral procession with the stirrups inverted, implying the warrior fell in battle. Genghis Khan, the Mongols, and the Tartars began this custom, since their war horses traveled through the gate in the sky to serve a warrior master. A warrior should never walk, but always ride mounted. You see how this symbolism “works” for devotees of the Buddha.
However, Asian ceramics are difficult to date because once a style is deemed ‘perfected,’ that style lives on for thousands of years in the same “image.” But FK’s piece shows that authentic Ming quality to my eye. The glazing is indicative of quality; difficult to have mastered in the 15th century. Called in the West Blanc de chine, a tradition of pure white ceramic slip with an almost clear glaze. This is meant to show the purity of the material, another important religious reference. The value, FK, is hard to ascertain in photos. If the date is 1620 and the piece is in good condition, you have a treasure on your hands at upwards of $3,000.
I accept any image but the best way to send valuation images to me is a digital image: this reader said she has no capabilities in this regard. I get it: my mom is 95 and doesn’t either. Digital? Send to elizabethappraisals@gmail.com. If you don’t do digital images I’ll send you my postal address.