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Unknown Maker, Chinese

Universal Mountain Censer

Now On View

Description

Maker

Culture

Chinese

Title

Universal Mountain Censer

Period

Han Dynasty

Year

100-200 CE

Medium

Earthenware with pigment

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Earthenware with pigment

Materials

earthenware, pigment

Geography

Origin: China

Dimensions

26 x 20.5 x 18 cm (10 1/4 x 8 1/16 x 7 1/16 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

18.572

Type

Ceramics

Exhibition History

Asian Art Galleries

Jun 10, 2014

Label copy

Categorized as spirit goods, incense burners were created as replicas of possessions owned by the deceased, to be buried in place of their actual belongings.

Fitted with a lid in the shape of a mountain, it is known as a hill jar, in reference to the mythical island of Penglai, where Daoist immortals resided. Penglai was believed to be a paradise where immortals possessed secret elixirs and departed souls desired to be. Here the mountain motif is repeated in the bottom half, interspersed with chimera-like guardian figures.

Rockefeller Asian Art Gallery

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Image use

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This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Universal Mountain Censer, 100-200 CE

Earthenware with pigment

26 x 20.5 x 18 cm (10 1/4 x 8 1/16 x 7 1/16 inches)

Museum Appropriation Fund 18.572

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