ridge-tile BM-1937-0716.107

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1490-1620 (circa)
Materials:earthenware
Technique:glazed, moulded,
Subjects:equestrian flaming jewel deity warrior
Dimensions:Height: 42.50 centimetres Width: 33 centimetres Depth: 13.80 centimetres

Description:
Earthenware ridge tile modelled in the form of a celestial warrior riding a flying horse with green, yellow and black glazes. This ridge tile is in the form of a celestial warrior wearing a helmet and armour, riding a horse with saddle and ornamental bridle. He has temporarily released the horse’s reigns and is holding his beard in one hand and his belt with the other in an attitude of contemplation. To support the figure during firing a flaming pearl joins the saddle blanket to the convex ridge tile beneath the horse’s hooves. Gum-like shellac has been used to repair chips to the warrior’s elbows and other edges of the figure and horse. There are mortar traces on the bottom of the tile.
IMG


Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:The green and yellow glazes are much shinier than those of other ridge tiles in the collection, suggesting that the present tile may be slightly later in date. This celestial warrior may be identified as the popular deification of Guan Yu, or Lord Guan, a great historical general, also known as Guandi, the God of War. One of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 221-80), he was immortalized in the “San Guo Yan Yi” [Romance of the Three Kingdoms] (see BM 1938.0524.27). In this novel, Guan Yu is described as having ‘gleaming skin, glistening lips, eyes like the crimson phoenix, brows like nestling silk worms; his appearance is stately, his bearing awesome’. His horse is called Red Hare and can cover 1,000 ‘li’ (540 km/330 miles) in a day.By the ninth century, the cult of Guandi had been appropriated and subordinated to Buddhism, even though Guandi had in fact died before Buddhism was widespread in China. In the Song dynasty he joined the pantheon of spirits worthy of worship, rather like being canonized. In the Ming and later in the Qing period, worship of Guandi was a state-sponsored cult, governed by the regulations of the Ministry of Rites. In 1614 the Ming government entitled Guandi as a ‘di’ [emperor] and he was also transformed, in addition to being God of War, to God of Wealth.