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Primordial Sovereign of the Colored Clouds of Dawn (Bixia yuanjun)

Culture
Chinese
Date
12th–13th century
from
China, Asia
Classification
Metalwork, sculpture
Collection
Asian Art
Current Location
On View, Gallery 232
Dimensions
25 x 7 in. (63.5 x 17.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Robert E. Kresko
Rights
Public Domain
Object Number
2:2005
NOTES
Holding a sacred seal wrapped in silk, this stately, austere figure is a Daoist deity. She is identified by several distinctive elements. Her hair is styled in a double roll and decorated with a lotus bud ornament. Below her widow’s peak is a diamond-shaped mark on her forehead, and a magic fungus motif is shown on her chest. According to Daoist legend, the goddess resides in her Temple of the Azure Cloud at the summit of Mount Taishan, first of the five great sacred mountains of China. The goddess serves devotees by helping them on the path of wisdom and enlightenment.

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