31 - Taoist god Zenwu wood, China 19th century
150-300 €
Taoist Statue of the God Zenwu, True Warrior, Mysterious Emperor of
Heaven, Protector of the Ming Dynasty.
Height: 30cm Base diameter: 15cm
China, Taoist culture
Wood with remains of polychromy
True warrior, mysterious emperor of heaven, protector of the Ming Dynasty.
He became one of the great deities of the pantheon from the 15th century.
Ming Taizu made him his Dynastic god, and Yongle, when he transferred his capital from Nanking to Beijing, had a temple built in his honor in the Forbidden City.Before the Ming's rise to power, Zhenwu was worshipped in Wudangshan. He is venerated there as a deity who performs miracles
Originally, Zhenwu was probably an ascetic who practiced the arts of Tao in Wudangshan Mountain. He certainly had thaumaturgic powers (miracle worker) because when he was canonized, he appeared as an exorcist god.Zhenwu appeared in the pantheon in 1118. He is depicted with loose hair, barefoot, and a sword in his hand. He also has the serpent and tortoise, which are symbols of the submission of natural forces.
The Ming Dynasty recovered the existing cult and made Zhenwu the protector of the empire. When the Manchus overthrew the Ming and took power in 1644, Zhenwu became the symbol of resistance against the invaders. The temple dedicated to him in the Forbidden City of Beijing still exists, but it is closed to the public. For Taoist masters, he is still a powerful martial deity, whom they use in exorcism rituals.
Commission fees of only 20% + inhouse shipment available
