Traditional East Asian Deities

A collection of traditional representations of East Asian deities and noble figures. Rich colors and intricate details characterize the regal attire, celebrating cultural heritage.

China/Korea: 'Nambang Yeomje (Nanfang Yendi), Lord of the Southern Quadrant'. Ink and colour on hemp painting, Joseon Dynasty, 18th century. Nambang Yeomje (Chinese: Nanfang Yendi) was the Korean name for the legendary Emperor Shen Nong, also known as the Yan Emperor (Flame Emperor), who is said to have discovered tea in 2737 BCE and is venerated as the father of traditional Chinese medicine. He is worshipped as a Daoist and folk religion entity in China and Vietnam.

China/Korea: 'Nambang Yeomje (Nanfang Yendi), Lord of the Southern Quadrant'. Ink and colour on hemp painting, Joseon Dynasty, 18th century. Nambang Yeomje (Chinese: Nanfang Yendi) was the Korean name for the legendary Emperor Shen Nong, also known as the Yan Emperor (Flame Emperor), who is said to have discovered tea in 2737 BCE and is venerated as the father of traditional Chinese medicine. He is worshipped as a Daoist and folk religion entity in China and Vietnam.

A Chinese deity, seated on a red throne. Gouache painting by a Chinese artist, ca. 1850.

Lady Chen Erniang, mother of the 1st Ming Emperor Hongwu (r. 1368-1398).

China

Khatun (Persian; Turkish: Hatun) is a female title of nobility and equivalent to male 'khan' prominently used in the First Turkish Empire and in the subsequent Mongol Empire. It is equivalent to queen or empress.

Emperor Zhengde, 11th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1505-1521). Personal Name: Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Hòuzhào. Posthumous Name: Yidi, Yìdì. Temple Name: Wuzong, Wuzong. Reign Name: Ming Zhengde, Ming Zhèngdé. The Zhengde Emperor was 11th emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) between 1505-1521. Born Zhu Houzhao, he was the Hongzhi Emperor's eldest son. His era name means 'Rectification of Virtue'. Though bred to be a successful ruler, Zhengde thoroughly neglected his duties, beginning a dangerous trend that would plague future Ming emperors. The abandoning of official duties to pursue personal gratifications would slowly lead to the rise of powerful eunuchs that would dominate and eventually ruin the Ming Dynasty.

Empress Xiaoduanxian (died 1620), consort of the 14th Ming Emperor Wanli (r. 1572-1620). She had no sons.

Emperor Kōkō (孝天皇 Kōkō-tennō, 830 - August 26, 887) was the 58th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tokiyatsu (時康親王) or Komatsu-tei. He would later be identified sometimes as 'the Emperor of Komatsu'. This resulted in the later Emperor Go-Komatsu adopting this name (go- meaning 'later', so 'Later Emperor Komatsu' or 'Emperor Komatsu II'). Tokiyatsu Shinnō was the third son of Emperor Nimmyō. His mother was Fujiwara no Sawako. Kōkō had four Imperial consorts and 41 Imperial sons and daughters.

Emperor Ruizong of Tang was the eighth son of Emperor Gaozong and the fourth son of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). In February 684, Li Dan's mother Empress Wu demoted his older brother Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian) who had attempted to rule free of his mother, and named him emperor (as Emperor Ruizong). Emperor Ruizong, however, was a puppet under control of his mother and did not have any real power. In October 690 he ceded the imperial throne to his mother, who installed herself as Empress regnant - the only woman in Chinese history ever to rule as emperor. In 705, a coup overthrew Wu Zetian and restored Emperor Zhongzong to the throne. The five years of Emperor Zhongzong's reign were dominated by Zhongzong's empress consort, Empress Wei. In the beginning of July 710, Emperor Zhongzong died, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei who then named Zhongzong's youngest son Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen emperor (as Emperor Shang). A mere two weeks later, Li

The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638-5 February 1661) was the third emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and officially the first Qing emperor to rule over China from 1644 to 1661. He ascended to the throne at the age of five (six according to traditional Chinese age reckoning) in 1643 upon the death of his father Hong Taiji, but actual power during the early part of his reign lay in the hands of the appointed regents, Princes Dorgon (posthumously titled Emperor Chengzong) and Jirgalang. With the Qing pacification of the former Ming provinces almost complete, he died still a young man, in circumstances that have lent themselves to rumour and speculation. He was succeeded by his son Xuanye, who reigned as the Kangxi emperor.

Emperor Wanli, 14th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1572-1620). Personal Name: Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yìjun. Posthumous Name: Xiandi, Xiandì. Temple Name: Shenzong, Shénzong. Reign Name: Ming Wanli, Ming Wànlì. The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) between 1572 and 1620. His era name means 'Ten Thousand Calendars'. The Wanli emperors reign is representative of the decline of the Ming. He was an unmotivated and avaricious ruler whose reign was plagued with fiscal woes, military pressures, and angry bureaucrats. During the closing years of Wanli's reign, the Manchu began to conduct raids on the northern border of the Ming Empire. Their depredations ultimately led to the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. It was said that the fall of the Ming Dynasty was not a result of the Chongzhen Emperor's rule but instead due to Wanli's gross mismanagement. The Wanli Emperor died in 1620 and was buried in Dingling located on the outskirts of Beijing.

Chinese man met waaier.Standing man with blue and yellow robe and a range in his hand. (Nagasaki-e).

Ichikawa Danjuro V in Ceremonial Robes Katsukawa Shunshō　川春章 Japanese ca. 1786

A Chinese deity. Gouache painting by a Chinese artist, ca. 1850.

The actor Actor Matsumoto Koshiro with a spirally twisted pipe

This very old Chinese illustration shows the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang on his return home from India.

Emperor Wen of Han (202 BCE - 157 BCE) was the fifth emperor of the Han Dynasty in China. In a move of lasting importance in 165 BCE, Emperor Wen introduced recruitment to the civil service through examinations. Previously, potential officials never sat for any sort of academic examinations. Their names were sent by local officials to the central government based on reputations and abilities, which were sometimes judged subjectively.

The philosophy of Confucius emphasises personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China during the Han Dynasty(206 BC - 220 AD). Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism. It was introduced to Europe by the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci, who was the first to Latinise the name as 'Confucius'. His teachings may be found in the Analects of Confucius, a collection of brief aphoristic fragments, which was compiled many years after his death.

Shaka Nyorai. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Image: 50 1/2 × 21 in. (128.3 × 53.3 cm)Overall with mounting: 85 1/2 × 28 in. (217.2 × 71.1 cm)Overall with knobs: 85 1/2 × 30 1/8 in. (217.2 × 76.5 cm). Date: 14th century.Shaka Nyorai, or the historical Buddha Shakyamuni (the sage of the Shakya tribe who attained enlightenment), lived in India from about 563 to 483 B.C. He is portrayed here sitting cross-legged on a lotus throne above a five-tiered hexagonal pedestal. The most fundamental doctrine of Buddhism, Turning the Wheel of the Law, is embodied in Shaka's hand gesture, the mudra of preaching. He is illuminated by double disks of halos and by gold applied to his face and body. His robes drape gracefully over the throne. The strong frontality and symmetry enhance the strength of this devotional image. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Emperor Hongxi, 4th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1424-1425). Personal Name: Zhu Gaochi, Zhū Gāochì. Posthumous Name: Zhaodii, Zhāodì. Temple Name: Renzong, Rénzōng. Reign Name: Ming Hongxi, Ming Hóngxī. The Hongxi Emperor was the fourth emperor of the Ming dynasty in China. He succeeded his father, Yongle, in 1424. His era name means 'Vastly Bright'. As Yongle's eldest son, Zhu Gaozhi was born August 16, 1378 and was educated by prominent Confucian tutors. He often acted as regent at Nanjing or at Beijing during his father's northern military campaigns. Zhu Gaozhi, as soon as he became Emperor Hongxi in September 1424, canceled Zheng He's maritime expeditions permanently and abolished the frontier trade of tea for horses as well as missions for gold and pearls to Yunnan and Vietnam. Emperor Hongxi ordered that the capital be moved back to Nanjing from Beijing (which had been made the capital by the Yongle Emperor in 1421). However he died, probably of a heart attack, a month later in

The Jiaqing Emperor (13 November 1760 - 2 September 1820) was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1796 to 1820. Son of the famous Qianlong Emperor, he is remembered for his prosecution of Heshen, the corrupt favourite of Qianlong, as well as for attempts to restore the state and curb the smuggling of opium inside China.

Portrait of the Kangxi Emperor in Court Dress - Anonymous Qing Dynasty Court Painter

Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the strengthening of the dynasty. The country prospered, and its military might was further reinforced. However, it would also mark the beginning of a foreign policy towards the Khitan Empire (Liao Dynasty) in the north that would ultimately result in humiliation. Zhenzong founded the world's most celebrated ceramic kiln at Jingdezhen in 1004, which continued to produce porcelain for China's imperial use until the fall of the Qing Dynasty 900 years later. Zhenzong stressed the importance of Daoism at Court. From 1013 to 1015 he issued official decrees deifying the Jade Emperor as the highest ruler of Heaven.<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks th

The Yongzheng Emperor (13 December 1678 - 8 October 1735), was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the third Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimum expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military force in order to preserve the dynasty's position. Suspected by historians to have usurped the throne, his reign was often called despotic, efficient, and vigorous. Although Yongzheng's reign was much shorter than the reigns of both his father, the Kangxi Emperor, and his son, the Qianlong Emperor, his sudden death was probably brought about by his workload. Yongzheng continued an era of continued peace and prosperity as he cracked down on corruption and waste, and reformed the financial administration.

The Liao Dynasty, also known as the Khitan Empire, was a state that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper. It was founded by the Yelü clan of the Khitan people in the same year as the Tang Dynasty collapsed (907), even though its first ruler, Yelü Abaoji (Yaruud Ambagai Khan), did not declare an era name until 916. Although it was originally known as the Empire of the Khitan, the Emperor Yelü Ruan officially adopted the name 'Liao' (formally Great Liao’) in 947. Another name for China in English, Cathay, is derived from the name Khitan. This is also the origin of the Russian word for China, Китай or Kitay, and that of several other East European languages. The Liao Empire was destroyed by the Jurchen of the Jin Dynasty in 1125. However, remnants of its people led by Yelü Dashi established the Xi (Western) Liao Dynasty 1125-1220, also known as Kara-Khitan Khanate, which extended its influence over Central Asia into Persia and survived until t

Empress Xiaoding, consort of the 13th Ming Emperor Longqing (r. 1567-1572).

Portret van de Zen Priester-Schilder wu-chun fan., Zhao yongxian, 1590 Portrait of the Zen Priester painter Wu Chun Fan. China silk. ink. dye Portrait of the Zen Priester painter Wu Chun Fan. China silk. ink. dye

Tokugawa Ieyasu (January 31, 1543 - June 1, 1616) was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but remained in power until his death in 1616. Ieyasu was posthumously enshrined at Nikkō Tōshō-gū with the name Tōshō Daigongen.

Portrait of the Zen priest-painter Wu Chun Fan, Zhao Yongxian, 1590

Empress Xiaozhangrui, consort of the 6th Ming Emperor Zhengtong (r. 1435-1449; 1457-1464).

Buddha Amitabha descending from his Pure Land 13th century Unidentified artist This painting, traditionally ascribed by Japanese scholars to a Song Buddhist painter named Zhang Sigong, represents the Buddha Amitabha (J.: Amida) welcoming souls into his Western Paradise. The drapery of the robe is drawn in the "scudding-cloud and running-water" style, a drapery pattern the Chinese used to recall the Indian origin of the Buddha image.Infrared reflectography has revealed the following traces of an inscription in the lower left corner: "Qingyuanfu, east of Washing Horse Bridge.. ." Since the name of the city of Ningbo was changed from Mingzhou to Qingyuanfu in 1195 and to Qingyuanlu in 1277, the painting may be dated to between 1195 and 1277. Stylistically, this work appears to date from the end of the twelfth or the beginning of the thirteenth century: the figure is extremely well drawn, with fine lines firmly describing the splendid face and hands of the image in a fully three-dimensiona

Tenjin Traveling to China late 15th century Tsai The statesman-poet Sugawara Michizane (845-903) is shown here as Tenjin, the deified being he became in the wake of his unjust death in exile and the calamities his angry spirit inflicted upon the imperial court in Kyoto. After his deification, Michizane was revered as a god of agriculture and patron of the falsely accused. One guise in which he was often represented—and in which he appears in this painting—is that of “Tot Tenjin,” or Tenjin on his way to China to visit a Chan (Zen) Buddhist master. In this form he wears the garment of a Zen priest and a semi-transparent gauze hood, with a bag slung over his shoulder. Clutched beneath one arm is a branch of blossoming plum, the flower he is said to have loved and with which he is often associated. With the growth and expansion of Zen Buddhism in medieval Japan, the Tot Tenjin image became popular as part of the movement to accommodate Zen—imported from China around the 14th century—in

Consort Xiang, nee Niuhuru, was the daughter of Jiufu). She entered the Forbidden City in Beijing during the beginning of Emperor Daoguang's reign (1820 - 1850) and was given the title of Worthy Lady Xiang. In 1823 she was promoted to the rank of an imperial concubine. She gave birth to two daughters and a son. Sometime after the birth of her son Yicung she was demoted for a reason unknown, but she was promoted by one rank after the death of Emperor Daoguang in 1850. Consort Xiang died in the eleventh year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign. She was later interred in the Muling mausoleum for Imperial Concubines and restored to a third rank consort by the Tongzhi Emperor.

Li Chunfeng, the Chinese mathematician, astrologer and cosmologist, wearing traditional costume, holding the 'Eight Trigrams' symbol incorporating the 'Yin-yang' symbol. Watercolour, China, 18--.

Portrait of Jifei Ruyi (Sokuhi Nyoichi, 1616-1671) 1666 Kita Genki Japanese Genki, a Nagasaki artist, painted this portrait of the Ōbaku master Jifei Ruyi, which was inscribed in Chinese by the subject himself while he was resident at Fukujuji, a temple patronized by the daimyo of Kokura (present-day Kita Kyushu). The port of Nagasaki was one of the few places under the tightly regulated Tokugawa government where contemporary Chinese culture and learning could be openly discussed and studied. In the mid-seventeenth century, new ideas on Confucianism and Zen (Chinese: Chan) Buddhism were brought to Japan by Chinese monks travelling through Nagasaki (including Jifei Ruyi) and by envoys from Korea. These monks formed what was known in Japan as the Ōbaku school, after the Japanese rendering of the name of the Tang dynasty monk Huangbo Xiyun (d. 850).There are several versions of this portrait, each with a different inscription. In Zen, the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni are transmitted

Wu Zetian (17 February 624-16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant. She was de facto ruler of China first through her husband the Emperor Gaozong and then through her sons the Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong from 665 to 690. She then broke all precedents when she founded her own dynasty in 690, the Zhou (briefly interrupting the Tang Dynasty), and ruled personally under the name Sacred and Divine Empress Regnant from 690 to 705. Her rise and reign has been criticized harshly by Confucian historians but has been viewed in a different light after the 1950s.

Zi Shizhen, Chinese Communist Propaganda

. Portrait of the zen priest-painter Wu Chun fan.

Emperor Gao (256 BCE or 247 BCE - 1 June 195 BCE), commonly known within China by his temple name Gaozu (Wade-Giles: Kao Tsu), personal name Liu Bang, was the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BCE to 195 BCE. Liu was one of the few dynastic founders in Chinese history who emerged from the peasant class (another major example being Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty). In the early stage of his rise to prominence, Liu was addressed as 'Duke of Pei', referring to his hometown of Pei County. He was also granted the title of 'King of Han' by Xiang Yu, when the latter split the former Qin empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu was known by this title before becoming Emperor of China.

Arhat with teeth, attendent wind or thundergod

Emperor Guangzong (1147-1200; reigned 1189-1194) was the 12th Emperor of Song China. He was born with the name Zhao Dun. He gave the city of Chongqing its present name, meaning 'Double Celebration'. According to Xu Wei, the Nanxi style of theatre began in his reign. He listened to some treacherous officials and dismissed popular military leader Xin Qiji. He was forced to give up his throne in 1194 by his grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager, as he refused to attend the funeral procession of his father, Xiaozong. He died in 1200 near Shaoxing, Zhejiang.<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of th

Empress Jingu was consort to Emperor Chuai (notionally 192 - 200 CE), she also served as Regent from the time of her husband's death in 209 until her son Emperor jin acceded to the throne in 269.No firm dates can be assigned to this historical figure's life or reign. Jing is regarded by historians as a 'legendary' figure because of the paucity of information about her. Legend has it that she led an army in an invasion of Korea and returned to Japan victorious after three years. However, this theory is widely rejected even in Japan as there is no evidence of Japanese rule in any part of Korea at this early period. Some believe that Empress Jing's conquest is only based on the Gwanggaeto Stele (in Jilin, China). But the legend of Jing's invasion of the Korean peninsula also appears in the ancient Japanese chronicles Kojiki written in 680 and Nihon Shoki written in 720.

Portrait of Fan Chungyen Unidentified artist. Portrait of Fan Chungyen 51424

Empress Koken (718-770), also known as Empress Shotoku, 46th (as Empress Koken) and 48th (as Empress Shotoku) imperial rulerof Japan. Empress Shotoku's reign was exceedingly turbulent, and she survived coup attempts by both Tachibana Naramaro and Fujiwara no Nakamaro. Today, she is remembered chiefly for her relationship with a Buddhist monk named Dokyo. This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.

Emperor Taichang, 15th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1620). Personal Name: Zhu Changluo, Zhu Chángluò. Posthumous Name: Zhendi, Zhendì. Temple Name: Guangzong, Guangzong. Reign Name: Ming Taichang, Ming Tàichang. The Taichang Emperor was the 15th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He was born Zhu Changluo, the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and succeeded his father as emperor in 1620. However his reign came to an abrupt end less than one month after his coronation when he was found dead one morning in the palace following a bout of diarrhea. He was succeeded by his son Zhu Youxiao, who became the Tianqi Emperor. His era name means 'Great Goodness' or 'Great Prosperity'.

Buddha Amitabha Descending from His Pure Land late 13th century China The imagery in this painting shows the Buddha Amitabha descending from his Pure Land to welcome the soul of a recently deceased individual into his paradisiacal abode. Amitabha is one of several Buddhas who create and maintain such realms, and paintings of Amitabha (either alone or attended by bodhisattvas) were among the most widely produced images in China from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. Here, the Buddha stands on two lotuses and holds his right hand in a gesture of welcome. He wears a green undergarment with a wide hem decorated with floral patterns and a red monastic shawl with gold bands. The abstracted folds of drapery on the right arm, the transparency of the green garment as it falls over the arm, and the figure's bean-shaped face are characteristic of the thirteenth century.. Buddha Amitabha Descending from His Pure Land. China. late 13th century. Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk. Sou

Empress Zhaoxian (Lady Du), mother of the first two Song emperors Taizu and Taizong, consort of Emperor Xuanzu (Zhao Hongyi, 899-956), died c. 961. The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Song's capital city from Bianjing (modern Kaifeng) in the north to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) in the south.

The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes (Chinese: mò gāo kū), also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves, form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China. The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. The first caves were dug out 366 AD as places of Buddhist meditation and worship. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China. The caves also have famous wall paintings.

Buddha Amitabha Descending from His Pure Land. Culture: China. Dimensions: Image: 41 1/8 x 21 1/8 in. (104.5 x 53.7 cm)Overall with mounting: 71 1/2 x 28 1/4 in. (181.6 x 71.8 cm)Overall with knobs: 71 1/2 x 30 3/8 in. (181.6 x 77.2 cm). Date: late 13th century.The imagery in this painting shows the Buddha Amitabha descending from his Pure Land to welcome the soul of a recently deceased individual into his paradisiacal abode. Amitabha is one of several Buddhas who create and maintain such realms, and paintings of Amitabha (either alone or attended by bodhisattvas) were among the most widely produced images in China from the twelfth to the fourteenth century. Here, the Buddha stands on two lotuses and holds his right hand in a gesture of welcome. He wears a green undergarment with a wide hem decorated with floral patterns and a red monastic shawl with gold bands. The abstracted folds of drapery on the right arm, the transparency of the green garment as it falls over the arm, and the

Jeong Mong-ju (1338 - 1392), known by his pen name Poeun. Korean scholar-official and diplomat during the late Goryeo period. Jeong Mong-ju was assassinated in 1392 on the Sonjuk Bridge in Gaeseong. Politically motivated, the murder was ordered by Yi Bang-won (later Taejong of Joseon), the fifth son of Yi Seong-gye, who overthrew the Goryeo Dynasty in order to establish the Joseon Dynasty. Jeong Mong-ju was murdered because he refused to betray his loyalty to the Goryeo Dynasty

Sen no Rikyū (利休, 1522 - April 21, 1591, also known simply as Sen Rikyū), is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu (茶の湯), the Japanese 'Way of Tea', particularly the tradition of wabi-cha. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects of the ceremony, including rustic simplicity, directness of approach and honesty of self. Originating from the Edo Period and the Muromachi Period, these aspects of the tea ceremony persist today.

Ragibagh (Arigabag) was a son of Yesun Temur who was briefly installed to the throne of the Yuan Dynasty in Shangdu in 1328. Although he should have been the seventh ruler of the Yuan Dynasty in succession to his father Yesun Temur Khan, or Emperor Taiding, he was dethroned by his rival who was installed by coup before Ragibagh's succession. He is regarded as the 11th Khagan of the Borjigin Empire in Mongolia. The eldest son of Yesun Temur, Ragibagh was born in 1320, the year of the white monkey. At the end of 1328, the yellow dragon year, he assumed the throne, but only a month later he was dethroned.

Portrait of Jianzhen 15th century Japan Although the subject of this portrait of a seated Buddhist priest is not recorded, the image's similarity to earlier works makes him identifiable as the Chinese priest Jianzhen (688-763), an important figure in the early history of Buddhism in Japan. Jianzhen, who was blind, hailed from the city of Yangzhou, a major cosmopolitan center and economic powerhouse in Tang-dynasty China. After receiving early training at the temple Dayunsi in Yangzhou, he moved to the Tang capital, Chang'an (now Xi'an), and later to Luoyang, before returning home to Yangzhou where in 742 he received an invitation from two Japanese priests to visit the Japanese capital at Nara. He spent the next decade trying and failing multiple times to make the journey to Japan, where he is known as Ganjin, before successfully arriving in Kysh and later Nara in 753. Later that decade he established the temple Tshdaiji in Nara and made it the headquarters of the newly established

The 1910 image shows: Prince Shotoku (572-621), next to his two sons. The image is believed to date to the end of the 7th century. Prince Shōtoku, also known as Prince Umayado or Prince Kamitsumiya, was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. Prince Shōtoku was an influential leader in seventh-century Japan, popularly credited with achievements from establishing courtly ranks and a constitution to encouraging the spread of Buddhism and sending envoys to China.

Rahula. Date/Period: 16th century. Painting. Pigments on cloth Pigments on cloth. Height: 800.10 mm (31.50 in); Width: 469.90 mm (18.50 in). Author: UNKNOWN.

Emperor Yongle, 3rd ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1402-1424). Personal Name: Zhu Di, Zhū Dì. Posthumous Name: Wendi, Wéndì. Temple Name: Chengzu, Chéngzǔ; Taizong, Tàizōng. Reign Name: Ming Yongle, Ming Yǒnglè. The Yongle Emperor was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. His Chinese era name Yongle means 'Perpetual Happiness'. He became emperor by conspiring to usurp the throne which was against the Hongwu Emperor's wishes. He moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing where it was located in the following generations, and constructed the Forbidden City there. After its dilapidation and disuse during the Yuan Dynasty and Hongwu's reign, the Yongle Emperor had the Grand Canal of China repaired and reopened in order to supply the new capital of Beijing in the north with a steady flow of goods and southern foodstuffs. He commissioned most of the exploratory sea voyages of Zheng He. During his reign the monumental Yongle Encyclopedia was completed. The Yongle Emp

A Chinese lucky charm decoration of man dressed in brightly colored robes. Colour woodcut by a Chinese artist.

The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 1711 7 February 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1736 to 7 February 1795. On 8 February, he abdicated in favor of his son, the Jiaqing Emperor - a filial act in order not to reign longer than his grandfather, the illustrious Kangxi Emperor. Despite his retirement, however, he retained ultimate power until his death in 1799. Although his early years saw the continuity of an era of prosperity in China, he held an unrelentingly conservative attitude. As a result, the Qing Dynasty's comparative decline began later in his reign.

BUDDHA AMITABHA DESCENDING FROM HIS PURE LAND, Chinese, Southern Song dynasty, painting, 1280-99. Buddha Amitabha descends to welcome the soul of a recently deceased individual into his paradise. In this hanging silk scroll, the Buddha stands on two lotuses and holds his right hand in a gesture of welcome (BSLOC_2017_16_12)

Oiran () were the courtesans of Edo period Japan. The oiran were considered a type of yujo () 'woman of pleasure' or prostitute. However, they were distinguished from the yujo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts. Their art and fashions often set trends among the wealthy and, because of this, cultural aspects of oiran traditions continue to be preserved to this day. The oiran arose in the Edo period (1600-1868). At this time, laws were passed restricting brothels to walled districts set some distance from the city center. In the major cities these were the Shimabara in Kyoto, the Shinmachi in Osaka, and the Yoshiwara in Edo (present-day Tokyo). These rapidly grew into large, self-contained 'pleasure quarters' offering all manner of entertainments. Within, a courtesan’s birth rank held no distinction, which was fortunate considering many of the courtesans originated as the daughters of impoverished families who wer

Portrait of Zhu Guan, from the set Five Old Men ofSuiyang

Empress Xiao Xian Chun, also known as Empress Xiao Xian, (28 March 1712 - 8 April 1748). Xiao Xian Chun was a daughter of Li Rongbao, and the elder sister of Fu Heng of the Manchu Fuca clan. She was the first Empress Consort of the Qianlong Emperor of China (1711 - 1799). Lady Fuca married Prince Hong Li (the future Qianlong Emperor) in the fifth reign year of the Yong Zheng Emperor in 1727 and was made Empress in 1736 with the title of Empress Xiao Xian. In 1728 she gave birth to the Qianlong Emperor's first daughter. Two years later, Fuca gave birth to the Emperor's second son and one year later another daughter. In 1746, she gave birth to the Emperor's seventh son. The Empress often joined the Emperor on his trips. In 1748, during one of these trips, the Empress fell ill on board of a boat and died on it. She was only 36 years old. After Empress Xiao Xian Chun was interred in the Yuling Mausoleum, the Qianlong Emperor would often visit her grave.

Ming Dynasty painting. An Official and his wife. 16th cent.

Detail of painting of the guardian deities, Suguksa Temple, Korea. Colours on canvas, 1795. Korean civilization, Choson period, 18th century.

Jurojin, god of longevity, and a fawn, print after the composition by Kano Tsunenobu; album card. unknown, graphic artist

Nguyn Tríi, also known under his pen name c Trai (1380-1442) was an illustrious Vietnamese Confucian scholar, a noted poet, a skilled politician and a master tactician. He was at times attributed with being capable of almost miraculous or mythical deeds in his designated capacity as a close friend and principal advisor of Lê Li, Vietnam's hero-king, who fought to free the country from Chinese rule. He is credited with writing the important political statements of Lê Li and inspiring the Vietnamese populace to support open rebellion against the Ming Dynasty rulers. He is also the author of the declaration of independence from China, 'Bình Ngô di cáo' ('Great Proclamation upon the Pacification of the Wu [Ming China). Nguyn Tríi was born in 1380 in Thang Long (present day Hanoi), the capital of the declining Trn Dynasty. Under the brief H Dynasty, he passed examination and served for a time in the government. In 1406, Ming forces invaded and conquered Vietnam. Under the occupatio

Jayaatu Khan ( February 16, 1304 - September 2, 1332), was an Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, and is regarded as the 12th Khagan of the Mongols in Mongolia. He first ruled from October 16, 1328 to February 27, 1329, and then from September 8, 1329 to September 2, 1332. Jayaatu, also known as Tov Temur Khan, was born in 1304, the blue dragon year. He was second son of Haisan. In 1329, the yellow snake year, he assumed the throne and passed away in 1332, the black monkey year.

Khatun (Persian; Turkish: Hatun) is a female title of nobility and equivalent to male 'khan' prominently used in the First Turkish Empire and in the subsequent Mongol Empire. It is equivalent to queen or empress.

Emperor Gongzong (1271- possibly 1323), born Zhao Xian, was the 7th Emperor of the Chinese Southern Song Dynasty. He reigned from 1274 until his abdication in 1276 CE when he was succeeded by his elder brother, Emperor Duanzong of Song.<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Song's capital city from Bianjing (modern Kaifeng) in the north to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) in the south.

The Eighteen Arhats ( Shíba Luóhàn) are individuals depicted in Mahayana Buddhism who have followed the Eightfold Path and attained the Four Stages of Enlightenment, and are also the original followers of the Buddha. They have reached the state of Nirvana and are free of worldly cravings. They are charged to protect the Buddhist faith and to await on earth for the coming of Maitreya, a prophesied enlightened Buddha to arrive on earth many millennia after Gautama Buddha's death and nirvana. In China, the eighteen arhats are also a popular subject of Buddhist art. Kalika is traditionally considered Arhat No. 7, the 'elephant-riding luohan', eulogised by China's Qianlong Emperor as: 'Riding an elephant with a dignified air, Chanting aloud the sutras. 'With a heart for the humanity, Eyes scanning the four corners of the universe'.

Portrait of the Guangxu Emperor in his study. By Qing Dynasty Court painter, Palace Museum. Emperor Guangxu (14 August 1871 - 14 November 1908), was the tenth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The emperor died in 1908 and it was widely suspected at the time that he had been poisoned

BuddhistGuardian

The Noble Consort Xun was the daughter of the Governor General Guilin. She came from the Manchu Irgen-Gioro clan. Lady Irgen-Gioro entered the Imperial Court on November 18, during the forty-first year of Emperor Qianlong's reign, and was given the title Imperial Concubine with the title Xun (the fifth lowest rank among an emperor's wives). The ceremony for the promotion took place three years later due to the death of Qianlong's mother. In December during the fifty-ninth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign, Irgen Gioro was elevated to a Consort. On November 20 during the second year of the Jiaqing Emperor's reign, Irgen-Gioro died, and on September 11 during the fourth year of the Jiaqing Emperor's reign, Irgen-Gioro was buried with the ceremony of a Noble Consort.

Thailand, North, Chiang Mai, Pung Tao Gong Ancestral Temple. Close Up Of A Colourful Mural Depicting A Male Deity.

CONFUCIUS Known also as : K'ung Ch'iu Chinese philosopher

Noble Consort Shu Jia, concubine of the Qianlong Emperor (dates and background not known).

Nats are spirits worshipped in Burma in conjunction with Buddhism. They are divided between the 37 Great Nats and all the rest (i.e., spirits of trees, water, etc). Almost all of the 37 Great Nats were human beings who met violent deaths. According to Sir Richard Carnac Temple, who wrote the definitive English language study on The Thirty-Seven Nats in 1906, all Burmese nat-with two exceptions, including Thagya Nat-are the spirits either of former royalty, or of persons connected with royalty. Most lived between the 13th and 17th centuries, and nowadays each is associated with a special cult, that is a specific ceremony or festival, together with an appropriate place and time for performing it.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Song's capital city from Bianjing (modern Kaifeng) in the north to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) in the south.

Emperor Taizong (r. 626-649) receives Ludongzan, ambassador of Tibet, at his court; painted in 641 CE by Yan Liben (600-673). Emperor Taizong of Tang (January 23, 599 - July 10, 649), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is ceremonially regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty along with Emperor Gaozu. He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperors in Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong's reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his era was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes. During his reign, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, Tang China enjoyed peace and prosperity. During Taizong's reign, Tang was the largest and the strongest nation in the world. It covered most of the territory of present-

Thian Hock Keng Temple, Chinatown, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Asia

Emperor Go-Mizunoo (11596 Äì 1680) 108th emperor of Japan, reigned 1611 to 1629

Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Museum Of Mongolian History, Painting Of Khublai Khaan (Kublai Khan)

Figure of a standing Chinese man. unknown, author

Taejo of Joseon (1335 - 1408), born Yi Seong-gye he was founder and first King of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan. He reigned from 1392 to 1398, and was the main figure in the overthrowing of the Goryeo Dynasty.

Homecoming Ode, Hung-shou, Ch'en

Japan: 'Ikorikayani, Ainu chieftain of Kunashiri', Kakizaki Hakyo (1764-1826), 1790

Emperor Taizong gives an audience to the ambassador of Tibet, 641

Japanese woman in traditional dress advertising 'Hiro' (Hero) cigarettes.

Gojong (Hangul: 종; hanja: 高宗; RR: Gojong; MR: Kojong), the Emperor Gwangmu (Hangul: 광무제; hanja: 光武帝), proclaimed the Korean Empire in 1897 to justify the country's ending of its traditional tributary subordination to China. He tried to promote the ultimately unsuccessful Gwangmu Reform. Gojong was forced to abdicate by the Japanese and Gojong's son Sunjong succeeded to the throne. After abdicating, Emperor Gojong was confined to the Deoksu Palace by the Japanese. On 22 August 1910, the Empire of Korea was annexed by Japan under the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. Gojong died suddenly on 21 January 1919 at Deoksugung Palace. There is much speculation that he was killed by poison administered by Japanese officials, an idea that gained wide circulation and acceptance at the time of his death. His death and subsequent funeral proved a catalyst for the March First Movement for Korean independence from Japanese rule. He is buried with his wife at the imperial tomb of Hongneung (홍릉, 洪陵) in th

China: Portrait of Liu Bei (161 - 21 June 223 CE) and advisors, from the 'Thirteen Emperors Scroll' by Yan Liben, 7th century CE. Currently displayed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Figure of a standing Chinese; mid-twentieth century (1941-00-00-1957-00-00);

Emperor Kangxi (4 May 1654 -20 December 1722) was the fourth ruler of the Qing Dynasty and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722. Kangxi's reign of 61 years makes him the longest-reigning Chinese emperor in history (although his grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, had the longest period of de facto power) and one of the longest-reigning rulers in the world. However, having ascended to the throne at the age of seven, he was not the effective ruler until later, with that role temporarily fulfilled for six years by four regents and his grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

Sultan Orhan holding a bow which he is presenting to the Egyptian Ambassador 16th century, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey

Old Icon, St. Demetrius Cathedral, built between 1194 and 1197, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vladimir, Russia, Europe

The Jade Emperor is the Daoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell, according to Daoist mythology. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religion pantheon. In Daoist belief, the Jade Emperor governs all of the mortals' realm and below, but ranks below the Three Pure Ones.

China, Hong Kong, Hollywood Road, Upper Lascar Row, Antique Shop Display, Historical Painting depicting Chinese Emperors

Portrait of Emperor Gojong of Korea (1852-1919), Yi Myeong-bok, wearing Tongcheonggwan and Gangsapo Painted by Yi Hancheol and Yu Sook

Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE), personal name Ying Zheng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 to 221 BCE during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BCE, and ruled until his death in 210 BC at the age of 49. Styling himself 'First Emperor' after China's unification, Qin Shi Huang is a pivotal figure in Chinese history, ushering in nearly two millennia of imperial rule. After unifying China, he and his chief advisor Li Si passed a series of major economic and political reforms. He undertook gigantic projects, including the first version of the Great Wall of China, the now famous city-sized mausoleum guarded by a life-sized Terracotta Army, and a massive national road system, all at the expense of numerous lives. To ensure stability, Qin Shi Huang also outlawed and burned many books, as well as burying some scholars alive.

Black and white photo of Eulji Mundeok Hero of the Great Battle of Salsu. Eulji Mundeok (Ulchi Mundok) was a military leader of early 7th century Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, who successfully defended Goguryeo against Sui China. He is often numbered among the greatest heroes in the military history of Korea.

Bodhisattva and Attendants. Origin: China. Date: 14th century. Ink and color on silk. Period: Yuan dynasty. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

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