Page 97 - 2019 September 10th Sotheby's Important Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist Art, New York

his remarkable figure is cast in a highly dramatic pose, solemnly
raising one knee as if ready to rise while energetically brandishing 本尊天王像，作半跪姿，左手持盾，右手高
T his sword. His stern facial expression complements the dynamic 舉握劍，身著重鎧華胄，飛帶墜繞於肩，面
pose, and the figure is shown wearing heavy armor and a helmet, while a 容肅正威嚴，屬極為罕見的大理造像，同
scarf draped around the shoulders flutters around the arms. Dali gilt-bronze 者目前應尚未可見。
figures of kneeling guardians or warriors are extremely rare, and no other
closely related example appears to be known.
可參考兩尊大理國天王坐例，以為依據：
This figure can be attributed to the Dali Kingdom (937-1253) on account 其一，銅鎏金像，藏紐約大都會藝術博
of similarities with two sculptures of seated guardians: a gilt-bronze figure 物館（圖一），其二，木像，藏雲南省博物
in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (fig. 1), and a wooden example 館。此二像皆坐姿雄武，身著甲胄，銅色
in the Yunnan Provincial Museum. Both figures are depicted in vigorous 如本品呈橘褐色。華盛頓弗瑞爾及賽克
postures and dressed in armor with rosettes on the breastplates, with the 勒美術館資深修復師Paul Jett，曾對大
sleeves gathered above the elbows. Furthermore, the metal body of the 理國銅佛進行過檢驗，結果發現其中砷
two seated figures displays a similar orange-brown tone. Metallurgical 含量較高，故致其銅質呈色，詳見Paul
analyses carried out on bronze figures from the Dali Kingdom by Paul Jett,
Senior Conservator in the Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Jett，〈Technologische Studie zu den
Smithsonian Institutions, Washington D.C., have revealed significant vergoldeten Guanyin-Figuren aus dem
traces of arsenic, which gives the metal its characteristic color (Paul Jett, Dali-Königreich〉，《Der Goldschatz
‘Technologische Studie zu den vergoldeten Guanyin-Figuren aus dem Dali- der drei Pagoden》，蘇黎士，1991年，
Königreich’, Der Goldschatz der drei Pagoden, Zurich, 1991, pp 68-74). 頁68-74。
The Nanzhao (653-902) and Dali Kingdoms controlled the frontier area 南詔及大理，舊治雲南，於唐宋之時頗為
of Yunnan, almost independently from the Tang and Song dynasties that 獨立。其政權由白蠻首領統治，推崇以佛
ruled over the rest of China. Founded by the Bai ethnic minority, the two 之國。南詔與大理廣納外來文化，除與當
monarchies adopted Buddhism as a means to unify their kingdoms and
legitimize their ascent to power. Both kingdoms had long-lasting interactions 時中原往來密切外，同時接受東南亞及喜
with China as well as the peripheral Southeast Asian and Himalayan cultures, 馬拉雅文化影響。雲南地區佛教造像別具
and were highly receptive to foreign ideas and art. Buddhist sculpture from 一格，與同時期的唐、宋佛像風格大異。
Yunnan is distinctively eclectic, and differs significantly from the sculptural
styles prevalent in the regions under Tang and Song administrations. 雲南佛教受西藏及印度化文化影響尤深。
密宗佛教與薩滿信仰有共通之處，白蠻統
Tibet and other Indianized cultures were particularly influential in the 治者故倍加推崇。尤尚阿吒力教，習其佛
spread of Buddhism in Yunnan. Esoteric Buddhism shared similarities with 法，受其精神，奉其僧師具神靈之能。南詔
Shamanistic beliefs and the local Bai rulers were thus favorably disposed 及大理皆尚佛，自八世紀起，隨施浪詔歸
towards it. This is particularly evident in the role of foreign Buddhist
monks, known as Azhali, who transmitted Buddhist teachings and provided 附吐蕃，雲南與吐蕃的關係則變得更為緊
spiritual guidance to devotees, but were also valued in Yunnan for their 密。密宗及其造像風格對雲南的影響可見
supernatural powers. Buddhism was fervently adopted by both the Nanzhao 於本品之造型以及雙目略突、濃眉短鬚等
and Dali rulers, and from the 8th century onward, relations with Tibet were 特點。
strengthened through the administration of the Shilang principality in the 本尊形象刻畫亦頗為特殊。雖其應為天
area around Jianchuan, which paid allegiance to Tibet. The influence of 王或守門天，然此類像少見半跪姿且持盾
Esoteric Buddhist teachings and images on the sculptures of Yunnan is 者。佛教中的四大天王，各持法器，分守須
displayed in this figure through its dramatic pose, slightly protruding eyes, 彌山四角；守門天，作武士像，莊肅威嚴，
bushy eyebrows and short beard.
為守門神。持劍天王像，多為東方持國天
王，四大天王之一，然其形象多見或坐或
The iconography of this piece is unusual; while it probably depicts a lokapala
or a dvarapala, terrifying figures meant to protect devotees in sacred spaces, 立，頭戴寶胄，如本像者則極為罕見。
these are seldom depicted kneeling and carrying a shield. Lokapala, also
known as the Four Heavenly Kings, were believed to guard the four corners
of Mount Sumeru, while dvarapala were honored as fearsome armed
warriors that protected doors and entry ways. Figures of guardians with
sword are typically identified with Dhritarashtra, the Guardian of the East,
although he is more commonly depicted seated or standing, and wearing a
helmet with upturned ends.