Chinese Song Dynasty Stone - Lord Buddha in Meditation

East Asia, China, Song Dynasty, ca. 960 to 1270 CE. A monumental stone sculpture depicting the Lord Buddha in Meditation. He sits in the lotus position, palms turned upwards resting on top of each other. He is wearing the robes of a monk, with his hair piled in the ascetic style on top of his head and his prominent ushnisha well depicted. His ears are elongated, his eyes are closed, and his face shows a serene expression of inner peace. Brilliant remains of original pigment are visible on many areas of the sculpture. Size: 28" W x 44" H (71.1 cm x 111.8 cm)

Social life during the Song period was vibrant. Citizens gathered to view and trade precious artwork, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing and the 11th-century invention of movable-type printing. Technology, science, philosophy, mathematics, and engineering flourished over the course of the Song. Philosophers such as Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi reinvigorated Confucianism with new commentary, infused with Buddhist ideals, and emphasized a new organization of classic texts that brought out the core doctrine of Neo-Confucianism. Although the institution of the civil service examinations had existed since the Sui dynasty, it became much more prominent in the Song period. The officials who gained power by succeeding in the exams became a leading factor in the shift from a military-aristocratic elite to a bureaucratic elite. During the Song Dynasty, China expanded its trade along the Silk Road and South and Central Asian Buddhist proselytizers brought many sculptures and paintings of the Buddha into the country.

A similar example was offered at Christie's Hong Kong on June 3, 2015 (Lot 3008), for USD 64,500 to 90,300.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Mark Kobiachi collection, Hawaii, USA, acquired between 1960 to 2002

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#153208
Condition Report: Left side face - repaired hairline crack, repaired earlobe upper collar repaired; right side face - repaired chip corner of eye, repaired surface front of ear. Front finger repaired. Nice pigment remaining as shown and great deposits on surface.