Shanghai Museum - Sculpture Gallery, Shanghai, China

The Shanghai Museum is a premier cultural landmark situated in the heart of Shanghai, renowned for its extensive collection of over 120,000 precious artifacts.

Housed in an iconic building designed to symbolize the ancient Chinese philosophy of a "round sky and square earth," the museum spans several floors, each dedicated to different facets of China’s rich artistic history. From prehistoric ceramics and intricate jade carvings to exquisite calligraphy and furniture, the institution serves as a comprehensive repository of the nation’s cultural evolution, drawing visitors from around the world to its meticulously curated galleries.

A standout feature of the museum is the Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery, which offers a captivating journey through the development of sculptural art from the Warring States period through the Ming and Qing dynasties. The collection is deeply rooted in religious expression, featuring a profound array of Buddhist statues—including those from the Northern Wei, Sui, and Tang periods—that reflect the integration of Buddhism into Chinese culture. These pieces, crafted from various materials such as stone, wood, and clay, emphasize the expression of inner spirit and grace over mere anatomical realism, providing visitors with a meditative experience akin to exploring ancient grottoes.

Sculpture Gallery Information «China has long been known for its wide variety of time-honoured sculpture. A large number of sculpted works made of various mediums have been unearthed in Neolithic sites. During the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, early sculptures finally evolved into magnificent decorative crafts either carved into jade, stone, and bone or cast in bronze. The Qin and Han dynasties witnessed a sculpture boom in wide varieties and exquisite craftsmanship; in particular, the tomb statues of this period formed a well-assembled system and the brick or stone relief had its distinguishing feature of the times. During the Eastern Han dynasty, Buddhist art was introduced along the Silk Road to where the Han people lived, thus opening a new chapter for the exchanges between East and West. During the period from the Wei and Jin dynasties, through the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and finally to the Sui and Tang dynasties, exchanges and fusion between different cultures bred a stunning array of marvelous works. Religious statues were found flourishing in-rock-cut caves and Buddhist temples, and the practice of tomb sculptures was still under development. The Five Dynasties as well as the Northern and Southern Songs, however, saw the decline of the sculpting practice in mausoleums and caves but its rise in temples and buildings. In the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the production of more standardized worldly-taste works, embodying both Han-nationality and Tibetan sculptural arts, presented a unique vibrancy derived from ethnic diversity and national unity.»

Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery

I. Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties

The Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties RITES AND RITUALS «The pre-Qin people used a wide range of mediums for sculpture, which included lacquered wood, jade, stone, clay, pottery and bronze, typified by bronze vessels and jades crafted for ritual services. During the periods of Spring and Autumn as well as Warring States, human-shaped statues gradually replaced actual sacrifices in tombs of the nobles, and this practice physically improved the plastic skills of the then artisans. Ancient Chinese sculpture reached its maturity in the Qin and Han dynasties. Themes on pottery works included dancers and musicians, working farmers, and buildings, such as manors, pavilions and towers. They authentically conveyed people's yearning for a peaceful and wealthy life. However, works such as the stone statues placed alongside the grave path, the stone ancestral halls, and the stone reliefs decorating the interior of tomb chambers, all showed an unaffected vigour of the time. Bronzes exquisitely cast for practical use and with vivid images of human beings, animals or celestial mountains, embodied the superb craftsmanship of the era. During the Eastern Han dynasty, Buddhist art was introduced to China for the first time via the Silk Road, which has exerted a continuing influence over the later Chinese sculpture.»

1. Shang and Zhou Dynasties

The Shang and Zhou Dynasties «The pre-Qin sculpture often wears a look of mystery and ferocity. Although naturalistic works did exist in this period, realistic elements were not emphasized; instead, symbolism and rites were the keynote of the time. The legend of Yu the Great has it that Yu had bronze cauldrons cast with motifs resembling various creatures so as to help his people tell deities from demons, which well interprets the pre-Qin aesthetics in sculpture.»

Drum stand cast with coiling dragons Bronze. Late Spring and Autumn (1st half of 6th Century-476 BCE). This is a drum base for a jiangu drum, with a hollow cylinder in the center for inserting the drumstick. The main body of the drum base consists of three intertwined, high-relief coiled dragons. The dragon heads are raised, their mouths biting the rim of the cylinder. The jiangu drum consists of a horizontal cylindrical drum cavity with skins at both ends, a wooden drumstick, and a bronze drum base. It could be used as a musical drum for banquets or as a war drum on the battlefield.

Figurine Wood. Warring States (475-221 BCE).

2. Qin and Han Dynasties

The Qin and Han Dynasties «Sculptures of the Qin and Han dynasties, like the era when they were crafted, exhibited a youthful vigor and martial valiance. Artisans boasted a great mastery of plastic skills and spatial composition in this period. They created works of a dual character, featuring massive build and rustic carvings on the one hand, and on the other an ornateness comprising openwork design, exquisite inlays, exaggerated forms, and bright colors. Such works exuded a mixed charm of being both gentle and tough.»

Cowries container with seven yaks Bronze. Western Han (206 BCE-8 CE). Unearthed at Shizhaishan, Baning, Yunnan Province in 1956. This is a bronze artifact from the Dian culture. Such artifacts are often found containing seashells, hence the name "shell-storing vessel." The body of the vessel has two tigers as handles, and the top is sculpted with seven oxen. It appears as if the two tigers are surrounding the oxen on top of the vessel, vividly depicting the tense confrontation between the tigers and the oxen. The depiction of fighting animals shows the influence of northern grassland culture.

Tiger mat weight Gilt bronze. Western Han (206 BCE-8 CE). The tiger is depicted in a reclining posture, head raised and mouth open, wearing a collar decorated with shell patterns around its neck. Its body is decorated with incised stripes and is entirely gilded. During the Qin and Han dynasties and earlier, people sat on the floor. To avoid affecting their posture by folding the corners of the mat or tugging on their clothing when getting up or sitting down, weights were used to hold down the four corners of the mat. This tiger weight is one such example.

Zither player Pottery. Eastern Han (25-220 CE).

II. Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties

The Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties EXCHANGES AND MUTUAL LEARNING «Despite of social upheavals, the Wei and Jin dynasties were able to serve as a transition period for Chinese sculpture between the Han dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The Southern and Northern Dynasties saw the first boom of Chinese Buddhist sculpture, when many cave temples, as the home for exquisite Buddhist statuary, were established along the Silk Road and around the capitals of various regimes in China. Apart from high-relief grotto works, a large number of carvings in the round and free-footed bronze statues, were also produced. Impacts from the Gandhara and Gupta arts were repeatedly found on Chinese Buddhist statuary alongside the Silk Road while 'loose robe and wide belt, a clothing style after the Chinese scholars' wear, appeared also on Buddhist icons. Following the Qin and Han traditions, most of graveyard stone statues as well as decorative works, had a good interaction with foreign cultures. Exchanges and integration were the distinctive feature of the sculptural art in this period.»

3. Wei and Jin Dynasties

The Wei and Jin Dynasties «The Wei and Jin sculpture, not only inherited the valiant tradition of the Han dynasty, but also initiated the fashion of elegance later prevalent in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. While chaos of the time had generated a number of sloppy works, it did help the fusion of diverse cultures. Hence the Wei and Jin sculpture stumbled forward in the hard times of breaking the old and constructing the new.»

Buddha Bronze. Northern Wei (366-934). This statuette of Buddha features wavy hair forming a full crown on the front. The right hand is raised to the chest in the abhaya mudra (gesture of reassurance), while the left hand hangs down at the chest. The eyes are smiling, with a short right shoulder. The drapery is densely folded and clings to the body, and the legs are straight. The flame patterns around the halo are dynamic. This statuette of Buddha has a powerful style from the early to mid-Northern Wei Dynasty and is influenced by Gupta art from Central Asia and India.

Buddhist stele, commissioned by Wang Longsheng and others Stone. Northern Wei (386-534). Collected from Shanxi Provincial Museum. This stele combines Buddhist sculpture art with pictorial stone carving art. The dragon heads, sun and moon images, and the donors listed in the inscriptions on the stele originate from the Han Dynasty pictorial stone carving tradition. The Buddhist figures on the stele are slender with loose and flowing clothing, reflecting the style of the late Northern Wei Dynasty. The place names mentioned in the inscription are all located within the present-day Linfen City, Shanxi Province.

A pagoda tier Stone. Northern Wei (386-534). The Longdong region, where the stone pagoda was unearthed, is a crossroads for the spread of Buddhist sculpture art. This stone pagoda features both Buddha statues dressed in flowing robes and those in the close-fitting Liangzhou style, and particularly the Bodhisattva statues with bare upper bodies and skirts, clearly showing influence from the Western Regions. Chinese-style Buddhist clothing originated from the Southern Qi dynasty style of Shu (Sichuan), and its influence spread across the Qinling Mountains to the Longdong region, reflecting the north-south exchange in this area. Below the stone pagoda are auspicious animals such as dragons, lions, donkeys, and camels. These animals were considered divine beasts at the time and mostly originated from the Western Regions.

Buddha and Two Bodhisattva (The Buddha Triad) Stone. Eastern Wei (534-550).

Buddha (worshipers Qi Faqi and others) (left) Stone. 16th year of the Datong era of the Western Wei dynasty (550). Carving of Buddhist images (worshiper: a nun named Fasi) (center) Stone. The 3rd year (536) of Tianping Era, Eastern Wei. The Buddha triad (right) Stone. Northern Zhou (557-581).

Four-sided Buddhist pillar, commissioned by over sixty people from the Nie clan Stone. 1st year (543) of Wuding Reign, Eastern Wei. Each of the four sides of the stone statue has a niche at the top, enshrining three Buddhas and one Bodhisattva. Below, in a smaller rectangular niche, are four more Buddha statues, totaling sixteen statues across the four sides. According to the inscription "Prince Statue Master," this depicts the story of the sixteen princes who renounced their worldly life and attained Buddhahood, as told in the Parable of the Magic City in the Lotus Sutra. Below is an inscription recording the vows of those who commissioned the statue, stating that it was built by more than sixty members of the Nie clan's yiyi (邑义). Yiyi were spontaneously organized Buddhist faith groups in ancient times, mostly composed of people with close geographical and kinship ties.

4. Southern and Northern Dynasties

The Southern and Northern Dynasties «The fierce Northern regimes stood in sharp contrast to their mild southern counterparts in social customs as well as the sculptural art. Despite the distance and military confrontation between them, the Southern and Northern Dynasties enjoyed good cultural exchanges and mutual learning. Due to migration between south and north China, the art of sculpture from Pingcheng (the present Datong, the Northern-Wei capital), typified by Yungang Grottoes, first reached Jiankang (the present Nanjing, the capital of Southern Dynasties); the southern sculpture, which exhibited natural elegance and delicate beauty, in return exerted a counter influence over its siblings made in the middle and late periods of the Northern Dynasties.»

Part of a funerary couch Stone. Northern Dynasties (386-589). This fragment represents the central part of the front facade and the legs of a stone coffin bed. The upper part of the facade features layers of lotus petals adorned with precious ornaments, while the lower part has a shallow relief carving of a mythical beast within a grid pattern. The legs are decorated with a high relief carving of a beast face. The period is from the late Northern Wei to the Eastern Wei dynasty. Pictorial stone coffin beds were luxurious burial objects found in high-ranking tombs during the Northern Dynasties, upon which coffins or corpses were placed, and they originated from beds in real life.

Yungang Grottoes (460-525) «The Yungang Grottoes, for which the Northern Wei court marshalled its full resources and assembled tremendous teams of notable artists and skilled artisans, represent the outstanding achievement of China's Buddhist cave art, and are featuring the heavy stylization of blocky volumes. Sculpted works inside the Grottoes not only exerted an influence on the contemporary rock-cut Buddhist statuary in North China but also on their southern siblings, and thus played a significant role in Chinese sculpture history. Tan Yao Wu Ku, refers to the five caves (Cave 16-20) created by the Buddhist Master Tan Yao from the first year (460) of Heping Reign onward under the imperial auspices of Emperor Wencheng. Tan Yao was an eminent Northern-Wei monk administrating the then general Buddhist affairs. As the earliest, largest, and best-planned cave group at Yungang, these five adjacent caves, located west of the central grottoes, were cut in strict unity of layout and facade, each with a giant Buddha statue enshrined. The sculptural works showcased here were nabbed by a Japanese mission headed by Mizuno Seiichi and Nagahiro Toshio between 1939 and 1940, and were further shipped to Tohobunka kenkyusho (Institute for Research in Oriental Studies) in Kyoto by the end of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Great efforts were made by Chinese scholars including Mr. Li Ji and Mr. Zhang Fengju, for their successful return to China in 1948. In 1955, these works were transferred to the Shanghai Museum under the orders of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and Shanghai Municipality.»

Buddha White marble. Northern Qi (550-577). The Buddha statue is carved from white marble. Northern Dynasties white marble statues are mainly found in Quyang, Dingzhou and Yinling in present-day Hebei Province, and are particularly prominent in Dingzhou and the capital city and surrounding areas. The statue has a large head and a slender upper body. The overall carving is geometric, showing distinct characteristics of the Northern Qi Dynasty. The Buddha's robes and the floral patterns on the sparsely lit Buddha statues are influenced by ancient Indian art.

Buddha Stone. Northern Qi (550-577).

Votive stele with an inscription 石像十堪 (ten Buddhist niches) Stone. Northern Qi (550-577).

Head of Buddha White marble. Northern Qi (550-577).

Bodhisattva White pottery. Northern Qi (550-577). This white pottery statue have a relief effect created by molding on the front, while the back is flat and undecorated. Northern Dynasties pottery statues, apart from a few found in Xingtai, Hebei, are mainly unearthed in Shandong, an area that belonged to Qingzhou Prefecture during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

Prince Siddhartha Gautama (worshiper: Daochang) Stone. The 4th year (553) of Tianbao Era, Northern Qi.

Thousand-Buddha votive stele Stone. Northern Zhou (557-581). The stele is filled with miniature Buddhas seated in niches. On both the front and back of the stele are large boxes, the main figures being Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Bodhisattva, each flanked by two disciples, two bodhisattvas, and two guardian figures. The entire stele represents the continuity and inexhaustibility of Buddhism. The statues on the stele are short, stout, and rounded, typical of the Northern Zhou style.

Buddhist stele, commissioned by Ma Shiyue and others Stone. 3rd year (572) of Wuping Reign, Northern Qi.

Śākyamuni (worshiper: Zhou Jiren) Stone. The 2nd year (580) of Daxiang Era, Northern Zhou.

Cultural Influences of Southern Dynasties

The Buddha triad Limestone. Southern Dynasties (420-589). This sculpture, carved from limestone, features a serene and reserved face, a long neck, and sloping shoulders, embodying the elegant and refined characteristics of Southern Dynasties sculpture. Most extant single-piece Southern Dynasties sculptures are found in Chengdu, Sichuan, and the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. This particular sculpture, originating from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River during the Southern Dynasties of Qi and Liang, is therefore exceptionally precious.

III. Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties

The Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties THE IDEAL OF BEAUTY «The Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties witnessed the heyday of Chinese sculptural art, and boasted remarkable achievements in religious icons, graveyard stone statues, and pottery figures for burial. The Buddhist statuaries of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, featuring various iconographic types created in different territories, we e finally unified to the fully matured forms of High-Tang Buddhist sculpture as its zenith, after a growth in the Sui dynasty and the early Tang period. Taoist imagery also flourished in the Tang dynasty, for Laozi, the founder of Taoism, was worshipped by the royal family as its ancestor. The burial figures, inheriting the tradition of the Northern Dynasties and experiencing a gradual change in the Sui dynasty and the early Tang period, finally manifested fleshy magnificence and dignified build in the High Tang period. In particular, the Tang polychrome-pottery statues represented this heyday fashion in a greater-than-average height, fine craftsmanship and colourful glazes. While the High-Tang style didn't disappear entirely, the burial figures of the Five Dynasties were crafted in fewer forms and with little masculine vigour.»

5. Sui Dynasty

The Sui Dynasty «The Sui dynasty terminated the chaotic division between the Southern and Northern Dynasties, thereby breeding a new style in its capital Daxing (the present Xi'an, Shaanxi Province), by merging the southern and northern sculpture. As the Sui court was then a new government, sculptural styles of the preceding dynasties still prevailed. Therefore, the coexistence of the old and the new was the trait of this era.»

Glazed pottery Sui (581-618).

Tomb guardian Pottery glazed in yellow and green. Sui (581-618).

Guard of Honor Yellow-glazed pottery. Sui (581-618).

Warrior Yellow-glazed pottery. Sui (581-618).

Tomb guardian Pottery glazed in yellow and green. Sui (581-618).

Avalokiteśvara Stone. Sui (581-618).

Avalokiteśvara Stone. Sui (581-618).

Mahasthamaprapta Stone. Sui (581-618).

Bodhisattva Stone. Sui (581-618).

The Amitabhā triad Bronze. Sui (581-618). The bodhisattvas flanking the main Buddha statue are adorned with Buddha images and vases, indicating they are Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta standing to the left and right of Amitabha Buddha. This type of Amitabha triad statue reflects the development of Chinese Buddhist sculpture art from the diverse styles of the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui Dynasty style. The slightly stiff forms indicate that the influence of the Northern Qi Dynasty was still present.

6. Tang and Five Dynasties

The Tang and Five Dynasties «The early-Tang sculpture still retained the features of its predecessors dating from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Sui dynasty. In the reigns of Emperor Gaozong and his wife Empress Wu Zetian, the sculptural forms were formally established, and the giant Vairocana statue worshipped at Fengxian Temple of Longmen Grottoes marked an unprecedented achievement in Chinese sculpting art. The Kaiyuan and Tianbao reigns witnessed the zenith of Chinese sculpture, when life-like statues represented the human body in a dignified grace. Works crafted in the middle and late Tang periods, however, declined in a bulging, flamboyant look with less grace. Although the Five-Dynasties sculpture followed the late-Tang swollen tradition, it was improved by a concise interpretation. The multiple political divisions in this period helped breed a variety of regional styles.»

Pensive Bodhisattva Gilt bronze. Tang (618-907). This Bodhisattva rests his right hand on his cheek in a contemplative pose. He has a high topknot, his hair is tied up and draped over his shoulders, and he possesses broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long limbs, reflecting the characteristics of the Wu Zhou period. The seated, contemplative posture shows influences from Gupta art in India. Based on the structure of the base, this statue may be part of a group sculpture.

Eleven-faced Avalokiteśvara Gilt bronze. Tang (618-907).

Bodhisattva in offering White marble. Tang (618-907). This Bodhisattva statue is one of the attendants in a collection of statuary, this worshiping Bodhisattva is kneeling below the Buddha. Originating from Chang'an during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, this statue, made of fine marble, fully showcases the soft and elastic texture of skin, making it a masterpiece of Tang Dynasty white marble sculpture.

Bodhisattva Stone. Tang (618-907). This standing Bodhisattva statue has his right hand raised to his shoulder, holding a willow branch. His left hand is missing. Two shawls are wrapped around his body and hang down along his arms. He wears a necklace, and a garland of necklaces crisscrosses at his chest and abdomen, decorated with animal faces. His upper body is bare, and he wears a skirt. He stands barefoot on an upturned lotus pedestal. The Bodhisattva's figure is robust and well-proportioned, exhibiting characteristics of Luoyang Buddhist sculptures from the early Tang Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.

Heads of Lokapalas

Head of Lokapala Stone. Sui (581-618).

Head of Lokapala Stone. Tang (618-907). This Heavenly King head comes from the Heavenly King statue on the north side of the entrance to the East Wall of the Wan-fo-dung (Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas) in the Longmen Grottoes. The Wanfo Cave was carved under the supervision of Yao Shenbiao, a second-rank female official in the palace, and the Zen Master Zhiyun of the inner temple, and was completed in the first year of Yonglong of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (680). The facial features of the head are sculpted with great tension, and the head is large and imposing.

Buddha's head Stone. Tang (618-907). This Buddha head came from the central of three life-size standing Buddhas in the lower arched niche outside the strongman figure on the north wall of Fengxian Temple (the Ancestor Worshiping Cave) in Longmen Grottoes. Standing Buddha statues of such height were probably carved under the orders of Emperor Xuanzong or commissioned by his cronies to make merits for the Emperor. The Buddha head is round and full, exhibiting characteristics of the Kaiyuan era of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

Lokapala Stone. Tang (618-907).

Lokapala Stone. Tang (618-907).

Laojun (the Supreme Venerable Sovereign) Stone. Tang (618-907). Collected from Shanxi Provincial Museum.

Tomb guardian Painted pottery. Tang (618-907).

Official Painted pottery. Tang (618-907).

IV. Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties, and the Dali Kingdom

The Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties, and the Dali Kingdom FROM THE DIVINE TO THE SECULAR «While inheriting the plump, magnificent tradition of the Tang and Five Dynasties and their simplified but sophisticated expression, sculpture of the Song Dynasty laid great emphasis on realism and secularity. Works made in the Liao and Jin territories as well as in the Dali Kingdom, despite following the Tang and Song traditions, showcased ethnic distinction. Religious works in this period kept being localized and secularized while following the Tang heritage. The practice of crafting pottery figures for burial declined in the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties, while jars with moulded and applied decorations as well as brick or stone reliefs became prevalent in tombs.»

7. Northern and Southern Song Dynasties

The Northern and Southern Song Dynasties «The sculptural art advanced steadily from the idealistic exaggeration of the Tang and Five Dynasties to the realistic secularity in the Song dynasty. Compared to the outgoing, splendid expression manifested by the Tang sculpture, the Song works looked reserved, restrained and close-to-life.»

Lokapala White marble. Northern Song (960-1127).

Avalokiteśvara Lacquered, coloured and gilded wood. Northern Song (960-1127). This statue of the Bodhisattva has its body and limbs assembled with wooden blocks before being colored in later dynasties. While the form is similar, the style of expression, especially the depiction of facial features, has become Sinicized. Judging from the craftsmanship and style, this Guanyin statue may have originated from the Shanxi region. Its relaxed seated posture is derived from the poses of statues from the Gupta to Pala periods in India.

Mahavairocana Gilt bronze. 2nd year (1163) of Shengming Reign, Dali Kingdom Gift of Mr. Kung Zou Heng. The inner cavity of the Buddha statue bears an inscription indicating that 'Zhang Xingming and others' vowed to create a gilt-bronze statue of the Great Sun Illuminating All Being in the second year of the Shengming era of the Dali Kingdom (1163). The jeweled Buddha statue, adorned with agate earrings and armlets, and displaying the earth-touching mudra (a gesture of subduing demons), originated in Bodh Gaya, India, and was introduced to Chang'an during the early Tang Dynasty. The Dali Kingdom's Great Sun Illuminating All Being Buddha was influenced by similar jeweled Buddha statues from the Tang Dynasty in the Sichuan region.

Mahasthamaprapta Lacquered, coloured and gilded wood. Jin (1115-1234). This seated wooden statue of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva originates from the Fen River basin in southern Shanxi. During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, wooden sculptures flourished in this region, characterized by robust figures, ornate decorations, three-dimensional carvings, and smooth, exaggerated lines. The wood carvings of the Jin and Yuan dynasties in the lower reaches of the Fen River are of superb artistic skill and have distinct regional characteristics. Their style influenced the murals in local temples during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, fully demonstrating the combination of painting and sculpture in ancient Chinese sculpture art.

See Also

• Shanghai Museum - Bronze Gallery
• Shanghai Museum - Ceramics Gallery
• Shanghai Museum - Jade Gallery

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Source

• Shanghai Museum - Wikipedia

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Location