Treasure Canons · TC2

Heaven and Earth in Objects

Bi discs for heaven, cong tubes for earth: the cosmos as the ancients shaped it in jade, bronze and silk

106treasures

11dynasties

33institutions

This canon collects objects that mirror the ancient picture of the cosmos: jade bi for heaven and cong for earth, TLV mirrors mapping the four directions, oracle bones cracked to question the spirits, and silk paintings and star charts of the heavens and immortal realms. They turned the unseen order of heaven into shapes that fit in the hand.

Representative treasures

106 treasures
Late Shang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Sacred Tree from SanxingduiThe ancient Shu tree that reached for the skySanxingdui MuseumTE10013Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGold Staff from SanxingduiThe golden sceptre of the Shu kingsSanxingdui MuseumTE10015Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGolden Sun Bird Ornament from JinshaThe golden birds that became China's heritage emblemJinsha Site MuseumTE10016Neolithic, Hongshan culture · Ritual JadesHongshan Jade DragonA jade dragon curled into a C over five thousand years agoNational Museum of ChinaTE10017Neolithic, Liangzhu culture · Ritual JadesKing of Jade Cong from LiangzhuThe king of cong, bearing the Liangzhu emblemZhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10018Neolithic, Yangshao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Basin with Human Face and Fish DesignThe fish-faced figure the Banpo people paintedNational Museum of ChinaTE10022Western Han dynasty · Murals & Silk PaintingsT-shaped Silk Banner from Mawangdui Tomb No. 1A silk banner to guide the soul to heavenHunan MuseumTE10040Tang dynasty (868) · Rare Printed BooksDiamond Sutra of 868A Buddhist sutra printed in the year 868British LibraryTE10046Eastern Han to Wei-Jin · Silk & Brocade"Five Stars Rising in the East Benefit China" Brocade Arm GuardAn auspicious phrase woven in silk, found in a desert tombXinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10047Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Standing Figure from SanxingduiAmong the tallest bronze figures of its ageSanxingdui MuseumTE10053Neolithic, Hongshan culture · Clay & Painted SculptureGoddess Head of the Hongshan CultureThe Hongshan goddess with eyes of jadeLiaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10059Tang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Pagoda from Famen TempleA bronze stupa that held the Buddha's relicFamen Temple MuseumTE10099

Metalwork

8 treasures
Late Shang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Sacred Tree from SanxingduiThe ancient Shu tree that reached for the skySanxingdui MuseumTE10013Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGold Staff from SanxingduiThe golden sceptre of the Shu kingsSanxingdui MuseumTE10015Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGolden Sun Bird Ornament from JinshaThe golden birds that became China's heritage emblemJinsha Site MuseumTE10016Tang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Pagoda from Famen TempleA bronze stupa that held the Buddha's relicFamen Temple MuseumTE10099Eastern Han dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Money Tree from MianyangA money tree reaching for the immortalsMianyang MuseumTE10101Tang dynasty · Gold & Silver VesselsEight-fold Reliquary CasketsEight caskets around a sacred relicFamen Temple MuseumTE10104Wu Zhou, 700 CE · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGold Slip of Wu ZetianAn empress's golden prayer on Mount SongHenan MuseumTE10107Tang dynasty · Religious ImagesGilt Silver Monk's Staff with Twelve RingsThe gilded staff that welcomed the Buddha's relicFamen Temple MuseumTE10654

Jades

11 treasures
Neolithic, Hongshan culture · Ritual JadesHongshan Jade DragonA jade dragon curled into a C over five thousand years agoNational Museum of ChinaTE10017Neolithic, Liangzhu culture · Ritual JadesKing of Jade Cong from LiangzhuThe king of cong, bearing the Liangzhu emblemZhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10018Late Shang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Zhang Blade with Engraved Figures from SanxingduiA jade blade showing the Shu mountain ritesSanxingdui MuseumTE10108Northern Song dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, First Year of Dazhong Xiangfu, with 52 Casket InlaysJade tablets from a Song imperial riteNational Palace MuseumTE10110Tang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Thirteenth Year of KaiyuanThe jade book of Tang Xuanzong's Mount Tai riteNational Palace MuseumTE10111Neolithic, Longshan culture · Ritual JadesJade Gui Tablet with Human Face DesignA face on a Longshan jadeNational Palace MuseumTE10112Neolithic, Longshan culture · Ritual JadesJade Gui Tablet with Hawk DesignA hawk on a Longshan jadeNational Palace MuseumTE10113Neolithic, Liangzhu culture · Ritual JadesJade CongA Liangzhu cong reaching skywardNational Palace MuseumTE10114Neolithic, Liangzhu culture · Ritual JadesLiangzhu Jade Yue Axe with Deity and Beast MaskThe jade axe of a Liangzhu kingZhejiang Provincial MuseumTE10116Late Shang dynasty · Ritual JadesTen-section Jade Cong from JinshaA Liangzhu cong that travelled to ShuJinsha Site MuseumTE10117Eastern Han dynasty · Display Jade CarvingsOpenwork Jade Screen with Dongwanggong and XiwangmuThe most complete Han jade table screenDingzhou MuseumTE10136

Ceramics

9 treasures
Neolithic, Yangshao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Basin with Human Face and Fish DesignThe fish-faced figure the Banpo people paintedNational Museum of ChinaTE10022Neolithic, Taosi (Longshan) culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Plate with Coiled DragonA red dragon coiled in a Taosi plateInstitute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social SciencesTE10149Neolithic, Dawenkou culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Dou with Eight-pointed StarThe eight-pointed star of the Dawenkou peopleShandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10152Neolithic, Majiayao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Jar with Appliqué Human FigureA figure standing on a painted jarNational Museum of ChinaTE10154Five Dynasties · Celadon WaresYue Ware Lotus Cup and StandA celadon lotus from the Tiger Hill pagodaSuzhou MuseumTE10171Tang dynasty · Celadon WaresYue Ware Celadon Five-footed Censer with Brown CloudsA censer from the tomb of the Wuyue king's motherLin'an MuseumTE10172Northern Qi dynasty · Celadon WaresCeladon Zun with Upright and Inverted LotusThe great lotus vase of the Northern dynastiesNational Museum of ChinaTE10175Northern Song dynasty · White WaresDing Ware Kundika with Carved Lotus Petals and Dragon HeadA Ding ware kundika from a pagoda cryptDingzhou MuseumTE10180Liao dynasty · Religious ImagesSeated Luohan from Yixian (British Museum)The gaze of a Yixian luohanBritish MuseumTE10651

Brushwork

29 treasures
Western Han dynasty · Murals & Silk PaintingsT-shaped Silk Banner from Mawangdui Tomb No. 1A silk banner to guide the soul to heavenHunan MuseumTE10040Southern Song dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsZhu Xi, Commentary on the Xici of the Book of ChangesZhu Xi writes out the Book of ChangesNational Palace MuseumTE10223Northern Song dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsHuang Tingjian, Zhu Shangzuo TieCursive like a horse slipping its reinsPalace MuseumTE10264Northern Song, 1099-1100 · Calligraphy OriginalsHuang Tingjian, Poems of Hanshan and Layman PangChan verse from a place of exileNational Palace MuseumTE10265Southern Song, reign of Lizong, from about 1230 · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of FuxiFuxi with the eight trigrams at his feetNational Palace MuseumTE10276Yuan dynasty · Figure PaintingAnonymous Yuan, Portrait of an Arhat (Right)The tiger-taming arhat and his companionsNational Palace MuseumTE10277Yuan dynasty · Figure PaintingAnonymous Yuan, Portrait of an Arhat (Left)The dragon-subduing arhat stares down a dragonNational Palace MuseumTE10278Ming dynasty · Figure PaintingThe Immortal of the Northern SeaAn immortal crossing the sea on a turtleNational Palace MuseumTE10285Southern Song · Figure PaintingAnonymous Song, Thousand-armed AvalokitesvaraA thousand hands and eyes for all beingsNational Palace MuseumTE10299Northern Song (early) · Figure PaintingAnonymous Song, Buddha Preaching the DharmaA preaching Buddha from Huizong's collectionNational Palace MuseumTE10300Southern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingLiu Songnian, Arhat, Gu-hua 000099An Indian monk lost in thought beneath a treeNational Palace MuseumTE10307Southern Song dynasty · Figure PaintingLiu Songnian, Arhat, Gu-hua 000100A question on the sutra before a screenNational Palace MuseumTE1030817 more · open Brushwork

Books

32 treasures
Tang dynasty (868) · Rare Printed BooksDiamond Sutra of 868A Buddhist sutra printed in the year 868British LibraryTE10046Northern Song dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, First Year of Dazhong Xiangfu, with 52 Casket InlaysJade tablets from a Song imperial riteNational Palace MuseumTE10110Tang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Thirteenth Year of KaiyuanThe jade book of Tang Xuanzong's Mount Tai riteNational Palace MuseumTE10111Late Shang dynasty · Oracle BonesInscribed Ox AstragalusA Shang record on a tiny ankle boneInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10508Late Shang dynasty · Oracle BonesInscribed Deer SkullA royal hunt recorded on a deer's skullInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10509Late Shang dynasty (reign of Wu Ding) · Oracle BonesOracle Bones from Pit YH127, YinxuA whole pit of oracle bones lifted out in one blockInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10510Late Shang dynasty · Oracle BonesChinese Oracle-Bone Inscriptions (Memory of the World)Where Chinese writing beginsInstitute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social SciencesTE10511Sixteen Kingdoms to early Northern Song · ManuscriptsPelliot Collection of Dunhuang ManuscriptsThe Library Cave's most carefully chosen scrollsBibliothèque nationale de FranceTE10523Late Tang to Five Dynasties · ManuscriptsSutra of the Eight Yang Divine Mantras (Late Tang to Five Dynasties Manuscript Scroll)A sutra copied for departed parentsNational Central LibraryTE10524Tang dynasty · ManuscriptsGuanzhong Commentary on the Vimalakirti Sutra (Tang Manuscript Scroll)Lecture notes from a Shazhou monasteryNational Central LibraryTE10525Tang dynasty · ManuscriptsGuanzhong Notes on the Vimalakirti Sutra (Tang Manuscript Scroll)A commentary read by a Sanjie Temple monkNational Central LibraryTE10526Sixteen Kingdoms to early Northern Song · ManuscriptsDunhuang Manuscripts in the National Library of ChinaWhat the nation kept from the Library CaveNational Library of ChinaTE1052820 more · open Books

Textiles

5 treasures
Eastern Han to Wei-Jin · Silk & Brocade"Five Stars Rising in the East Benefit China" Brocade Arm GuardAn auspicious phrase woven in silk, found in a desert tombXinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10047Northern dynasties · Silk & BrocadeRed-ground Brocade with Sun God in Pearl RoundelsA sun god in pearl roundelsQinghai Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10623Yuan dynasty, ca. 1330-32 · Kesi TapestryVajrabhairava mandalaA Yuan imperial mandala woven in silkMetropolitan Museum of ArtTE10629Tang dynasty, 8th century · EmbroideryEmbroidered Shakyamuni preaching on Vulture PeakA Buddha in silk stitches from the Library CaveBritish MuseumTE10632Northern Wei dynasty · EmbroideryEmbroidered Buddha and Donors of the Northern WeiA Northern Wei Buddha in embroideryDunhuang AcademyTE10633

Sculpture

17 treasures
Late Shang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Sacred Tree from SanxingduiThe ancient Shu tree that reached for the skySanxingdui MuseumTE10013Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Standing Figure from SanxingduiAmong the tallest bronze figures of its ageSanxingdui MuseumTE10053Neolithic, Hongshan culture · Clay & Painted SculptureGoddess Head of the Hongshan CultureThe Hongshan goddess with eyes of jadeLiaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10059Tang dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkBronze Pagoda from Famen TempleA bronze stupa that held the Buddha's relicFamen Temple MuseumTE10099Northern Song dynasty · Bamboo & Wood CarvingPearl Relic PillarA Song reliquary set with forty thousand pearlsSuzhou MuseumTE10617Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Mask with Protruding EyesThe mask with eyes that reach outwardSanxingdui MuseumTE10647Northern Wei dynasty · Religious ImagesNine-storey Thousand Buddha Stone Pagoda of Cao Tiandu, First Year of Tian'anA Northern Wei pagoda of a thousand BuddhasNational Museum of HistoryTE10648Liao or Jin dynasty · Religious ImagesGuanyin of the Southern SeaGuanyin at ease above the Southern SeaNelson-Atkins Museum of ArtTE10649Tang, 7th year of Kaiyuan (719) · Religious ImagesStone Statue of the Daoist Deity Changyang TaizunA Daoist deity from a High Tang templeShanxi Art MuseumTE10650Liao dynasty · Religious ImagesSeated Luohan from Yixian (British Museum)The gaze of a Yixian luohanBritish MuseumTE10651Tang (Wu Zhou), 2nd year of Tianshou (691) · Religious ImagesStele with Scenes of the Buddha's ParinirvanaThe Buddha's parinirvana told in stoneShanxi Art MuseumTE10652Dali Kingdom · Religious ImagesGold Acuoye Guanyin with Silver MandorlaThe golden lucky star of YunnanYunnan Provincial MuseumTE106535 more · open Sculpture

Types by dynasty

Where this canon's treasures fall by type and dynasty; click an ink dot to open that dynasty at that type.

Heaven and Earth in Objects · Types by dynasty
ShangZhouHanNorthern and SouthernSuiTangFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsSongYuanMingQing
Metalwork8
Jades5
Ceramics5
Brushwork29
Books32
Furniture2
Textiles5
Sculpture16
Implements1
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