Minneapolis Institute of Art

God Erlang

China

Date

12th-13th century

Medium

Yanjin/Cizhou ware, slip coated stoneware with overglaze enamels on a clear glaze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

God Erlang was one of the most powerful divine figures in Chinese religion and literature. Recognizable by his stern expression and official robes, Erlang was venerated as a protector who could subdue demons and uphold cosmic order. In this seated image, he wears a vividly decorated robe featuring a coiled dragon across the chest—an emblem of his celestial authority. The figure’s upright posture, square armchair, and frontal gaze convey the solemn dignity of a high-ranking official, while the multicolored overglaze enamels enhances the sense of divine splendor. This figure reflects how popular kilns adapted religious imagery into ceramic sculpture, combining local craftsmanship with the visual language of officialdom and divine power. China, Asia

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