Minneapolis Institute of Art

Boshanlu hill censer

China

Date

1st century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This lidded container evokes the sacred mountains, a potent Han dynasty symbol of the passage between earthly life and the immortal realm. The lid rises in sculpted peaks and depicts animals roaming the rugged mountain wilds. Amid them appear mounted challengers, their horses enabling them to confront the dangers of this untamed terrain. Such imagery reflects contemporary beliefs in the transformative power of the mountains and the heroic journey required to approach transcendence. Containers like this, used in burial, expressed hopes for protection, renewal, and safe passage for the deceased into an elevated spiritual world. China, Asia

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