Minneapolis Institute of Art

Zhenwu, the Daoist Deity of the North

China

Date

14th-15th century

Medium

Cizhou ware Slip-coated stoneware with dark brown and russet brown painted décor under a clear glaze.

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The origins of the deity Zhenwu (perfected warrior) go back to the Warring States (3rd century BCE) and Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE) periods. At that time, he was known as Xuanwu (the dark warrior) and was simply represented by a tortoise entwined by a snake, representing the guardian of the North. This mold-made image, produced in the Cizhou kilns of north China, would have been used on an altar table for personal devotion. Zhenwu is shown wearing formal court attire with a flying dragon on the chest. He sits in a dignified posture befitting his status as a celestial emperor of the dark heavens, the dark warrior tortoise at his feet and the sleeves of his robe decorated with images of the Big Dipper. Asia

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.