Rubbing of Imperial Procession with Emperor, taken from Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) Central Binyang Cave, Longmen, Henan Province China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) or Republican period (1912-49)

Rubbing of Imperial Procession with Emperor, taken from Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) Central Binyang Cave, Longmen, Henan Province

禮佛拓片，出自北魏（386-534）龍門賓陽中洞，河南省

1910–16

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) or Republican period

(1912-49)

Rubbing, ink on paper

Overall: 205.6 x 388.4 cm (80 15/16 x 152 15/16 in.)

Gift of Yamanaka & Company 1916.64

Location: not on view

This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Did You Know?

A rubbing is taken directly from a carved stone’s surface, so the resulting image has the same orientation as the original carving.

Description

This rubbing was taken from stone reliefs commissioned by the Northern Wei emperor Xuanwu (reigned 500–515) in honor of his deceased parents.

Here the lead figure, surrounded by attendants who hold parasols and offerings, is about to place an incense stick into a censer held by an attendant in the lower right corner. The main figures in both this and its companion rubbing presumably depict the emperor’s deceased parents as lead figures. The entire procession can be understood as making offerings to the main Buddha image in the cave, as an act of gaining merit.