The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of February 12, 2025

The Lantern Night Excursion of Zhong Kui
late 1200s–early 1300s
(Chinese, active 1270–1310)
Image: 24.8 x 240.3 cm (9 3/4 x 94 5/8 in.); Overall: 25.7 x 904.4 cm (10 1/8 x 356 1/16 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1961.206
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Zhong Kui was an ancient ghostbuster.Description
Here, the demon queller Zhong Kui leads a nightly procession of street entertainers with bare, muscular bodies and demonic faces. Some wear shabby clothes, and all perform stunts and tricks to astound and scare the viewer. In fact, a New Year custom in cities of southeast China had the poor, disguised as demons, process through the streets and play their tricks to clear households of evil spirits and welcome the spring.From right to left, a demonic figure leads the procession and beats a drum; another lifts a large rock; one stands on his hands trying to drink; one balances a jar on his elbow; three hold and wield weapons; one carries a folded chair covered by a cow’s skin; another holds Zhong Kui’s qin (zither), books, brush, and inkstone. At the end of the scroll, two figures offer a cup and bottle of wine to Zhong Kui, who lifts his hand in command.
- Yang Shiqi 楊士奇 [1365–1444]An Guo 安國 [1481–1534]Xiang Yuanbian 項元汴 [1525–1590]Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 [1640–1686]Pu Tong 溥侗 [1870–1952]Tan Jing 譚敬 [1911–1991]?–1961(Frank Caro [1904–1980], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)1961-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
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Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1961.206