search advanced search visual search
Lightboxes
Cart
alb9494619

Kui Xing (God of Literature), 16th century, 25 x 7 x 5 in. (63.5 x 17.78 x 12.7 cm) (approximate), Bronze with traces of gilding, China, 16th century, Originating as a Daoist deity associated with the constellation Ursa Major, Kui Xing (also called Wen Chang and Wen Di) is worshipped in the third and eighth months as the God of Literature and patron saint of scholars. The surly-looking divinity is represented holding a brush in his right hand while standing on the head of a large fish becoming a dragon. The transformation of a carp into a dragon was a synonym for the literary success of an industrious student. This image holds a cap won by the chief graduate in his left hand while balancing a brushwasher on the heel of his upturned foot. Within Confucian society, scholarship could be the main determinant of one's rank and social status. The Chinese evolved a variety of so-called 'household gods' to help them attain wealth, health, long life, and martial prowess. Statues representing the god of literature would have been owned by all manner of literary persons: students, calligraphers, government officials, and writers.

Kui Xing (God of Literature), 16th century, 25 x 7 x 5 in. (63.5 x 17.78 x 12.7 cm) (approximate), Bronze with traces of gilding, China, 16th century, Originating as a Daoist deity associated with the constellation Ursa Major, Kui Xing (also called Wen Chang and Wen Di) is worshipped in the third and eighth months as the God of Literature and patron saint of scholars. The surly-looking divinity is represented holding a brush in his right hand while standing on the head of a large fish becoming a dragon. The transformation of a carp into a dragon was a synonym for the literary success of an industrious student. This image holds a cap won by the chief graduate in his left hand while balancing a brushwasher on the heel of his upturned foot. Within Confucian society, scholarship could be the main determinant of one's rank and social status. The Chinese evolved a variety of so-called 'household gods' to help them attain wealth, health, long life, and martial prowess. Statues representing the god of literature would have been owned by all manner of literary persons: students, calligraphers, government officials, and writers.
Share
pinterestPinterest
twitterTwitter
facebookFacebook
emailEmail

Add to another lightbox

Add to another lightbox
add to lightbox print share
Do you already have an account? Sign in
You do not have an account? Register
Buy this image. Select the use:
Loading...
Caption: Kui Xing (God of Literature), 16th century, 25 x 7 x 5 in. (63.5 x 17.78 x 12.7 cm) (approximate), Bronze with traces of gilding, China, 16th century, Originating as a Daoist deity associated with the constellation Ursa Major, Kui Xing (also called Wen Chang and Wen Di) is worshipped in the third and eighth months as the God of Literature and patron saint of scholars. The surly-looking divinity is represented holding a brush in his right hand while standing on the head of a large fish becoming a dragon. The transformation of a carp into a dragon was a synonym for the literary success of an industrious student. This image holds a cap won by the chief graduate in his left hand while balancing a brushwasher on the heel of his upturned foot. Within Confucian society, scholarship could be the main determinant of one's rank and social status. The Chinese evolved a variety of so-called 'household gods' to help them attain wealth, health, long life, and martial prowess. Statues representing the god of literature would have been owned by all manner of literary persons: students, calligraphers, government officials, and writers.
Credit: Album / quintlox
Releases: ? Model Release: No - ? Property Release: No
Rights questions?
Image size: 5074 × 6036 px | 87.6 MB
Print size: 43.0 × 51.1 cm | 1997.6 × 2376.4 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: 16 16TH XVI XVITH SIXTEENTH CENTURY • 16 CENTURY • 16TH CENTURY • 16TH • ANATOMY: HEAD • APPROXIMATE • ARTFORM: BRONZEWORK • ATTAIN WEALTH • BALANCE • BALANCING ACT • BALANCING • BRONCE • BRONZE BRASS • BRONZE • BRONZES • BRUSH • BRUSHWASHER • CALLIGRAPHERS • CAP WON • CARP • CARP, FISH • CHIEF GRADUATE • CHINA • CHINE • CHINESE EVOLVED • CHINESE • CONSTELLATION URSA MAJOR • DAOIST DEITY ASSOCIATED • DRAGON • EIGHTH MONTHS • EQUILIBRIUM • FISH: CARP • GILDING • GOD • GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS • HEAD (ANATOMY) • HEAD (BODY) • HEAD • HEALTH • HEEL • HELP • IMAGE HOLDS • INDUSTRIOUS STUDENT • KUI XING • LARGE FISH BECOMING • LEFT HAND • LETTERS • LITERARY PERSONS • LITERARY SUCCESS • LITERATURA • LITERATURE • LONG LIFE • MAIN DETERMINANT • MANNER • MARTIAL PROWESS • ORIGINATING • OWNED • PATRON SAINT • POISE • PORCELAIN • REPRESENTED HOLDING • RIGHT HAND • S RANK • SCHOLARS • SCHOLARSHIP • SOCIAL STATUS • STANDING • STATUES REPRESENTING • STUDENTS • SURLY-LOOKING DIVINITY • SYNONYM • THIRD • TRACES • TRANSFORMATION • UPTURNED FOOT • VARIETY • WEN CHANG • WEN DI • WITHIN CONFUCIAN SOCIETY • WORSHIPPED • WRITER • WRITERS • XVI CENTURY