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Bao'en Temple Pagoda: Reliquary Casket
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Bao'en Temple Pagoda: Reliquary Casket
CHINA, Anhui, Lu'an; Northern Song dynasty (960–1127); Silver; L: 20.5 cm; Shouxian Museum, Anhui, China
This silver reliquary casket was created during the Northern Song dynasty. It was recovered from the underground palace of Bao'en Temple Pagoda in 1977.
The casket consists of a base, body, and lid. It is made of thin silver panels created using repousse technique and then joined together. The casket is 20.5 cm long with the front measuring 11.5 cm high and 9 cm wide and the back at 9 cm high and 8 cm wide. There is a false double door on the front of the casket with doornails and door handles. On one side of the casket, there is an illustration of the Buddha passing into parinirvana, surrounded by mourning disciples. The other side features a funeral procession with disciples walking slowly and striking cymbals. |
