Two rare and large gilt-bronze figures of Buddhist monks, Ming dynasty

Poly Auction, Macau, 10th January 2016, lot 209.

Inscriptions to the rear of these extraordinary figures suggest their belonging to a larger, now dispersed, group of monk figures and identify the present examples as Tang dynasty Masters Hongren and Tansheng, immortalized respectively in the eighth and eleventh juan of the Song Biographies of Eminent Monks (Song gaoseng zhuan), compiled ca. 988 CE by monk Zanning (919–1001).

Master Hongren (602–675), posthumously styled Chan Master Daman, is said to have been born in Huangmei in Qizhou, Hubei province. Leaving home at seven and ordained as a monk by thirteen, Hongren was named the fifth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, following the death of his master (the fourth Patriarch) Sima Daoxin in 651. Hongren took up Daoxin’s seat on Shuangfeng Mountain but later expanded to found a second temple, Dongshan Temple, to the east of Shuangfeng from which he expounded the ‘Dongshan Dharma’ and the practicalities of Chan meditation. Hongren was a foundational figure in the early history of Chan Buddhism whose teachings continued to unify the school even after its schism under the purview of the sixth Patriarch Huineng (638–713).

Master Tansheng (782–841), known posthumously by the style name Wuzhu, was born in Jiancheng in today's Nancheng county, Jiangxi province. Leaving home in his youth, Wuzhu was ordained as a monk in Shimen before serving under Chan Master Baizhang Huaihai for twenty years. He then continued to Yaoshan where he is said to have achieved enlightenment and took up residence in Yunyan where he continued to teach until his death. His disciples Liangjie of Dongshan and Benji of Caoshan continued to propagate his teachings and founded the ‘Caodong School’ of Buddhism around 859 CE. 

Towering at almost seventy centimeters, the present pair is an exceptionally well sculpted and rare example of its type. Smoothly rendered with serene scholarly expressions, lifelike poses and sumptuous swirling robes, these figures represent some of the finest figural work ever recorded from China’s ‘Second Bronze Age.’ While other comparably sized bronze sculptures from the period – mostly unnamed luohan and bodhisattvas – are attested, no other members of the present group appear to survive.