Stele with Daoist Triad and Three Daoist Scriptures in standard script 《三清像》及《太上老君常清静經》、《太上昇玄消灾護命經》、《太上天尊説生天得道經》碑

Object Details

• Artist

  Bai Jiancan 白建璨 (late 10th century)

• Calligrapher

  Pang Renxian 龐仁顯 (late 10th century)

• Label

  In China, Daoist scriptures were the objects of reverence and incense offerings, treated, in effect, as if they were portraits of gods. Printed from a tenth-century temple stele, this rubbing contains a Daoist triad and three Daoist scriptures. The triad features the Three Purities, the highest gods in Daoism. The texts include, from top to bottom, the Scripture of Constant Purity and Tranquility; the Scripture of Ascension to Darkness, Elimination of Calamities, and Protection of Lives; and the Scripture of Ascension to Heaven and Attainment of the Way.

• Provenance

  To ?

  Peking University, Beijing, China. [1]

  From 1976

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Peking University, Beijing, China. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] According to the Curatorial Remark 4 in the object record, this rubbing was donated by Peking University, Beijing, China at an undetermined date.

  [2] According to Kate Theimer’s note from June 6, 1995, “This rubbing appears to have been given by the Peking University to the Freer Gallery of Art at an undetermined date prior to 1976. It was transferred from the Library to the permanent collection in 1976.”

  Also see object file, and the Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920, Collections Management Office.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Daoism in the Arts in China (December 16, 2006 to July 1, 2007)

  Chinese Calligraphy and Ceramics (April 18, 1977 to April 8, 1978)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Peking University

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Peking University

• Type

  Rubbing

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  900s

• Name

  Peking University

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Daoism, Chinese Art, Rubbing, Scripture of Ascension to Heaven and Attainment of the Way, Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127), Scripture of Constant Purity and Tranquility, Scripture of Ascension to Darkness, Elimination of Calamities, and Protection of Lives

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Rubbings