Monumental gilt-bronze figures of Panjarnta Mahakala, mark and period of Xuande, and of Kapaladhara Hevajra, early Ming dynasty, from the Bodhimanda Foundation

These two magnificent bronze cast figures from the Bodhimanda Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to Tantric Buddhist research and education, embody the extent to which the greatest emperors of the early Ming dynasty fell under the spell of Vajrayana Buddhism, a form of Tantric Buddhism that originated in India in the 5th century CE and took hold in neighbouring countries such as Tibet over the following centuries.

The Yuan Mongol dynasty established a tradition of initiating its emperors in the Hevajra Tantra as a means of conferring spiritual legitimacy upon their imperial authority, whilst the Ming dynasty’s Hongwu Emperor (r.1368-1398) continued this engagement with Tibetan Buddhism to affirm his reign’s political legitimacy. The reign of the Yongle Emperor (r.1403–1424) marked the peak of Tibetan Buddhist patronage with the creation of exquisite gilt-bronze sculptures of Vajrayana deities, such as the Bodhimanda Foundation’s Kapaladhara Hevajra, whose size and quality dwarfs any other monastic or museum-owned Hejavra and consort sculpture.

The Xuande Emperor (r.1425-1435) – whose reign mark is visible on the Bodhimanda Foundation’s Panjarnata Mahakala, the largest early Ming reign-marked bronze in private hands – commissioned numerous sculptures and paintings openly paying tribute to established styles of Tibetan art. In Tibet, where Buddhism was closely linked to political power, images of protector deities like Panjarnata Mahakala – the fierce protector deity of the Hevajra cycle of Tantras and Wisdom Protector of Tibetan Buddhism – were frequently placed in monastic and administrative buildings to ensure the protection and well-being of the state while ensuring political stability. These two figures owned by the Bodhimanda Foundation were likely to have been created for Tibetan Buddhist monasteries along the Sino-Tibetan border.

A massive and important imperial cinnabar lacquer slip-trailed and gilt-painted ‘dragon’ sutra cabinet, Ming dynasty

Sutra cabinets in temples and monasteries are an important type of ancient furniture, whilst those commissioned by imperial decree dwarf their peers, boasting exceptional craftsmanship, innovative structures and the highest-quality materials. At more than three metres tall, this lacquer cabinet appears to be one of the largest and most spectacular ever produced during the Ming dynasty. Lacquered in a grand cinnabar red, adorned with slip trailing and gilt-painted with eight ferocious five-clawed dragons whirling around flaming pearls, this unusual ‘gate-fold’ (referred to as yi feng shu, or “letter envelope” in Chinese) cabinet attests to the splendour, gravitas and master workmanship of the Ming court. Only a handful of other cabinets of comparable style and size exist, all of which are far smaller and lack the masterful slip-trailed lacquer relief-work of the present example.

An unusual massive Longquan lantsa inscribed charger, early Ming dynasty

At an outstanding 49.2 centimetres in diameter, with its deep basin-like shape and rolled rim, this unique dish is engraved with a single majestic calligraphic lantsa character – hrih, the seed syllable of great compassion associated with Amitabha (the Buddha of compassion) and Avalokitesvara (the Bodhisattva of compassion). From the reign of Kublai Khan (r. 1271-1294) onwards, Tibetan Buddhism exerted a strong influence on the Chinese throne. Mantras (sacred texts, whose essence can be captured in “seed syllables”) related to Tibetan Buddhism appeared in China not only on religious items such as thangkas and sutra covers, but from the Yongle period onwards, were also inscribed on more secular items. With its smooth, glossy sea-green glaze, this dish can be attributed to the early Ming period when the court extended its patronage from Jingdezhen to Longquan in Zhejiang. Prayers and mantras composed in Sanskrit were recorded in ornate lantsa script, and Longquan celadons inscribed with lantsa characters are exceedingly rare, specially commissioned as imperial gifts to Tibetan clergy or for use in Buddhist ceremonies performed at the court.

An exceptionally rare and large white jade ‘chilong’ bi disc, Eastern Han dynasty, and an important imperial white jade 'changyi zisun' bi disc with original zitan 'fengji zhenfu' album-form box, mark and period of Qianlong 

Mythical beasts whirl together atop this Eastern Han dynasty ‘chilong’ bi disc, which is adorned with an intricate lattice of ‘rice grains’ that shows off its milky-white and russet inclusions. Bi jade discs first emerged in the Neolithic period, produced by the Liangzhu culture (c. 3300-2300 BC) in the Yangtze River Delta. Found in only the most lavish of tombs alongside other early jade implements, ancient bi were treasured in antiquity for their craftsmanship, mysterious beauty and spiritual associations. By the Han dynasty, they also began to develop more secular associations of wealth, power and virtue, as described in the Liji (‘Book of Rites’, c. 2nd century BC), attributed to Confucius:

Whilst decorated bi have been found in Han dynasty tombs, it appears that this opulent variety with intricate openwork was very rare even at the time and restricted to only the wealthiest and most powerful clients. They continued to enthrall the imperial courts more than 1500 years later, with the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors of the Qing dynasty adding a number of similar jade bi to their collections and, in the case of the Qianlong Emperor, commissioning the imperial workshop to carve a number of ornate reproductions.

One of them was the present white jade 'changyi zisun' bi disc. Inscribed with a serial number ‘zhi,’ correlating to the 169th character of the Thousand Character Classic (Qianziwen), the pendant appears to have been produced as part of a larger series. Its design is thought to be based on large discs carved with pairs of dragons in ornate openwork such as one excavated from the richly adorned tomb of Prince Liu Sheng (d. 113 BC) in Mancheng, Hebei province. The present disc is preserved within its original zitan album, inscribed and painted on each leaf with evidence of its imperial origin. From the calligraphic inscription wishing for ‘great blessing and precious fortune’ and marigold painting both in the Qianlong Emperor’s own hand to the bright red of five imperial seal marks, the present box does more than protect its jade contents – rather it also serves to further accentuate the piece’s beauty and highlight the scholarly refinement of its erstwhile owner.

An exceptional and important imperial ‘tianzi yi hao’ 'lianjing' sabre and original ‘sharkskin’ scabbard, mark and period of Qianlong, made in the 13th year of Qianlong (1748)

The Qing emperors dedicated themselves to preserving and honouring the Manchu warrior-huntsman traditions of their forefathers, whilst adopting the Confucian principles of political and cultural leadership. This important ceremonial sabre was created in the Palace Workshops under the meticulous direction of the Qianlong Emperor. Engraved on one side with the sabre’s name Lianjing (‘distilling the essence’ or ‘to refine’), along with its unique inventory number, tianzi yi hao (‘Heaven’ series, number one), this sabre is the most significant imperial weapon of the high Qing dynasty, being the very first one – the genesis sabre – made in the tripartite tian (‘Heaven’), di (‘Earth’), and ren (‘Man’) series of 90 exceptional swords that were produced between 1748 and 1795. This unparalleled treasure embodies the pinnacle of Qing artistry and the enduring legacy of Manchu culture in Chinese art history.

A fine, exquisite and exceedingly rare falangcai blue-ground sgraffiato 'floral' bowl, blue-enamel mark and early period of Qianlong

 Once in the collection of Xu Shiying (1872-1964), the former Premier of the Republic of China, this falangcai sgraffiato bowl was exquisitely painted by master enamellers within the Forbidden City for the Qianlong imperial court, most likely in the early days of the reign. Rococo blooms and asymmetric C- and S-shaped scrolls are set against a cerulean-blue brocade background and a highly unusual octagonal sgraffiato trellis. The European-inspired exterior contrasts with the very elegant Chinese assemblage of bitter gourd, day lilies, jujubes and calabash on the bowl’s interior, flaunting the Beijing porcelain workshop’s mastery of very diverse styles. The Qianlong Emperor was fascinated by European exotic styles and, continuing in the footsteps of his grandfather and father the Kangxi and Yongzheng Emperors, regularly invited Western artisans to his court, presiding over a particularly fruitful period of artistic exchange where opulent European rococo motifs appeared on a wide range of Chinese works of art and Chinoiserie seized the zeitgeist of European fashion. As an object of delight rather than fulfilling a practical purpose for the Emperor, this bowl would have been displayed for courtly admiration in the major palace halls, most likely Qianqinggong (the Palace of Heavenly Purity) or Yangxindian (the Hall of Mental Cultivation).

An extremely rare doucai ‘bird and flower’ stem cup, mark and period of Chenghua

An exemplar of the refined design aesthetic embraced during the Chenghua period, rightly celebrated alongside its famed “chicken” and “grape” cup siblings, this doucai stem cup is completely unique among all Chenghua wares of blue-and-white and doucai decoration, with no line borders or stem knop to distract from its charming subjects. Two pairs of birds perched on fruiting branches speak quietly to long held ideals of domestic love and fruitful marriage, whilst the small and delicately potted white porcelain body and jewel-like enamels are regarded as the epitome of imperial porcelain craftsmanship. When a fire broke out in 1923 in what had once been the Qianlong Emperor’s Jianfugong (the Palace of Establishing Prosperity) private retreat at the north-west tip of the Forbidden City, only the Chenghua doucai pieces (and some pieces of burnt Ru ware) were deemed worthy of retrieval from the charred wreckage. Astonishingly, the metallic purple and brown discolouration of the now transformed vessels only served to elevate Chenghua doucai vessels in the eyes of collectors, who called these imperfections chazi (literally “missing” or “gorgeous” purple).

A very rare and massive Dingyao carved 'fish' basin, Northern Song - Jin dynasty

Ding white ware made in Quyang, Hebei, are among one of the most famous types of Chinese ceramics and ranks among the Five Great Wares of the Song dynasty (960-1279). Measuring 33 centimetres in diameter, this monumental basin is one of the largest pieces of Ding ware recorded. Its bold large-scale carving of a carp, confidently drawn and prominently placed, is extremely rare, with large Ding basins more commonly decorated on the inside with lotus scrolls. Carved on the exterior are stylised lotus petals, one of the most representative patterns of Ding ware vessels. Because of their fame and excellent quality, Ding wares were not only highly favoured by the royal court and upper classes, but were also exported to other countries such as Koryo (918-1392) at the time of their production.

A fine and rare blue and white ‘fruit’ bowl, mark and period of Xuande

Electric tones of cobalt blue animate the delicately rendered fruit and foliage on this bowl. Pomegranates, split open to reveal their seeds, recall the Chinese saying “revealing one hundred sons”, whilst peaches represent the universal wish for longevity. Considered one of the most successful patterns of the early Ming dynasty, these motifs belong to the central repertoire of the Xuande Imperial kilns. Such high quality porcelain, inscribed with the Xuande reign mark, attests to the newly awakened interest in fine blue and white porcelain at the Xuande court and was made exclusively at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. Similar examples of this bowl are held in the permanent collections of the Palace Museum (Taipei), the Freer Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.), and the British Museum (London) respectively.