Description:
A soapstone carving of Hsi Wang Mu, the queen mother of the West, playing a flute and sitting on a bird. Comes with the stand.

Material:
Soapstone

Maker/Artist:
Chinese school

Date:
19th century

Provenance:
Patricia & Dennis Della Penta estate

Size of Artwork:
H. 3.5 x W. 4.5 X D. 5 in

Weight (LBS)
.925

Condition:
In very good conditon

History:
Xi Wangmu (Hsi Wang-mu; literally: "Queen Mother of the West") is a Chinese goddess known from the ancient times. The first historical information on her can be traced back to oracle bone inscriptions of the fifteenth century BCE that record sacrifices to a "Western Mother". (Cahill, 1993) Even though these inscriptions illustrate that she predates organized Taoism, she is most often associated with Taoism. From her name alone some of her most important characteristics are revealed: she is royal, female, and is associated with the west.(Benard, 2000) The growing popularity of the Queen Mother of the West, as well as the beliefs that she was the dispenser of prosperity, longevity, and eternal bliss took place during the second century BCE when the northern and western parts of China were able to be better known because of the opening of the Silk Routes.