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The Yuan Dynasty was established by Kublai
Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, upon
relocating the capital of his empire from
Mongolia to Beijing. The Forbidden City was
constructed, a relative oasis of Mongolian culture
in the heart of China. While the Mongol elite
retained their native language and customs, they
did adopt the Chinese system of bureaucratic
government and cemented the authoritarian rule
of the emperor. Although they were relatively
unaffected by Chinese culture, the Yuan did little
to stifle the native traditions and beliefs of their
subjects. Buddhism continued to flourish,
although the monasteries received little funding
from the state. In fact, during the Yuan Dynasty,
China first began to open up to foreigners.
Christian and Hindu missionaries arrived in
Beijing and Marco Polo made his famous journey
during the Yuan era. While the Chinese never
accepted the Yuan as a legitimate dynasty,
instead viewing them as foreign bandits, the
Mongolians rebelled against the Beijing Khans
for
becoming “too Chinese.” In the end, the Yuan
Dynasty had the shortest duration of the major
Chinese Dynasties, lasting little more than a
hundred years.
Even today, when entering the main hall of a
Buddhist temple in China, one will discover two
rows of sculpted figures, traditionally numbering
eighteen in total. These figures are known as the
Eighteen Lohan. Lohan is the Chinese term,
derived from the Sanskrit word Arhan, for a
disciple or follower of Buddha who has reached a
state of enlightenment. The Lohan had been a
popular subject in Chinese art at least since the
cultural flourishing of the Tang Dynasty.
Traditionally, they are always produced in sets of
sixteen or eighteen. The numerical difference is a
result of discrepancies in Buddhist texts. By the
Song Dynasty, artists began to depict each Lohan
with individualized facial features. This superb
example is distinctive for its long face and heavy
eyebrows. A small mound, called an ushnisa,
rises from the forehead symbolizing the Lohan’s
universal wisdom. The sculpture is in excellent
condition and a superb testament to the piety of
the Yuan era. (AM)
- (DL.992)
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