figure (ritual & belief: representations)

Painted porcelain figure of Puxian, bodhisattva Samantabhadra, who represents compassion and the Law of the Buddha. The figure is depicted in a feminine form wearing an ornate robe and headscarf, sitting on an elephant in a rajalilasana, or relaxation, position with right leg folded horizontally and left leg pendant. The figure holds a scroll that represents the book of the Dharma in the right hand. The figure is made of glazed porcelain painted with glazed polychrome enamel.

Figures such as these were placed in the family alter or shrine.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database sometimes uses language taken from historical documents to help research, which may now appear outdated and even offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections or can suggest corrections to our information, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk