Head of a Guardian (Lokapala)

The Tang dynasty, regarded as one of China’s most glorious eras, is referred to as the Golden Age. Patronage of the Tang emperors and the general wealth of the period encouraged the development of the visual arts and poetry. Although Taoism was the official religion of the imperial house, Buddhism, which came to China with missionaries from India and central Asia on the Silk Road, was also practiced. Buddhist art flourished and cult images of Lokapala, or heavenly kings, gradually took hold in the sixth century and came to prominence in the Tang dynasty.

The iconography of the guardian king standing upon demons or animals was regarded as so potent a symbol of protection against evil that it was readily adopted by the Chinese. Many of these figures were made of clay and others, like this one, were carved in stone and placed in pairs at the entrance of tombs. Sculpted in fine-grained reddish brown sandstone, this head of a Lokapala was originally part of a complete figure, dressed in armor, in a defiant pose. Because of their Buddhist origin and the Chinese belief that Western features were more frightening, the sculptors gave many of these guardians foreign characteristics. With a bold, fearsome expression, the head has bulging eyes fixed in a steady gaze under arched eyebrows, a large aquiline nose, and a mouth with tightly closed, well-formed lips that are flanked by deep ridges curving down to a broad chin. He wears a helmet carved to represent modeled leather with a tuft of fur on top and rounded scroll motifs on the front; the lower edge is folded back to form a double layer ending in a thick roll at ear level. With his defiant appearance, the Lokapala symbolizes the unchallenged spiritual majesty of a heavenly king who served to protect the tomb against evil forces and grave robbers.