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With their fierce expressions and exaggerated physical features, fantastic guardian creatures were intended to guard the entrance to a tomb, warding off evil as well as keeping the soul of the deceased from wandering. Known as "earth spirits" or qitou, this one has an animal face and a pair of antlers growing above its eyebrows; the other sports a human face with huge protruding ears and a short horn surrounded by fiery, twisting hair. Their many elongated spikes heighten the fearful intensity. Before tomb sculptures were placed in the tomb, they were carried through the streets in a funerary procession. Funerary gifts provided the deceased with means for the afterlife. They were also an expression of filial piety and demonstrated the wealth and power of the descendants.

Demons, Ghosts, and Goblins in Chinese Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 8, 2024-January 20, 2025).

Demons, Ghosts, and Goblins in Chinese Art

Focus Gallery a Gift of Julia and Larry Pollock

An earthenware sculpture, glazed in colors of green, orange, blue, and white, of a mythical beast sitting upright on its hind legs. Its mouth is open, baring its fangs. Horns emerge, spiking upwards, from its head, shoulders, and the ridge of its entire back.

(Kaikodo America Inc., New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

This figurine is decorated with polychrome lead glazes called sancai, or "three-color" glazes, which refer to the brown, green, and cream colors. Blue from cobalt and black are also included in the palette. The body is first covered with a white slip that gives greater brilliance to the colors.

Sancai (three-color) Ware

This figurine is part of a pair of fantastic guardian creatures known as "earth spirits." Each of them—one with an animal face, the other with a human face—bears hybridized and exaggerated features that heighten their fearsome intensity.

Animal Features

Tomb guardians such as these were found at the entrance to tombs where they warded off evil and kept the soul of the deceased from wandering. They often appeared together with a pair lokapala, heavenly kings drawn from the Buddhist pantheon.

Guardians

Earth Spirits

Conservation Examination

Tomb Guardians

Tomb Guardians - Chinese language version

Tomb Guardian with Animal Head

鎮墓獸

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The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Chinese art collection is one of the most distinguished in the West, representing the highest level of Chinese artistic accomplishment. From prehistory to today, the Chinese art collection spans more than 5,000 years and embraces a diversity of art forms including jades, bronzes, lacquer, sculpture, paintings, calligraphy, furniture, bamboo carvings, and more. The most outstanding sections of the collection are paintings, Buddhist sculpture, ceramics, and textiles. Not only is the sequence of chronological development reasonably complete, but the collection is also represented by works of international significance. It continues to expand in all directions, taking into consideration the rich traditions as well as the ongoing artistic developments of China.