Kui XIng - God Of Literature, Japan, Edo Era, 17th Century.

This bronze sculpture depicts the god of literature Kui Xing standing on a mythical fish-dragon. In his left hand, he holds an ink stick or stone for spreading ink, and in his right hand, he probably originally held a brush. His image, according to tradition, resembles a demon with three flames on its head. The sculpture has a very beautiful natural patina.

Japan, Edo period, 17th century.

Height 34.5 cm, width 17.5 cm, depth 12 cm.

Good condition, rubbing of the natural patina, brush missing in the left hand.

K'uei Hsing (Kui Xing) is a figure in Chinese mythology, the god of examinations and literature, and the patron saint of scholars. He stands on the head of a fish-dragon and holds a brush in his right hand. It is said to be a historical figure, a poor but brilliant student named Zhong Kui, who passed the imperial examinations with great honors. However, due to his ugliness, he was not allowed to enter government service. In despair, he drowned, but was carried by the legendary dragon fish to the sky, where he became a star ("Xing" in Chinese) of the constellation Ursa Major (known in China as the Palace of Literary Genius), that is, he rose among the patron stars of literature. Since the Chinese sign Kui is composed of an ideogram meaning "demon" and an ideogram meaning "cross-eyed," Kui Xing is often depicted with a demonic appearance, a hideous face, a horn-like protuberance on his head, and a disproportionately large body. Its representations in China are known from the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Similar sculptures:
https://collections.artsmia.org/art/5798/kui-xing-china
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O166038/kuixing-figure-of-kuixing-unknown/
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6073349
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6318644

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