Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11

Rare Early Chinese Limestone Tomb Guardian-Tianlu

About the Item

Rare Early Chinese Limestone Tomb Guardian-Tianlu. Late Han through Liang Dynasty, 200 BCE – 550 CE. The offered large scale stone carving is one of a number of mythical stylized lion-like winged guardians known as either Tianlu, (heavenly emolument) or Bixie, (dispeller of evil). Both animals look like a lion, except for their wings, the one with only one horn on his head is tianlu and the one with two horns is Bixie. These figures were placed along pathways leading to an Emperor’s tomb and positioned at the tomb entrances, signifying the bravery, dignity, and authority of the Emperor. These were used for ornamentation purposes. They were protectors and the vehicle for the Emperor’s ascension into heaven. Detailed carving including the face, mouth legs, wings, and tail. The stone guardian is on an iron base. Extremely heavy. A forklift was used to move this piece. Height 34in., Width 48 in, Depth 17 in.
More From This SellerView All
  • Large Pair of Chinese Granite Guardian Lions
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Tang Dynasty, 7th /10th. Century. CE The impressive male and female inward-facing guardian lions, poised in heraldry, and carved from blocks of grayish-white granite with flecks of ...
    Category

    Antique 15th Century and Earlier Asian Sculptures and Carvings

    Materials

    Granite

  • Important Pair of Polychrome Han Warriors
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Important pair of rare polychrome Han warriors. These are from the Han Dynasty. Uniquely expressive faces with lots of detail. They have expressive squinte...
    Category

    Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Sculptures and Carvings

    Materials

    Other

  • Jorge Blanco 'B1945' American, Original Graphite/Colored Pencil/Pastel
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Jorge Blanco 'B1945' American, Original Graphite/Colored Pencil/Pastel. Depicting a golfer swinging his golf club. Colorful piece with graphite, green, orange, yellow, and blue color...
    Category

    2010s American Contemporary Art

    Materials

    Paper

  • Jorge Blanco 'B1945' American, "Bluest" Sculpture, 2017
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Jorge Blanco 'b1945' American, "Bluest" Sculpture 2017. Blue sculpture of a face with a body, titled "Bluest". Signed and dated in the front lower Jorge Blanco '17. Aluminum and blue...
    Category

    2010s American Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Aluminum

  • Robert Motherwell '1915-1991' Amer, Litho/Collage
    By Robert Motherwell
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Titled, "Game of Chance", Lithograph, aquatint, paper, pastel and acrylic paint on paper, numbered 21/100, signed in lower right corner. Presented by Tyler Graphics Ltd in honour of ...
    Category

    Vintage 1980s American Contemporary Art

    Materials

    Paper

  • Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze Brutalist Chair 1969
    By Paul Evans
    Located in Sarasota, FL
    Paul Evans (1931-1987), Sculpted Bronze Brutalist Swivel Chair 1969. This is the only chair in this style we can find having ever been sold at auction. Orange velvet upholstered cube...
    Category

    Vintage 1960s American Swivel Chairs

    Materials

    Metal, Bronze

You May Also Like
  • Limestone Fu Dog Guardian Figure from China, c. 1900
    Located in Jimbaran, Bali
    This limestone carving depicts a Fu Dog Guardian figure and was carved from a solid block. Sculptures such as these were used to protect ones home from bad spirits or bad luck. They ...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Chinese Qing Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Limestone

  • Song Dynasty, a Pair of Antique Chinese Pottery Brick Tile with Tomb Guardian
    Located in Sampantawong, TH
    A pair of Chinese pottery brick tile with tomb guardian. Age: China, Song Dynasty, 10th - 12th Century Size: Height 19.8 C.M. / Width 16.9 - 17.7 C....
    Category

    Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Antiquities

    Materials

    Pottery

  • Chinese Stoneware Tomb Figure Han Dynasty
    Located in Atlanta, GA
    A Chinese molded stoneware figure on a custom display stand likely from Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD). These pottery figures were used as part of tomb accouterment for the burial practic...
    Category

    Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Archaistic Ceramics

    Materials

    Stoneware

  • Chinese Reclining Fu Dog Guardian Sculpture
    Located in Chicago, IL
    Hand-carved from a single block of limestone, this stone sculpture depicts a reclining mythical fu dog lion. Also known as shizi, fu lions such as this were traditionally placed besi...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Sculptures and Carvings

    Materials

    Limestone

  • 18th Century Chinese Guardian Sculpture
    Located in Chicago, IL
    This ancient stone guardian lion shizi was carved by hand out of a single block of limestone. The artisan beckoned the guardian out from the stone, manipulating the unyielding materi...
    Category

    Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings

    Materials

    Limestone

  • Chinese Stone Fu Dog Guardian Charm
    Located in Chicago, IL
    Hand-carved from a single block of limestone, this stone fu dog sits at attention as a watchful guardian of the home. He exudes a remarkable sense of life and energy - crouched on al...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Sculptures and Carvings

    Materials

    Limestone

Recently Viewed

View All