Rubbing from the Wu Family Shrine, Wu Liang Shrine, Right Wall

Rubbing from the Wu Family Shrine, Wu Liang Shrine, Right Wall , Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)

Where object was made: China

Material/technique: rubbing; paper; ink

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 111 x 135 cm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 43 11/16 x 53 1/8 in

Credit line: Gift of Mr. Laurence Sickman

Accession number: 1981.0007.13

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"The Art of Stories Told," Jun-2004, Veronica de Jong
The rubbing of the west wall of Wu Liang’s shrine is only one portion of a larger program that continues horizontally across several walls. The upper tier illustrates China’s mythical beginnings, commencing on the right with the so-called first man and woman who were thought to be half human, half serpent. The second and third tiers are composed of scenes depicting stories about filial children and loyal and wise subjects. The scene on the left side of the third tier depicts the attempted assassination of a tyrannical ruler, Qin Shihuang (r. 221-209 B.C.E.). The assassin, held back by guards on the right, threw a dagger at the emperor whose body is not entirely visible on the left. The dagger became lodged in the column in the middle, its ribbon streaming behind it suggesting the movement of the dagger.