Bodhidharma: All phenomena are empty

Bodhidharma (Damo: Chinese pronunciation; 菩提達摩) is the greatest master for both Zen teaching and martial arts. Born in South India and journeyed to China in order to spreading the Buddhism doctrines during the 5th century.

His well-known practice of Zen is wall-glazing (璧觀). Understanding cause and effect, catering to circumstance of life, seeking nothing, and thinking of all natures in pure are four teachings Bodhidharma comprehended over nine year of wall-glazing in Shaolin Monastery. He preached Zen to help people, who turn from delusion back to reality, seek the nature of own minds.

Among all Buddhist art, Bodhidharma (Damo) is normally portrayed in an image of profusely bearded, bulging eyes, solemn expression and in loosely monk robe. A Damo statue seated in meditation (Zazen打坐) is the favourite theme of mine. The great Master Dogen said, "To study the Buddha teaching is to study the self, to study the self is to forget the self, and to forget the self is to be enlightened by the ten thousand things." This also reminds me of one of Damo’s teaching “All phenomena are empty”. Again, seeking or thinking nothing is the step to free yourself from stressful lives and to create an oasis of calm for mind and soul.

If you have interests with placing a Bodhidharma statue in your living room, please feel free to contact me at orient.corner@hotmail.com.tw

Bodhidharma in meditation
靜思達摩
20cm (W) x 19cm (L) x 37cm (H)
Cast ironstone

達摩東來 Bodhidharma left for east

22cm (W) x 20 (L) x 45 (H)

cast ironcore stone

Sacred art supplying a great source of inspiration for real life

Placing Buddha statues or related decoration is a convenient way to own Zen atmosphere in your house. Buddha art not only influences people whom formally dedicated to Buddhism but it also inspires you to think over the truth of existence.



More and more contemporary artists have made use of Buddhist themes into their design and works. Ingenious skill and exquisite workmanship are required for building Buddha figures. The part of face and hands are most critical section which particularly determines a work successful or not. With eyes calmly shut and a tranquil smile across his face, Buddha statue lead you into the peaceful and meditative moment.

Buddhist art provides a great source of inspiration thinking Buddha’s teachings and seeking the meaning of life. It shouldn’t only show in the museum's collection. Buddhist art should be well represented in the real living space.

if you are interested with these Buddhist artworks, please feel free to let me know:

orient.corner@hotmail.com.tw

"Guan Zi Zai" - Insight of your primal self

I was utterly absorbed in a bronze statue while taking a stroll on Yingge Old Street last Sunday afternoon. This Buddha status delivers me a sense of composure and seemingly brings me into meditation …soundless and peaceful…

This pieces is named “Guan Zi Zai” (觀自在). In Chinese, Guan (觀) means “to observe”, “to perceive” and “to review”. From the appearance, Guan (觀) is also associated with the Guan Yin (觀音) bodhisattva. Guan Yin, goddess of mercy, was originally masculine in appearance prior to the Song Dynasty. And, the later image was turning to both gender, even more female form, due to the personification of compassion and kindness since Yuen Dynasty. Yin (音) literally means “sound” in Chinese. Guan Yin benevolently observes the sounds from the universe, creation on earth and her worshippers.

“Guan Zi Zai” (觀自在) is mentioned on the first page of Heart Sutra. This term depicts an insight…. observing your physical body with your heart, perceiving the sound from your breathing and reviewing your primal soul. This practice leads us to comprehend who we are, where we have been and what nature we have. Not only is an artistic conception, Guan Zi Zai but also a lesson and reference, offered by Guan Yin, for the moral practice of our life.

if you are interested in this sculpture, please email me orient.artworks@gmail.com

Blue and White Porcelain: Blue flowers delineate the aroma of Chinese culture

In Chinese, this sort of blue-painted pattern is named after "Blue flowers" (Chinese character: 青花 / Pronounce: Ching-Hua). This elegant name describes a dinnerware or masterpiece decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment. Ching-Hua is one of earliest known decorations on earthenware.

Briefly, it has some distinctive features: 1). Adoring with simple but elegant pattern presenting the essence of Chinese watercolour painting. 2). Barely discolored. 3) Stable in glazing with glory effect.

Cobalt oxide is commonly applied to artistic creation of Blue-and-White pottery. Artists firstly paint the cobalt pigment on the white bisques and then add on a layer of transparent glaze. With firing the bisque to 1300°C temperature, cobalt pigment gently permeates the surface of the bisque and creates a watercolour effect in glory blue.

Every dynasty has its own style of Blue and White wares. The first earthenware in Ching-Hua pattern was found in the ninth century, Tang Dynasty period. Its style mainly composes of floral patterns such as Rainbow-Pink or Plum Blossom. Blue and White Porcelain in large size and thick roughcast approves the improvement of firing technology in Yuan Dynasty. And, the pattern includes more elements; Historical Figure, Poem, Animals (Dragon, Chinese unicorn, and Mandarin ducks) and Plants (Peony, Lotus, Orchid, Bamboo, Melon and Fruits).

To enhance the glory, Gold luster glaze also is applied to enhance the glory of Blue and White pottery these days. In Chinese culture, Gold colour is traditionally used in imperial service. The golden colour symbolizes wealth and also dignity.

if you are interested in these porcelains, please email me orient.artworks@gmail.com

Crystalline Glazes: Crystal Flowers grow on China Porcelain

Crystalline Glaze is one exceptional glaze growing into needle-shaped, star, icy quartz and floweriness patterns over a cool down cycle between 1100°C and 1020°C from. Due to different chemical composition, glaze thickness and heat treatment cycles, it is not able to find any crystalline glaze in exactly the same pattern with others in the world.

Chemical composition is the critical factor determining what crystal pattern it would form. It most commonly made of frit, silica, and iron/zinc oxide. Crystalline glaze exists a long time since Sung Dynasty. In the early days, it belongs to iron crystal, which is known as black glaze, such as Yuteki, Rabbit-fur streaks and Tenmoku glaze.





Gradually, crystalline glaze had been evolving into different types, such as tea-dust, eel-yellow and crab-green glaze in Ching Dynasty. Since people had a lack of knowledge of chemical changes, those glazes mostly are named after their patterns and physical appearance.


Nowadays, most popular crystalline glaze in Yingge City is zinc crystal. Its fully rounded crystals present splendid and extraordinary flower-like effect. Even the artists joy over the unexpected from their own pieces.

if you are interested in these porcelains, please email me orient.artworks@gmail.com

Pottery: shaping unique culture into magnificent pieces...

From Wikipedia, Pottery is made by forming a clay body into objects of a required shape and heating them to high temperatures in a kiln ….. For me, furthermore, Pottery is the pieces composed of racial culture, contemporary lifestyle and ancient civilization. Creators infused enthusiasm, emotion and originality into their works. It was applied as living utensils, such as tableware, a pot, bottle, jar or any kind of container in the past. Nowadays, they are home decoration and precious antique. And, it sometime presents as a family heirloom which is a conversion between generations.

if you are interested in these porcelains, please email me orient.artworks@gmail.com

Plum-Blossom Vase: Graceful, Auspicious and Precious Piece

Plum-Blossom Vase is one of common styles among China porcelains. The first plum vase was found by Tong dynasty and fell into the known form by private kiln since Northern Sung Dynasty. Its features are small opening, short neck, wide shoulder, long leg and thin base.

It was ever used as liquor bottle / container at the beginning. One of poets in the Northern-Song Dynastic, Lin Pu, fascinated with its graceful appearance. This plum-blossom enthusiast is fond of preserving plum-blossom in this type of vase. That is the history people name this sort of vase. Nobel lord and high society took pleasure in furnishing them in palace and treasury. Plum-blossom vase, in some respects, is an article of Feng Hui, warding off evil, auspiciousness or mortuary.

if you are interested in these porcelains, please email me orient.artworks@gmail.com