An extremely rare inscribed limestone 'Buddhist Triad' stele, Tang dynasty, dated to the first year of the Wansui Dengfeng period of Empress Wu Zetian (in accordance with 696) | 唐武周時期萬歲登封元年（696年） 石灰石雕刻銘佛三尊像龕

A Japanese collection, since the 1920s.

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2nd April 2019, lot 3113.

Matsubara Saburō, Zōtei chūgoku bukkyō chōkokushi kenkyū: toku ni kondōbutsu oyobi sekkutsu zōzō igai no sekibutsu ni tsuite no ronkō/Chinese Buddhist sculpture: a study based on bronze and stone statutes other than works from cave temples, Tokyo, 1966, p. 286, fig. 260.

Carved with an arched niche enclosing Buddha seated atop an elevated pedestal and flanked by two disciples and depicted with two pairs of kneeling figures flanking the tall stem of the pedestal, the stele further bears a votive inscription made by a donor with the last name Shangguan for the blessing of Empress Wu Zetian and the benefit of all sentient beings in the first year of Dazhou (the Great Zhou dynasty) Wansui Dengfeng era (696).

The Great Zhou dynasty was established by Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history (r. 690 to 705). The ‘Wansui Dengfeng’ era was her seventh regnal title, with its first year corresponding to 696. Remnant traces of other characters on the stele seem to refer to Jinlun Shengshen Huangdi, one of the honorific titles Wu Zetian had adopted for herself, suggesting that the creation of this stele was deeply tied to the Wu Zhou dynasty.

The Shangguan family was a prominent clan during the Tang dynasty. Shangguan Yi (608–665) held a high-ranking position in the early Tang dynasty, while during the Wu Zhou dynasty, Shangguan Wan'er (664–710) was also highly favoured. The donor of this stele carries the Shangguan last name and may have been a member of this influential family who was grateful for imperial favour.

The Wu Zhou regime lasted less than fifteen years, and surviving sculptures bearing dated inscriptions are exceedingly rare – the ‘Wansui Dengfeng’ period, in particular, lasted for only three months. Compare a Wu Zhou dynasty limestone triad shrine dated to the third year of Chang'an (703) in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., no. F1909.79. Compare also a slightly later example dated to the seventh year of Kaiyuan (719) of the Emperor Xuanzong's reign, but with a similar niche, exhibited in Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Pottery and Stone Carvings, Yamanaka & Co., Osaka, 1928, cat. no. 265, and later sold in these rooms, 29th October 2024, lot 2009.

銘文

大周萬歲登封元年歲次景申叁月壬寅朔叁日甲午佛弟子上官□曄事陳為□知曄回[亻缶]□□敬造石像一區上為金輪（聖）（神）（皇）帝下（為）法界倉□報佛慈恩咸登正覺

來源

日本收藏，1920年代始

香港蘇富比2019年4月2日，編號3113

出版

松原三郎，《増訂中国仏教彫刻研究：特に金銅仏及び石窟造像以外の石仏についての論考》，東京，1966年，頁286，圖260

此龕佈局精巧，層次分明，主尊佛結跏趺坐，二弟子脅侍左右，三尊同列在上，供養人左右對稱，側身跪伏，同列在下；各像神態端嚴，氣韻生動。龕底連長方基座，基座正面及一側刻銘，共七十五字，記供養人上官□曄為武則天發願祈福，亦迴向法界蒼生。

細考銘文，「大周萬歲登封元年」字跡清晰，又有「金輪（聖）（神）（皇）帝」依稀可見。大周由中國史上唯一女帝武則天（690-705年在位）創立，「萬歲登封」為其第七個年號，元年對應696年，「金輪聖神皇帝」為武則天自封尊號之一，憑此可推斷，造龕像者與武周統治淵源深厚，故而發願中既頌揚皇帝正統，又利益黎民蒼生。上官氏為唐朝望族，唐初有上官儀（608-665年）位極人臣，武周時期，上官婉兒（664-710年）亦深受倚重，本龕像供養人上官氏感沐皇恩，或與此族有關。

武周統治不出十五載，存世造像中帶其年款者甚罕；年號「萬歲登封」僅歷時三月又經改元，刻銘記年例尤孤。參考一武周時期石灰石雕佛三尊像龕，武周時期長安三年（703年）銘，藏佛利爾美術館，華盛頓特區，藏品編號F1909.79；另比一例稍晚，玄宗開元七年（719年）銘，開龕方式相類，展於《中國古陶金石展觀》，山中商會，大阪，1928年，編號265，售於香港蘇富比2024年10月29日，編號2009。