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Silver outer coffin with gold inner coffin

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Date: 1032 (10th year of the Tiansheng reign), Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)
Provenance: Excavated from the underground chamber of the Fusheng Temple pagoda, Dengzhou county, Henan province, 1988
Measurements:
Height: 24.6-34 cm, Length: 40 cm, Width: 20 cm (silver outer coffin)
Height: 7-13 cm, Length: 19 cm, Width: 9-11 cm (gold inner coffin)

Both the gold and silver coffins are high in the front and low at the back, taking the shape of a real coffin. Upon excavation, the gold inner coffin was situated within the silver outer coffin.

The lid of the gold inner coffin has five folds and is carved with a pair of phoenixes against a background of peonies. The coffin body's front face is decorated with the motif of a building, inside which is the depiction of two lokapalas (guardian deities of the Dharma). The rear coffin face is inscribed: "Monk Zhaoguo of the Vimalakirti Monastery, Monk Huiying of the Guanyin Monastery, monks Yiyou and Zhanggu of the Longshan Monastery, made by Zhaosu". The left side of the gold coffin body bears the motif of Buddha Sakyamuni entering Nirvana. The right side has a carving of Manjusri riding a lion and a retinue of attendants with an inscription that reads "Made in the 3rd month of the wei year." (the eighth of the 12 earthly branches of the Chinese calendar system)

The silver outer coffin, positioned atop a banistered coffin stand, takes the shape of a boat. Its lid has 12 folds and is chiseled with decorations in the shape of ancient coins. The front and rear coffin faces feature carved door frames and panels. A slab in front of the front face is embossed with the monastery name and name of the donor. 

Gold and silver coffins are funerary objects particular to Buddhist circles and were normally used to store Buddhist relics and the cremated remains of virtuous and farsighted eminent monks of the day. This set of gold and silver coffins is an important find for Buddhist archaeology in China. The gold coffin is exceptional as a work of great aesthetic value, as the gold retains so much of its sheen and beauty.

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