05-30-2015, 11:10 PM
Why do Chinese statues of all varieties have removable heads?
(This is not about the making of the famous terracotta army. I know that those figures were assembled in several pieces. Their arms and legs were cast separately, too.)
I'm inquiring specifically about sculptures ranging from small porcelain figures to giant metal statues where the entire body is molded/cast in one piece separate from the head and the head is ultimately dropped in a slot in the neck-hole.
I've seen it done with porcelain and bronzes and wood. Bride-and-groom, servants, matriarch, emperor and Buddha statues and even dogs and horses all with heads that pop off. Sometimes I see ads for Chinese statues promoting the fact that the heads are removable.
Why? Is there a cultural tradition of swapping heads on statues periodically?
(This is not about the making of the famous terracotta army. I know that those figures were assembled in several pieces. Their arms and legs were cast separately, too.)
I'm inquiring specifically about sculptures ranging from small porcelain figures to giant metal statues where the entire body is molded/cast in one piece separate from the head and the head is ultimately dropped in a slot in the neck-hole.
I've seen it done with porcelain and bronzes and wood. Bride-and-groom, servants, matriarch, emperor and Buddha statues and even dogs and horses all with heads that pop off. Sometimes I see ads for Chinese statues promoting the fact that the heads are removable.
Why? Is there a cultural tradition of swapping heads on statues periodically?