Fahai Temple Pagoda: Reliquary

CHINA, Henan, Zhengzhou; Northern Song dynasty

This tri-color reliquary was recovered from the underground palace of Fahai Temple Pagoda in 1966. It consists of a base, body, and lid. The square Sumeru base has an opening on each face shaped like a lotus petal and is decorated with a qilin, a mythical animal, and lotus patterns.
The cuboidal body is decorated with studs along the top, and disks on the corner columns, the bases of which are decorated with mythical creatures. On each side of the body are double doors flanked by Heavenly Kings standing on lotus pedestals. The exterior walls are decorated with lotuses, and the interior has an inscription dating to 998.
The truncated pyramidal lid is decorated with rosettes and has elongated holes on each slope. These holes are surrounded by clouds and lotuses, and each corner has a butterfly. The interior of the lid is inscribed with “Qiu Zhixun,” the name of the sponsor.