Xianyan Temple Huiguang Pagoda: Reliquary

CHINA, Zhejiang, Rui’an; Northern Song dynasty

This reliquary was recovered from Huiguang Pagoda of Xianyan Temple in 1966. From an inscription on the base, it is known that it was created in 1035 during the Northern Song dynasty.
Made of gilt silver, the reliquary consists of a base and a dome containing a reliquary bottle. The base is comprised of three tiers; the lowest tier stands on six feet, joined together by a series of small curves and has two hexagonal platforms; the middle tier is a flattened sphere with quatrefoil openings; and the upper tier consists of corbeling, which supports a platform with an inscription around the rim.
The dome rests on the platform, and is decorated with flowering crab apple, mythical birds, and flowers. There is an ogee arch at the front, which leads to the interior of the dome, where there is a reliquary bottle in the form of an elongated sphere. The names of the donors are inscribed on the bottle.