Antique Chinese Wood Buddha
Shoki
Demon Queller
Qing Dynasty, circa: 17th century
H 18 " (46cm.), W 8" (20cm.), D 3.5" (8.5cm.)
Condition : Good, minor loss

An imposing statue of the Judge of Hell, Chung Qai (Japanese: Shoki) standing on hell fire, with body posed to the side, and ready to draw the demon queller sword with his right hand. Judging from his bat eared hat, and the Tang style imperial robes, the statue is an older prototype, possibly made during the late Ming and early Qing eras.

Private Collection

Chung Qai made his first appearance in the 8th century, when the Tang Emperor Ming Huang was haunted by demons during his sleep. Then one night he dreamed of a huge demon capturing and eating a smaller one. Upon awakening, Emperor Ming Huang instructed the court painter Wu Daozi to paint a portrait of the Ghost Eater. This became the first image of Chung Qai, a black faced judge of Hell with a large flaring beard, dressed in imperial robes with bat-eared hat, and wielding a large sword.