MOLIQING, GOD OF THE EAST.

Coming from Indian Buddhist iconography, the figure of the “Four Heavenly Guardians”, who protect the heavenly regions and the gates of paradise, was introduced in China. In China, like the Lokapalas in India and Tibet, they were used as divinities at the entrance of temples or in altars and smaller sculptural groups, as is the case of the figure of the F.R.A. Each of them is associated with one of the cardinal points, as well as with a color, an attribute, and an attitude. This figure corresponds to MOLIQING, or God of the East, that although he is usually represented with a grim gesture, in this case his expression has been softened, conserving his own iconographic characteristics such as the sword and his military clothing. The halo that he produces when wielding his sword is represented in this figure by means of a ribbon that is fastened to the back of his head and runs laterally around the figure. This headdress has been enhanced in its divine quality by ornaments corresponding to the termination of a dragon’s tail, and in the center a pearl. Moliqing, rests his sword in the mouth of the dragon, sculpted on a pedestal of carved lacquer. This animal is also associated with the East as a cardinal point, region of fertility and spring rains. From the stylistic point of view, it is worth highlighting the fine sculptural work with which they have sought to highlight the different textures of the clothing, as well as a certain spontaneity, which contrasts with the lack of expression of the face. It probably belonged to a group in which the Four Celestial Guardians were represented as a group of protective divinities (see for the same iconography, the piece with cat. no. 13). I.C.F. / Extracted from: Isabel CERVERA FERNÁNDEZ: Fundación Rodríguez-Acosta. Asian Art Collection. Granada, 2002.