Accession Number
1983/2.122

Title
Yao Ritual Scroll

Artist(s)
Chinese

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
19th century - mid 20th century

Medium & Support
handscroll, ink and color on cotton

Dimensions
9 9/16 in x 131 1/8 in (24.3 cm x 333 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Bass of Kabaco Tools, Inc.

Label copy

This long, painted scroll would only have been used in one ceremony. When a fully-fledged Yao priest died, the scroll was suspended between the top of the front door frame and the floor in the middle of the room, forming a “bridge” between earth and the heavens. The deceased Yao priest was believed to travel to his heavenly abode via this bridge. On the far left of the image,
a group of Yao priests welcomes a procession of deities headed by the recently deceased being carried on a palanquin. To the far right—the point nearest the heavens—are the Three Pure Ones, the deities that head the heavenly hierarchy in Yao Taoism. 

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
handscroll

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ritual Object

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Figures
Rites and Rituals
Vessels
carriage
horses
women