The Three Purities: Daode Tianzun, Ming dynasty painting

What it is

This is a hanging scroll painting from the Ming dynasty, dated to the 16th century, with a yellow silk top border and blue-green outer mount. It shows a bearded, crowned figure in dark robes with gold dragon patterns, seated on a tiered green and pink throne inside a halo. Attendant figures stand at the lower left and right, and a small circular offering scene appears below. Clouds and deities fill the background. The painter is unknown. The record describes it as a painting of Daode Tianzun, the deified form of Laozi.

Why it matters

The painting shows how Laozi was turned into a god among the Three Purities in later Chinese religion. Its maker is not known, so it reveals more about the religious tastes and craft of the Ming period than about the philosopher himself. Students can compare this image with the much earlier written accounts of Laozi to see how his image changed.

Look closer

• What signs in the painting show that the seated figure has a high religious rank?
• Who might have commissioned a scroll like this, and for what purpose?
• What does the painting leave out about the historical Laozi?