Seated Figure of Yuanshi Tianzun, Ming dynasty, early 15th century. Gilt bronze (gilt brass), 21.2 x 11.68 x 6.6 cm. Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Endowment, 2022.24 © 2025 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Yuanshi Tianzun, or Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, is the most significant deity in the Daoist cosmos. Cast hollow, this deity wears a crown and Daoist robe while sitting cross-legged behind a half table. His proportional form, symmetrical posture, and graceful expression reveal his supremacy and compassion. The figure is signed by Chen Yanqing, a Daoist devotee and a renowned sculptor from modern-day Hangzhou in southern China. Gilt bronze figures were used for worship at local temples or personal devotion at home shrines.