Zhong Kui Supported by Ghosts
1704
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
1704
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Zhong Kui Supported by Ghosts is a 1704 unspecified by Luo Ping, a Chinese Orthodox School work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man with a wild beard and fierce eyes stands on a rocky path, surrounded by smaller, grinning figures with horns and claws. He wears a red robe and holds a sword, looking ready to fight. Zhong Kui was a folk hero said to scare away bad luck and sickness. Families hung his picture during festivals to keep evil away. The artist, Luo Ping, painted him with humor—notice how the ghosts seem more playful than scary. To see more works like this, look up subject: china, qing dynasty (1644–1911).
In popular belief, Zhong Kui is a powerful guard against evil spirits, particularly on New Year’s Day and at the Double-Fifth Festival, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, when his image is displayed in households to prevent diseases and other misfortunes.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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