Indo-Chinese Ancestor Prayer Board

Description

Antique Indo-Chinese Wood Ancestor Prayer Board / Spirit Tablet

The temple name and spiritual leader is written at the top of the tablet

Region: Indonesia

Height: 36cm / 16 inches

Base Width: 16cm / 6 inches

One of the most common ways to venerate the dead is through the use of ancestral tablets like this one. The tablet pulls away from the base and splits in two pieces revealing three columns of script on the inside panel displaying an ink inscription of the predecessor’s name and accomplishments.

Chinese people and their Indonesian descendants have lived in the Indonesian archipelago since at least the 13th century. Spirit tablets were placed in household shrines to memorise the dead. After a person dies a ceremony is held to transfer the person’s soul to a soul tablet. The tablet becomes the home for the soul after burial, and the tablet is placed on an altar in an ancestral shrine where it was worshipped with offerings of fruits, tea, and pastries. Worshiping descendants will light incense sticks before approaching their ancestors. Incense is believed to aid in the transfer of prayers and communication with spirits.

This tablet is in reasonable condition considering its age and usage. The rear side of the stand base is showing minor damage. Please view all of the photos…