明 白釉 阿弥陀佛纹高足杯

The Chinese characters 'a mi tuo fo' can be translated as 'Amitabha' in Sanskrit. Amitabha, the Buddha of 'Infininte Light', is one of the five Dhyani Buddas representing universal divine principals or forces to meditate on. On the present stem cup, Amitabha himself is not explicitly depicted but is represented by his name in Chinese characters. Buddhist deities are ordinarily shown seated upon a lotus base and often framed by a flaming mandorla to emphaise the religous significance of the figure. In this case, the words 'e mi tuo fo' clearly provide a substitute and encourage the viewer to further contemplate the spirit of the deity.