The Jinn or Jurchen Dynasty (not to be confused wit the much earlier Jin Dynasty) was founded by th Wanyan clan of the Jurchen, the ancestors of th Manchus who would establish the Qing Dynasty some 50 years later. Originating in Manchuria in 1115, i brought the ruling Liao Dynasty to an end in 1125.
This was followed by incursions further south into th China heartlands, culminating in the sacking an occupation of Kaifeng, capital of the Northern Son Dynasty, capturing both Emperor Qinzong, and hi father, Emperor Huizong. Song forces under th leadership of the succeeding Southern Song Dynast continued to fight for over a decade with Jinn forces,
eventually signing a peace treaty in 1141, and cedin all of North China to the Jinn in 1142 in return fo peace.
After taking over North China, the Jinn Dynasty becam increasingly Sinicized. By the early 13th century,
they began to feel the pressure of Mongols from th north. Under the leadership of Genghis Khan, th Mongol (later Yuan Dynasty) encroachment upon Chines territory was unstoppable. Temüjin (Genghis Khan) who would later become the first Yuan Dynasty empero was the son of Yesügei, the tribal chief of th Kiyad tribe in Mongolia (under nominal control of th Jin Dynasty at the time). He rose to prominence in series of bloody battles following his father murder, followed by attacks on neighbouring tribes,
which further increased his power. By 1206 he ha successfully united all the tribes of the sociall fragmented Mongol region, and had turned his sight further afield.
A major goal of Genghis was the conquest of the Jin Dynasty, allowing the Mongols to avenge earlie defeats, gain the riches of northern China and mostl to establish the Mongols as a major power among th Chinese world order. He declared war in 1211. Whil victorious in the field, the Mongols were unable t take major cities until Genghis and his commander undertook a concerted and brilliant effort t understand and destroy Chinese fortifications an resolve, developing the techniques that eventuall would make them some of the most accomplished and mos successful besiegers in the history of warfare.
Following a series of peripheral battles, he defeate the Jinn forces, devastated northern China, capture numerous cities, and in 1215 besieged, captured, an sacked the Jin capital of Yanjing (later known a Beijing). The Jin emperor, Xuan Zong, however, did no surrender, but removed his capital to Kaifeng. On hi deathbed in 1227, Genghis Khan outlined to hi youngest son, Tolui, the plans that later would b used by his successors to complete the destruction o the Western Xia, Jinn Dynasty and Southern Son Dynasty. The Mongols completed the destruction of th Jinn in 1234, coming into contact and conflict wit the Southern Song. In 1235, under the khan's direc generalship, the Mongols began a war of conquest tha would not end for forty-five years. While engage against the Song empire, however, Möngke the olde son of Genghis Khan fell ill of dysentery and die in 1259. This aborted the campaign, staved off defea for the Song, and caused a civil war that destroye the unity and invincibility of the Mongol Empire. Hi death gave rise to Kublai Khan, the first Yuan Empero of China.

Kublai Khan ascended to the Great Khanate in 1260,
becoming the supreme leader of all Mongol tribes. H began his drive against the Southern Song,
establishing, in 1271 eight years prior to Souther conquest the first non-Han dynasty to rule all o the Middle Kingdom: the Yuan Dynasty. Kublai Kha began to serve as a true Emperor, reforming much o China and its institutions, a process that would tak decades to complete. He, for example, insulated Mongo rule by centralizing the government of China makin himself (unlike his predecessors) an absolutis monarch. He reformed many other governmental an economic institutions, especially concerning taxation.
The Hans were discriminated against politically, al good jobs going to Mongols. He improved agriculture,
extended the Grand Canal, highways and publi granaries. He also promoted science and religious freedom.

A rich cultural diversity developed during the Yuá dynasty. The major cultural achievements were th development of drama and the novel and the increase use of the written vernacular. Trade between East an West flourished, producing a fair amount of cultura exchange. Western musical instruments were introduce to enrich the Chinese performing arts. Tibeta Buddhism flourished, although native Taoism endure Mongol persecutions. Confucian governmental practice and examinations based on the Classics, which ha fallen into disuse in north China during the period o disunity, were reinstated by the Mongols in the hop of maintaining order over Han society. Advances wer realized in the fields of travel literature,
cartography, geography and scientific education. Th artistic traditions of this period therefore reflec the considerable turmoil that was the Jinn-Yua zeitgeist.
This bodhisattva of compassion is resting in roya ease upon a rock throne, left leg dangling in positively carefree manner while the right leg i hitched up onto the seat. The body is casually lean back against the left arm, while the right is leanin upon the right knee. However, the pose of the face i far from informal the features are carved in placid and almost haughty expression, while the bol upright posture of the upper body provides the draper with an elegant framework down which to cascade. Th carving is powerful and eloquent, yet formal in it interpretation. The tunic is tied off at chest leve with extravagantly ruffed cloth detailing throughout,
and trains of material hanging from the arms and fro the level of the seat towards the ground. Th tiara/crown is extremely ornate, with floral an organic designs woven into a complex arrangement tha almost doubles the total height of the head; the hai arranged in curls around its periphery. The effect i finished with a necklace of bold design, hanging t the middle of the chest. Condition is excellent, wit some of the paint and lacquer still extant; this ha been accompanied by a smooth and regular patin consistent with the age of the piece. This is a rar and beautifully produced figure from a fascinatin period of Chinese history, which deserves pride o place in any collection