Buddhist Sculpture Research Articles

Feasibility and Exception--The Grand Narrative Theory in the Myths of Buddhist Sculpture Art

This paper explores the grand narrative, especially in the context of Buddhist sculpture art. It portrays grand narratives as broad, non-falsifiable systems stemming from a collective story, often focusing on universality and macro theories. The paper also highlights the link between grand narratives and myth. The author examines how grand narrative theory applies to Buddhist art, evident in visual forms like Buddha statues, which function as both religious symbols and narrative components. This article mainly consists of two lines of analysis. One line examines the representation of grandeur and narrative in Buddhist sculptures, while the other line examines the changes in the grand narrative of Buddhist sculptures. The former involves the relationship between images and texts, while the latter involves the feasibility of the end of grand narrative as proposed by Jean-François Lyotard’s theory of grand narrative.

Zeolite Stone Buddha Sculptures (pulsŏkche) in the Kyŏngsang Province during the Late Chosŏn Dynasty: Production and Transportation

The rising popularity of zeolite stone Buddhist sculptures (pulsŏkche) during the late Chosŏn Dynasty meant that temples and monk-artisans encountered new challenges. The material properties of stone, difficult to transport and limited by regional availability, posed logistical difficulties. Unlike traditional materials like wood or clay, which artisans could work with directly at the temple, stone Buddha statues often required production at a separate location from their enshrinement site. Dedicated workshops, referred to as pulsangso 佛像所 (Buddha statue production site) and chosangch'ŏ 造像處 (statue manufacturing place), were established near stone quarries for the purpose of producing these statues. This indicates that artisans likely completed the sculpting process in these workshops, particularly in ones near Kyŏngju, before transporting the sculptures to their final destinations for eye-opening ceremonies and installation in the main hall. This separation between production and enshrinement reshaped the roles and task delegation among monk-artisan groups. The responsibilities of the chŭngmyŏng (證明, the monk overseeing Buddhist projects and the ritual of depositing votive objects) became increasingly limited in stone Buddha production. On the other hand, monks involved in the image-making process took on a broader range of tasks, from procuring the raw material to carving, to depositing offerings inside the statues. Unlike those who primarily worked with wood and managed the entire production of Buddha images, pedestals, and votive plaques, the monk-artisans working with zeolite stone focused exclusively on the creation of the stone images.

Study on Buddhist Sculptures and Temples in Gyeryongsan National Park

Study on Buddhist Sculptures and Temples in Gyeryongsan National Park

A Study on the Style of Buddhist Sculpture by 18th Century Monk Sculptor Hacheon

A Study on the Style of Buddhist Sculpture by 18th Century Monk Sculptor Hacheon

A Technical Study of Chinese Buddhist Sculptures: First Insights into a Complex History of Transformation through Analysis of the Polychrome Decoration

A Technical Study of Chinese Buddhist Sculptures: First Insights into a Complex History of Transformation through Analysis of the Polychrome Decoration

Analysis of Pigments Unearthed from the Yungang Grottoes Archaeological Excavations

The Yungang Grottoes, excavated during the 5th to 6th centuries AD, stand as a pinnacle of Buddhist sculpture, representing a precious world cultural heritage. Since their excavation, the grottoes have undergone multiple phases of painting, with a significant amount of pigment still present on the surfaces of the stone carvings. Since the 1990s, two large-scale archaeological excavations have been conducted on both the front ground and the summit of Yungang Grottoes. During these excavations, various artifacts with accompanying pigments were unearthed, encompassing stone carvings, grinding tools, architectural components, fragments of murals, and remnants of clay sculptures, spanning the historical periods of the Northern Wei, Liao-Jin, and Ming-Qing dynasties. Using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, portable microscopy, polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and confocal Raman microscopy, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of these painted elements. The investigation revealed the presence of hematite, vermilion, goethite, malachite, calcium carbonate, lead white, and ivory black pigments in the Northern Wei samples. The Liao-Jin samples exhibited hematite, while the Ming-Qing samples contained vermilion, minium, atacamite, lead white, and Prussian blue.

Report on the Excavations at Kuchchaveli, Sri Lanka (2011)

We report the archaeological findings from the historic site of Kuchchaveli in the northeastern coast of Sri Lanka, based on our excavations in 2011. The Kuchchaveli complex revealed features of a Mahāyāna Buddhist centre during the 7th and 8th centuries as indicated by the structures and an inscription as well as a number of Buddhist sculptures and carvings. Archaeological material and a radiocarbon date of 1880 ± 30 BP from a test pit indicate an earlier occupation as well. Our excavations offered insights to the structures built at Kuchchaveli and yielded pottery fragments, glass beads, faunal remains and other artefacts of interest. This report highlights findings from six test pits, where two test pits correspond to the possible bodhigara and water tank of the monastery. The similarity of the Kuchchaveli glass finds to those from other sites in Sri Lanka highlights the internal circulation of glass beads during the period that Kuchchaveli was an active site. The faunal remains suggest that a mix of domesticated and wild animals were part of the diet in the community. Apart from being a monastic establishment linked to the southeast coast of India, Kuchchaveli revealed trade activities with other regions over a long period, particularly in the Middle Historic Period of the region.

A Study on the Characteristics of Indigenousization in Buddhist Sculptures of the Tang Dynasty: Focusing on Yongmun Cave

A Study on the Characteristics of Indigenousization in Buddhist Sculptures of the Tang Dynasty: Focusing on Yongmun Cave

SYMBOLS ENGRAVED ON BUDDHIST PARASOL: SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MATHURA MUSEUM

After the creation of the universe, the practice of consecration of statues and symbolic representation of gods-goddesses and nature as divinity began in civilizations across the world; proving its continued existence and practice across human history. These symbols serve the multiple purposes; from being an emblem representing the concept of religious faith, notions and beliefs in the psyche of the devotees to representing the desire for glory, protection and good fortune. These symbols communicate complicated human emotions through symbolic language in the simplest ways. From the prehistoric times to the contemporary age these symbols can be traced across the human civilizations with some variations in its physical form. These variations sometimes translate differently across religions and sometimes their expressions carry certain similarities. We find such instances in the iterations of some Buddhist symbols, when worshipping the idol of Gautama Buddha was prohibited in Pre-Sectarian Buddhist age. As a result, initially Lord Buddha was represented through the consecration of religious symbols. Gradually with the passage of time, due to cultural assimilation and the domination of Hinduism, Buddhism (Mahayana sect) came closer to Hinduism. We find early Buddhist sculptures in open natural spaces as the consecration of the statue of Gautama Buddha preceded the construction of temples. To protect these statues from Sun and Rain, these statues were soon covered by various forms of parasol like canopies (Umbrella) to the upper part of the idol as a unique feature on the upper side of the idol marking the influence of Kushan period. These parasols are engraved with various symbols like: Mangal Kalash, Swastika, Conch, Shrivatsa, Lotus, etc. The specimens of these parasols can be found protected in Mathura Museum. This paper studies the meaning of artistic and symbolic foundation of these engraved symbols.

Divine Expressions in Pala Art: Sculptures of Transcendence with special reference to Buddhist minor Deities

The art and iconography of the sculptures from the Pala period (8th to 12th centuries CE) in India represent a significant phase in the evolution of Buddhist and Hindu art. The Pala dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day India and Bangladesh, was a patron of both Buddhist and Brahmanical traditions, and their art reflects a fusion of influences. This paper attempts to explore the key features and themes of sculptures from the Pala period with special reference to Buddhist minor deities. Pala period sculptures are known for their graceful and fluid style, characterized by soft contours and sensuous curves. This style is often referred to as the "Pala-Sena" style. The sculptures exude a sense of serenity and elegance, whether depicting Buddhist or Hindu deities. Buddhist sculptures from this era frequently depict the Buddha in various postures and mudras (hand gestures). The Buddha is often shown in the Dharmachakra Pravartana mudra (teaching pose) or the Bhumisparsha mudra (earth-touching pose). Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, Tara, and Manjushri are common subjects in Pala Buddhist art. These figures are portrayed with distinctive attributes and symbols that represent their qualities and attributes. The sculptures often include intricate detailing of jewelry, garments, and hairstyle, reflecting the rich artistic sensibilities of the period.

Study on the Thin Flesh Sculptures of Northern Zhou Dynasty in Maijishan Grottoes

The thin flesh sculpture of the Flying Sky mural in the Seven Buddha Pavilion of the fourth cave of Maijishan was created in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, which is the product of the fusion of Buddhist art and traditional Chinese culture. Among them, the mural uses the method of combining painting and sculpture, which is rare and novel, which not only fully reflects the intelligence and extraordinary creativity of ancient artists in China, but also has high artistic value for Buddhist sculpture art in China. Taking "thin meat sculpture" as the research object, this paper analyzes and elaborates on the historical development of Northern Zhou statues, the overview of thin meat sculpture murals, their characteristics and artistic achievements, explores the relationship between the artistic techniques of painting and sculpture and Chinese sculpture and murals, and studies the significance of thin meat sculpture in the development of Chinese Buddhist sculpture and mural art.

Queen Maya & Yasodhara in Gandhara Buddhist Sculptures

The aim of the research was to study at the female representation in Buddhist Gandhara's sculptural history. It is a genuine revelation that the subject matter of Gandhara sculptures is the Buddhah life story, as depicted in the stone panels. We began to collect Queen Maya and Yashodhara images from Peshawar, Texila and Mardan Museum. As a result, the Gandharan perception of the female was complex: female images frequently signified prosperity, fertility, and nurture, but they also embodied seduction, disease, and death at other times. The Gandharan woman is dichotomous and replete with vigour, a synthesis of various religious, aesthetic, and political ideas. This research will contribute to the existing information about female portrayal in Buddhist and South Asian art forms, thereby advancing the work on women's roles and representation in the South Asian region.

Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa, Gurye: Pyŏgam Kaksŏng and Sculptor Monk In’gyun

This study focuses on the sculptures of the Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa. It had been unknown when or by whom they were made, but fortunately, I was able to propose that they were made in 1635-36 under the supervision of the sculptor monk In'gyun, based on their similarities in iconography and style to the Four Heavenly Kings at Songgwangsa, made in 1628. In'gyun participated in the erection of Buddhist sculptures at Songgwangsa, Hwaŏmsa, and Hŭngguksa. In particular, the Four Heavenly Kings at Songgwangsa were made in collaboration with Ŭngwŏn, and it is likely that with this experience, In'gyun was able to lead the project of the Four Heavenly Kings at Hwaŏmsa. As for the sculpture itself, I have always been curious about the rat in the hand of the King of the West, a motif that appears only in three early-17th-century temples in Jeollanamdo. A symbol of national security and wealth, the rat motif originated in Khotan, Central Asia, passed through Tibet and into Ming China where it was made into a woodcut in 1431. It is likely that Shin Iksŏng, a son-in-law of King Sŏnjo introduced this woodcut print to Chosŏn along with other Buddhist books and prints from Ming. When Pyŏgam Kaksŏng rebuilt Songgwangsa and Hwaŏmsa, he probably consulted Ming prints and put the rat, a symbol of national security and wealth, in the hand of the King of the West. In conclusion, by this study, I have aimed to demonstrate how Buddhist iconographies were not only based on Buddhist scriptures but also created through legends and myths of each region and developed to become a new iconography.

The Bacchanalian Scenes and the Representation of Women in the Buddhist Sculptures of Gandhāra Art

The attraction between opposite genders in living beings including humans is natural and intuitive. The feelings of intimacy and passion for the opposite gender is an open secret, and its value and importance cannot be denied. Attraction among the opposite sex, or in other words, the feeling of love, is the culmination of all romantic poetry, folklore, and other literary works. For decades, it has also been a topic of debate and research for Psychologists and Sociologists. Looking at art history, the discovered sculptures showing human intimacy, are preserved in museum collections and academic publications. In this paper, few examples can be viewed in the form of Gandhāra art; in which bacchanalian scenes' carving are portrayed with numerous flairs, glances, and wine drinking to make them more amorous and signify discern of love in various ways. For this purpose, it is focused on the loving-couples and bacchanalian scenes as represented in Gandhāra sculptures in multiple practices and appearances. Furthermore, the key focus is to re-examine an essential depiction of women in the bacchanalian scenes in the context of Buddhist art of Gandhāra. To explore the above-mentioned scenes, in this research, descriptive and analytical method is used to extract the conclusion. It is found that, Women were imagined in all her grandeur as an appealing to lovers.

Buddhist Architecture Exchanges between China and Pakistan

This study explores the friendly exchanges in Buddhist architecture between China and Pakistan from a geographical perspective. It probes mainly into the exchanges occurring from the 1st to the 10th century AD between ancient China and ancient Pakistan (the region where Pakistan is presently located). With the channels for exchanges between China and South Asia opening up and the Silk Road being established, the large-scale eastward spread of Buddhism became possible, creating opportunities for Buddhism communication between people of the two nations. The design and construction of Chinese Buddhist temples, pagodas and grottoes exhibit features typical of Buddhist architecture in ancient Pakistan, particularly the Gandhara Buddhist sculpture art that has profound influence on Buddha statues in China. In over a thousand years Chinese Buddhist architecture absorbed elements from that of ancient Pakistan, yet created its unique Chinese style, showing a perfect integration of the two cultures. The Buddhist architecture exchanges between ancient China and ancient Pakistan have far-reaching significance in promoting cultural communication and strengthening the friendship between people of the two nations.

TARA SCULPTURES FROM GOPALPUR AND JABALPUR: RECENT DISCOVERIES AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Gopalpur village is situated around 8 kilometers west to Jabalpur city on the bank of River Narmada (Lat. 23.115763°, Long. 79.824082°). This place contains a huge number of temple remains scattered in a radius of around 500 meters. The majority of the temple sites are related to Kalachuri’s of Tripuri. Gopalpur village has a number of Gond period structures in which most number of these structures are made over the earlier temples, Lakshminarayan Temple, Panchmatha, Pashupatinath temple etc. are the ideal examples of it. From Gopalpur, Tewar, Kudhan, Bheraghat a number of Buddhist sculptures have already found which are kept in Rani Durgawati State museum Jabalpur. In these sculptures notable sculptures are of Buddha, Tara, and of Yakshi’s. In recent excavation of Tewar as per the media reports three sculptures of Tara is revealed which are not published yet. An important Tara Sculpture is also kept in the Gauri shanker temple of Chausath Yogini Bheraghat1 (Plate.1). This paper will deal with the newly found Tara sculptures from Lakshminarayana temple of Gopalpur.

Religious Interpretation of Yungang Grottoes: Blending of Chinese and Western Cultures

The grotto art in China has a long history. Yungang grotto is a representative grotto with China characteristics that has been preserved so far in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and it is an important cultural heritage of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which embodies the culture of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Yungang grotto is also the beginning of the localization of China grotto art. The unique artistic charm of Yungang Grottoes lies in the organic combination of Indian Buddhist culture and China traditional culture, which incorporates the inherent culture of Xianbei people. This paper briefly expounds and analyzes the statue model of Yungang Grottoes bred by multiculturalism; From the perspective of cultural thought, this paper explores the consciousness of statues in Yungang Grottoes. From the perspective of blending Chinese and western cultures, this paper studies the architecture and Buddhist sculptures of Yungang Grottoes from the religious level. By studying the characteristics of Yungang Grottoes' architecture and Buddhist sculptures, this paper tries to demonstrate the Xianbei cultural characteristics of Yungang Grottoes and discuss the design of Yungang Grottoes and the blending characteristics of Chinese and western cultures embodied in the design. It is hoped that this study will shed some light on understanding and exploring the grotto culture, the blending of Chinese and western cultures and the China-oriented Buddhism.

Semantics of Attributes of Japanese Buddhist Sculpture

The article is devoted to the description and analysis of some iconographic elements inherent in Buddhist cult sculpture, which made communication between a person and a deity possible. The set being analyzed in this article, which is distinguished by its diversity, is limited to attributes that the deities hold in their hands, as well as crowns crowning the heads of deities, since they occupy a particularly important place in the structure of Buddhist iconography. The various identification marks endowed with Buddhist deities, in general, remain unchanged. As symbols, since images of deities are perceived by the adherents of the faith, they contribute to the birth of the corresponding associations. Embodied in Buddhist sculpture with their characteristic semantics, the attributes help to understand the essence of Buddha's teaching. Some objects are an information sign exclusively for a certain deity, others may belong to the subject environment of different deities. In the visual arts of Japan, the attributes of Buddhist sculpture have become a conventional image, contributing to the message of the versatility of Buddhist teaching, revealing its spiritual essence. Religious and aesthetic merged into one in the works of outstanding masters, who paid special attention to iconographic details, giving them artistic expressiveness. Buddhist sculpture uses symbols with well-established traditional meanings – religious values that have become common culture. The semantic structure of the symbol appeals to the experience and knowledge of a parishioner in a temple or a visitor in a museum, deepening and expanding his spiritual and mental space. This is facilitated by the canonized system of pictorial language that has developed over the centuries.

Rediscovering the Monk-Sculptor Ch’ŏnsin: The Missing Link between the Ŭngwŏn-In'gyun and Saengnan Schools of the Honam Area in the Late Chosŏn Period

Abstract Of the monk-sculptor groups active in the Honam area in the southwest part of the Korean Peninsula during the late Chosŏn period, the Saengnan School was the largest, both in terms of the number of artists in the group and of the works they left behind. Studies of the group have largely focused on the sculpting activities of the Buddhist monk Saengnan (fl. late seventeenth to the early eighteenth century; 1663–1709) and his followers, while little is known about the origins of the school due to a lack of records about his formative years as an assistant. The recent discovery of four Buddhist parwŏn prayer texts has revealed that Saengnan spent the early years of his career as a sculptor assisting the monk-sculptors In'gyun and Ch’ŏnsin, who were key members of the Ŭngwŏn-In'gyun School that played a central role in the production of Buddhist sculptures in the early to late seventeenth century in the region. This study shows that the Saengnan School, the most productive group of monk-sculptors from the late seventeenth to the early eighteenth century in the Honam region, was a successor to the Ŭngwŏn-In'gyun School, through a comparative examination of these highly informative prayers and relevant Buddhist sculptures. My examination also reveals that the two schools were linked by Ch’ŏnsin, who studied sculpture under In'gyun, and in turn, taught Saengnan.

Artistic features of pedestals, halos, mandorlas of Japanese Buddhist sculptures

The article describes and analyzes important iconographic elements of Buddhist cult sculpture, which are distinguished by great diversity and semantic content. Attention is focused on the etymology and semantics of the pedestals on which the sculptures stand or sit. Thanks to the pedestals, the sculpture was separated from the everyday profane world, its status in the hierarchy of Buddhist deities was emphasized, and its sublime sacral character was demonstrated. It turns out that the arsenal of pedestals is quite diverse. The richness of its forms is traced – from simple pedestals, low bases, which still have a symbolic meaning, to complex architectural structures. The classic pedestal-throne, representing a cascade of lotus flowers, on which prominent characters of the Buddhist world sat, was a manifestation of their divine origin and moral purity. The specific features of the pedestals are studied – the throne as a semantic analogue of the sacred mountain Sumeru, as well as zoomorphic thrones with various mounts and animals, which occupied a significant place in the diverse set of pedestals. It has been established that radiant halos in the form of disks, fiery circles, mandorlas around the body of the sculpture, which are emitting rays, differ in form and style. Their symbolic aesthetics, which tell about the characters, their purpose and role in the Buddhist world, is considered. Mandorlas, based on a lotus petal, make up the picturesque background of the figures and compositionally unite the sculptural group. While halos above the head as a symbol of holiness most often have simple geometric shapes of a circle, or a hoop, and, in some cases, they are elongated at the top and decorated with symbols, mandorlas are always richly decorated, artistically refined and look as if woven from patterns. They give the figures a regal majesty and festivity. It is noted that the brightness of the images is enhanced by the golden sheen, and the luminosity of the images is the reason for the skillful ornamentation of the mandorlas and their rich decoration. It is concluded that patterns on pedestals, halos, and mandorlas are an important element of the composition, indicating the uniqueness of decorative solutions. The types of pedestals worked out over the centuries, often with overhanging openwork canopies, various halos and mandorlas completed in form, contributed to the enrichment of plastic images. The article gives an idea of how diversely such important informational signs of Buddhist deities as pedestals, halos, and mandorlas are presented in Japanese iconography.