THAD Chap 27: Buddhism+East Asian Art 447–451, 500-1200 ce

Map 27.1 East Asia, c. seventh century CE. (The Gaya Confederation of city-states was conquered by Silla in 532.)

27.1 Pensive Bodhisattva, probably Maitreya (Korean Mireuk), Three Kingdoms period, early seventh century. Gilt bronze, height 36⅞ in. (93.5 cm). National Museum of Korea, Seoul.

27.2 Hōryūji, Asuka period, seventh century. Nara prefecture, Japan.

27.3 Plan of Hōryūji. Original plan, early seventh century (right) and plan of the reconstruction, c. 711 (left).

27.4 Hōryūji pagoda (cross-sectional drawing).

27.5 Tori Busshi, Shaka Triad, Hōryūji, Nara prefecture, Japan, Asuka period, dated to 623. Gilt bronze, height 46 in. (1.17 m).

27.6 Tamamushi Shrine, Hōryūji, Nara prefecture, Japan, Asuka period, c. 650. Cypress and camphor wood, with lacquer, height 7 ft. 7½ in. (2.32 m). Gallery of Temple Treasures, Hōryūji.

27.7 Mahasattva Jataka, detail of the Tamamushi Shrine, Asuka period, c. 650. Lacquer painting on wood. Gallery of Temple Treasures, Hōryūji, Nara prefecture, Japan.

bodhisattva

in early Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, a being with the potential to become a buddha; in Mahayana Buddhism, an enlightened being who vows to remain in this world in order to aid all sentient beings toward enlightenment.

icon

an image of a religious subject used for contemplation.

buddha; Buddha, the

a buddha is a being who has achieved the state of perfect enlightenment called Buddhahood; the Buddha is, literally, the “Enlightened One”; generally referring to the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, also called Shakyamuni and Shakyasimha.

iconography

images or symbols used to convey specific meanings in an artwork.

cloister

a covered walkway, lined with a colonnade, walled on the outside and open to a courtyard; usually found in religious buildings.

pagoda

in East Asia, the stupa form: a tall structure that houses Buddhist relics.

kondō

literally, “golden hall”; the main hall of a Japanese Buddhist temple.

post-and-lintel

a form of construction in which two upright posts support a horizontal beam (lintel).

cantilever

a horizontal beam, slab, or other projecting structural member that is anchored at only one end.

brackets

wooden supports that channel the weight of the roof to the supporting lintels and posts; used in East Asian architecture.

stupa

a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing Buddhist relics.

finial

a decorative knob, usually found on top of a pole or part of a building.

pradakshina

the ritual circumambulation (walking or moving around) of a sacred place in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

tableau

a stationary scene of people or objects, arranged for artistic impact.

mudra

a symbolic gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism, usually involving the hand and fingers.

mandorla

in religious art, a halo or frame that surrounds the entire body.

votive

an image or object created as a devotional offering to a deity.

filigree

a type of decoration, typically on gold or silver, characterized by ornate tracery.

lacquer

a liquid substance derived from the sap of the lacquer tree, used to varnish wood and other materials, producing a shiny, water-resistant coating.