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The following article was published in our article directory on May 27, 2013.
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Buddhist Sculptures Around The World

Article Category: Culture

Author Name: Sean Daniel

Buddhist Sculptures Around The World
The artwork that has sprung from the Buddhist faith through the centuries is extraordinary. Some of the finest examples of this can be found in Buddhist sculpture. The history of Buddhist sculptures, particularly in China and India, speaks of not only the history behind a particular type of art. It also shows us the history of a religion, and of the countries in which that religion found its voice.

Buddhist sculpture is absolutely fascinating. However, it can also be an extremely complex branch of art history. This is perhaps because there are so many different examples of a Buddhist sculpture in so many different parts of the world. The history and culture behind the Buddhist faith itself is one thing. The history of Buddhist art, or to be more specific, Buddhist sculpture, can almost be seen as another branch of history. It can very nearly be viewed as its own complete separate historical narrative.

And it's worth repeating that the history of Buddhist art and Buddhist sculpture is a complicated one. The best way to understand the history of Buddhist sculpture is to break it down into categories. Your most effective means of doing this is to consider each country in which Buddhism has the strongest roots. Learning about the history of Buddhist sculpture in each country, and discovering prime examples of Buddhist sculpture for each of these countries, is definitely the best way to go. It allows you to focus on each country's rich account of Buddhist sculptures. It also gives you the ability to create a singular narrative that explains Buddhist sculpture from its beginnings hundreds of years ago to the present, which is perhaps the best way to consider the subject as a whole.

There are several counties to look at to find examples of Buddhist sculptures. Korea, Japan, China, and India are the most prominent countries to feature Buddhist sculptures. Anyone serious about studying this aspect of Buddhism and art history would do well to start with any of those countries.

Which country is the best country for examples of Buddhist sculpture? It really doesn't matter in that regard. You could start with Chinese Buddhist sculptures just as easily as you could start with Korean Buddhist sculptures. The important thing is that you begin the journey at all. Whether you love art, or if you just simply want to have a more enriched knowledge of the Buddhism faith, you have some choices available to discover Buddhist sculpture in your own way.

Buddhist Sculpture History In China
One of the most richly compelling religious histories known to man is the history of Buddhism in China. The road to acceptance of the Buddhist faith in China was a long one. The Indian religion saw a number of obstacles before it, including religious persecution and sizeable adaptations of doctrines. A look into Chinese Buddhist sculpture history, most notably between the 5th and 8th centuries, provides an incredible look at not only some fine examples of Chinese Buddhist sculptures, but also of the struggle Buddhism faced in becoming accepted throughout China. It was through acceptance in China that Buddhism was eventually able to spread to countries such as Korea and Japan.

Prime examples of Buddhist sculptures in China can show you a number of things. It can relate to the viewer the way in which Chinese Buddhism changed to adapt to its existence in another country, but it can also show the ways in which the Buddhism as it was created in India endured.

The creation of paradise cults and imagery is a cornerstone of Buddhism in East Asia. A great deal of Buddhist literature discusses at length the idea that many Buddhas and bodhisattvas exist in different paradises of pure land. In spite of a considerable tradition based in text, images showing these heavenly planes are quite rare in India and Southeast Asia. Much of it can be found in imagery that came out of China at the start of the 6th century.

Nonetheless, your look into Chinese Buddhist sculpture history will likely include some of these pieces:

• White Tara (Tibet or Mongolia, 17th century).
• Paradise Tympanum (North China, Western Wai Period, 535-557).
• Head of Bodhisattva (North China, Tang Period, early 8th century)
• Pair of Bodhisattva in the Pensive Pose (China, Hebei Province, Northern Qi Period, 570)

Buddhist Sculpture History In India
Mauryan emperor Ashoka is largely credited with the development of Buddhist Indian sculpture. This would have been around 255 BC. The emperor was fascinated by the Buddhist faith, and had it officially adopted as the state religion. This adoption gave birth to some powerful sculpture pieces. The main function behind many of these Indian Buddhist sculpture pieces was to make the religion more popular and accepted amongst the people.

The majority of Buddhist sculpture examples from India are considerably simpler in design than their counterparts in other countries. An iconic recreation of Lord Buddha is one of the many cornerstones of Buddhist sculpture history in India. The approach to the Indian Buddhist sculpture as seen through Ashoka's influence can be found in the buildings that were created in the Buddhist pilgrimage centers. The Sanchi Stupa sculpture is considered to be an excellent example of Buddhist sculpture art. Another important aspect that came from Buddhist religious ideals are the Buddhist caves.

The style of Buddhist sculpture art in India tends to be massive with an added sense of realism. Foreign elements from Achaemenid Persia are also included. Although India's ruling class changed hands throughout history, the Buddhist sculpture maintained one constant throughout. This would be the constant of simplicity. There are a number of reasons why simplicity is one of the features of so many Buddhist sculptures throughout India.

One of the most interesting aspects of Buddhism is that Lord Buddha was never represented in human form prior to the Christian era. This is due to the fact that his spirituality was considered a concept too intangible for the purpose of art. The concept of Buddha in early art was realized through such things as footprints, the wheel of law, the Bodhi tree under which he obtained enlightenment, and more.

Buddhist sculpture particularly prospered when the Gandhara School of Art and Sculpture flourished. This was the first art school in which artists started imparting the symbolic form of Buddha's life into human form.

There are countless impressive Buddhist sculpture pieces to find throughout India. Some of these include:

Other worthy Buddhist sculptures include the chaityas, the Vihara, and the Ashoka pillars. You can also find incredible statutes of such figures as Yaksha and Yakshi. An elephant sculpture at Dhauli in Orissa is also well worth looking at.

Discovering The World Of Buddhist Sculptures
This article is by no means a complete look at the sculptures that await you in India or China, to say nothing of what you can discover in Japan, Korea, or elsewhere. The history and culture you can absorb simply by looking at pictures of these pieces if formidable, but there is really no substitute for being able to see these pieces for yourself.

Thankfully, you don't actually have to go all the way to China or Japan to see prime examples of Buddhist sculpture. Try to find a museum in your area that might have an exhibit available, or is perhaps scheduling one for the near future. You'll be able to see for yourself the extraordinary beauty and history of not only Buddhism, but of each country's unique artistic voices.

Keywords: buddhist sculptures, buddhist sculpture, buddha sculpture

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