Buddhist Art Final

Collapse in 220 meant other families took control, splitting into 3 kingdoms between then and 280, Wei, Shu, and Wu. Later the Jin Dynasty unified parts of southern China and the Xiangbei established the Northern Wei dynasty in Northern China as opposed to the Southern Wei. The Xianbei were NOT Chinese, just took the older Wei name. 420-589 was the 6 dynasties period followed by the Sui Dynasty unification between 581 and 618.

After the Collapse of Han Dynasty

This is based on Chinese scholars views of the paintings at the time. It was started as a style by monk Zhirong (1114-1193). YUKIO LIPPIT. None of the originals survived, however the style was emulated and many paintings ended up in Japan in the 13th century of which many copies survive. There is an extraordinarily pale use of ink with jet-black accents to the face and select attributes. Largely blank backgrounds and a relatively detailed rendering of the vs. the abbreviated brushwork for clothing. The paintings were of famous chan figures. There is an appearance of spontaneity and not much thought process, just painted. There is an importance of shadow and penumbra, the shadow of the shadow. Darkness controlled by the water in the ink. Particular characteristics of zen monks shown, eccentric figures. Emphasis on brushwork, tonality, exaggerated lines.

Apparition Painting

Had Shiteno-ji in Osaka (593) by prince Shotoku, Horyuji (SHOTOKU SECT) in Nara also by the prince but from Emperor Yomei. According to the Nihon Shoki, Prince Shotoku (574-622) was a pro-Buddhis. In 587 there was a battle between the Soga and Otomo (pro-buddhist) and Mononobe and Nakatomi (anit-buddhist) clans. Pro-buddhists won and victory was led by Prince Shotoku

Asuka Period

Also at Longmen, south, center, and north caves commissioned by Emperor Xianwu. For Xiaowen (died 499) and Wenzhou (died 494)

Binyang Caves

He meet with emperor Wu (Liang Dynasty China, 502-549). Emperor asked "How much karmic merit have I earned by ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?" and Bodhidharma answered, "None." Then the emperor asked "So what is the highest meaning of noble truth?" and he responded "No noble truth; there is only void." The emperor then asked "Who is standing before me?" and he responded "I don't know." The responses he gave the emperor were to show that Buddhism is not about things, no selfishness at all. One should do things because they want to, not for any sort of merit.

Bodhidharma Conversation with Emperor Wu

There were many Buddhist branches in China. There were 6-7 in total with each having different Buddha's/ Bodhisattvas and therefore imageries. ALL MAHAYANNA.

Chinese Buddhist Sects

Zen emphasizes direct transmission, oral transmission. Said teachings from Shakyamuni went to his disciple Kashapa, then down the line to his 28th disciple Bodhidharma who is the first zen patriarch. The transmission is from master to disciple. Bodhidarma first, Huike second (29th after Shakyamuni).

Direct Transmission in Zen

This is the daoist-zen genre of painting of zen figures. The subject matters chosen are doing mundane tasks and this shows that one should be mindful of their actions in order to attain enlightenment. Meditating by doing these tasks. The copies of Muqi paintings fall under this category. Differences in ink tonality. Quick brush strokes done and this comes from intense practice.

Doshakuga

This system was an elite league of 6 temples in Kyoto. Top was Nanzenji and the rest were ranked underneath it. This was a system imitated from the Song Dynasty. This was under the Japanese military regime, bakufu. Under this system monks became very powerful during the Ashikaga shogunate. They were everything from artisans to political advisors. System officially established in 1386.

Five Mountain System

5th Patriarch Hongren (601-674) at Huang Mei Mountain. To decide the next patriarch he said "See for prajna (wisdom) in your own mind. And write me a stanza about it. He who understands what the Essence of Mind will be given the robe and the Dharma." Shenxiu said The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a standing mirror bright. At all times polish it diligently, and let no dust alight. And Huineng said, Bodhi is no tree nor is the mind a standing mirror bright. Since all is originally empty, where does the dust alight? Huineng's response is considered to be better as it exemplified nothingness. Huineng was not a student but given the transmission to the the 6th patriarch anyway. This divided zen into the northern and southern schools. The southern school is what when to Japan.

Hongren and Next Patriarch

This means worshipping of an icon. It is unclear if there was iconolatory in China, as paintings of people are mostly in the context of stories rather than things to worship.

Iconolatory

Use in Pure Land, describes the life of monk Dharmakara, civilian king that renounced the world to become a monk and made 48 vows. This includes the first vow that after attaining Buddhahopd, that there if in his land there are a hell, realm of hungry spirits, and a realm of animals, then it is not perfect enlightenment. This is rhetorical as these conditions are met. Shows what he wants to achieve as a Buddha, no suffering. Vow 35 says that in Pure Land women can come in and be reborn as a man after renouncing womanhood, a necessary condition for enlightenment.

Immeasurable Life Sutra

Ink paintings with iconic figures, Chinzo (potraits with master's images), and Shigajiku (poems on images with inscriptions)

Japanese Zen Painting Categories

This is a zen teaching method, they are stories or dialogues, often irrational riddles. A well known series of koan is the gateless gate compileby Wumen (1183-1260) This includes a monk who met with 6th dynasty zen master Joshu who asked Does a dog have buddha nature? and Joshu said Mu. (Nothing) Another example is a monk asking Joshu Why did Bodhidharma come from the west? and his response, The oak tree (snow on pine tree) in the garden.

Koan

Liang Kai was a Southern Song artist trained at the imperial painting academy. He had simplistic drawings using only ink. He was also a monk. His paintings displayed more human like depictions of Buddhist figures.

Liang Kai

Captial moved to Luoyang in 493 by the 6th emperor Xiaowen (471-499). Move was to be center of communication between the south and north. The big caves at Longmen are not originals, from 600s. There are 1,400 gaves at the site that started under the Northern Wei dynasty.

Longmen

Past Buddha, Prabhutaratna, appears in the presence of Shakyamuni. This is during Shakyamuni's lecture. After the lecture they go inside the pagoda (Yungang cave 6). He is one of many past Buddhas. This is the meta-physical state of buddhism. Prabhutaratna is in parinirvana and is meta physical.

Lotus Sutra

The Shobo Period, period of true dharma, was 500-1000 years after Shakyamuni died and a period of very clear teachings of Buddha. Practice based on teachings led to enlightenment. Wheel of dharma moved fast. This was followed by the Zoho period, counterfeit period of 1000 years. Teaching of Buddha exist but instead of earnest practice it's more imitation of it. Wheel slows down. After is the Mappo (degenerative dharma) period starting in 1052, meaning that the teachings of Buddha alone exist. Wheel has halted, after this need new Buddha, Maitreya. Mappo era made things change, looking now for a path to salvation not enlightenment.

Millennialism in the Late Heian Period

Had Yungang caves near capital of Pinchen, 460-524. Then Longmen Caves near Luoyang which started in the 490s and were added to through the Sui and Tang Dynasties into the early 10th century.

Northern Wei Caves

The ethnic group was the non-Chinese Xianbei and their family was known as the Tuoba, changed their name to Chinese aristocratic name Wei. Capitals were in Pincheng (386-493) and Luoyang (493-534). Luoyang had been and illustrious Chinese city and Han capital. The Xianbei sinisized under Emperor Xiaowen's reign, with a Han style administration and dress code and language. From tribal rule to aristocracy and a fusion of Daoism and Buddhism.

Northern Wei Dyansty

5th Century. Huiyan was from Southern China, founded it after practicing Daoism. He amalgamated the belief systems. Instead of enlightenment one seeks blissful existence in the Buddha Amitabah's heaven, known as Pure land. May have originated in India but now many think it is from either Kashmir or most likely Central Asia. Salvation is through meditation through vision of what pure land looks like by reading the visualization sutra. Around 402 Monk Huiyan's idea became this sect. There are 3 main sutras, Amithabha sutra, immeasurable life sutra, and the visualization sutra (how to construct pure land mentally). Not a lot of jatakas. You repeat the name Amitabha for him to hear you for your own salvation. Joined Tiantai but separated again.

Pure Land Buddhism

Both evolved due to Mappo. Pure Land is faith based while Zen is practice based. Pure land is much more accessible, just have to be able to say amitabha/ amida. Zen focuses on enlightenment by oneself, sitting ad meditating.

Pure Land vs. Zen Buddhism

Sesshu monk-painter (1420-1506). Zen training at shokokuji in Kyoto. He studied Josetsu and Shubun Travelled to Ming Dynasty China to study painting in the Southern Song academy tradition. Ink painting of landscapes, three styled calligraphic brush strokes

Sesshu

Oldest archaeologically proven Chinese dynasty. There were oracle bones that included script, indicating the civilization. Shang Dynasty had many urban centers which were royal capitals.

Shang Dynasty

This was published in 109 BCE by Sima Qian, written about 2.5 millennia of history and information about the Shang Dynasty.

Shiji

Emperor Xiaowen implemented the Taihei reforms in 477 to reshape Northern Wei rule. He emphasized court ceremonies, costumes and crown, and palaces and rituals paces. This led to changes in Buddhist imagery and this is evidenced in both cave sites. This is sinicization. Reinterpretation of the Buddha's robe, sanghati. Can be viewed as either evolution (Mizuno) or as influence. Evolution implies from India to "new" Chinese style and deliberate changes (NOT A POPULAR IDEA). MORE LIKELY the influence model, where aspects come from India but this still doesn't fully explain what artists did. Tsiang says that these were consciously made choices and that the Northern Wei was already Chinese before Buddhism came. The other becomes you, borrowing from Chinese stuff not becoming it.

Taihei Reforms

Had capital in Chang'an/Xian and Luoyang. Emperor Yang of Sui unified the 6 dynasties, and Gaozu enlarged the area and was first Tang emperor.

Tang Dynasty

After taking over Sui Dynasty. Faxiang school (dharma characteristics). Introduced by Monk Xuanzang (600-664) who brought sanskrit texts from India. Believe in the end that nothing is real, only in the perceptive mind is where things exist. In Xian.

Tang Dynasty Faxiang School

Flower Garland Buddhism, by Dushun (557-640) and others. Near Xian, importance on Avatamasaka Sutra (flower garland sutra). In this is the Buddha Vairocana, the Cosmic Buddha. Vairocana is the king of all Buddhas in ranking, followed by other Buddhas, bodhisattavs, lokapalas, and then guardians. This is supposed to be the manifestaiton of Shakaymuni's dharma. Flower Garland sutra which is central to this says that all things exist together, no different between things. Interdependent truth and illusion. Vairocana is the universal reality of Buddha, the center for the five wisdom Buddhas. He is basically on top of all Buddhas even though each have their own pure land.

Tang Dynasty Huayan (Flower Garland) School

Founded by Zhyi (538-97) on Mount Tiantai. Scriptural studies in late 6 Dynasties period and early Sui.

Tiantai School

Buddhism went along the Silk Road to Western China, many cave sites in that area. China had indigenous beliefs that pre-dated Buddhism. This is the Northern Transmission of Buddhism, still Mahayana.

Transmission of Buddhism to China

Came around 552 of 538, recorded in the Nihon Shoki, chronicle of Japan in 720. Said that official introduction came from the envoy from the king of Paekche. Figures were brought over from Korea.

Transmission of Buddhism to Japan

100 CE, either Indian or Central Asian. Vimalakirti is a lay Indian Businessman who was alive in the 5th century BCE, time that Shakyamuni lived. In the text he was sick but also very smart. He's seeing wearing a sick cap and arm rest. Manjusri visits him as other didn't want to because he was so smart, and Manjusri was made to do this by Shakyamuni. Very many people went to see the house to see their debate about the gate non-dualism. Non-dualism is key, just like non-material.

Vimalakirti Sutra

Xie He's six laws of painting became very influential. Animation through spirit compatibility, structural method in use of the brush, portraying the object in the true manner, conformity to kind in applying colors, proper planning in placing things, transmission of the past in making copies.

Xie He

Cave 16 was for Emperor Wencheng (452-465), he sponsored the gaves. Emperor Taiwu who Tang Yao originally approached about the caves was anti-Buddhist.

Yungang Cave 16