page_title: Buddhist art in Japan
section_title: Asuka period
hierarchical_section_title: Buddhist art in Japan / Asuka period
caption_attribution_description: English: Bronze Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha Triad, dated ACE623 center 87.5cm body height, left 92.3cm, right 93.9cm, in Hōryū-ji Monastery, Nara, Japan日本語: 法隆寺金堂釈迦三尊像 ACE623銘, 中尊像高87.5cm, 左92.3cm, 右93.9cm
context_page_description: Buddhism played an important role in the development of Japanese art between the 6th and the 16th centuries. Buddhist art and Buddhist religious thought came to Japan from China through Korea. Buddhist art was encouraged by Crown Prince Shōtoku in the Suiko period in the sixth century, and by Emperor Shōmu in the Nara period in the eighth century. In the early Heian period, Buddhist art and architecture greatly influenced the traditional Shinto arts, and Buddhist painting became fashionable among wealthy Japanese. The Kamakura period saw a flowering of Japanese Buddhist sculpture, whose origins are in the works of Heian period sculptor Jōchō.
  The Amida sect of Buddhism provided the basis for many popular artworks. Buddhist art became popular among the masses via scroll paintings, paintings used in worship and paintings of Buddhas, saint's lives, hells and other religious themes. Under the Zen sect of Buddhism, portraiture of priests such as Bodhidharma became popular as well as scroll calligraphy and sumi-e brush painting.
context_section_description: The dates for the Asuka period are debated, however it is agreed upon that the period extends from mid 500s to early 700s AD. This period is marked by an emphasis on political and cultural relationships with Korea. The Asuka period (552–645) saw the gradual growth of Chinese and Korean artistic and religious influences on Japanese culture. Buddhist texts, implements of worship, and iconography were presented to Japan by Emperor Kimmei in 538 or 552 AD. However, it is likely that more casual introductions had already been made. It was during this period that Buddhism was established as the state religion. The Asuka period is characterized as the foundation for individualistic and public forms of Buddhist art. Specifically, during this period depictions of Buddha are rendered through key iconography such as a lotus, swirled hair, a third eye, mudras, and mandorals. The sculpture of this period shows, as do most all subsequent sculpture, the influence of continental art. Tori Busshi a descendant of a Chinese immigrant followed the style of Northern Wei sculpture and established what has come to be known as the Tori school of sculpture. Notable examples of Tori works are the Sakyamuni Triad (or Shaka triad) which are the main icons of the Golden Hall of Hōryū-ji temple and the kannon Boddhisatva of Yumedono Hall of the same temple, also known as Guze Kannon. First built in the early 7th century as the private temple of Crown Prince Shōtoku, Hōryū-ji consists of 41 independent buildings. The most important ones, the main worship hall, or Kondō (Golden Hall), and Gojū-no-tō (Five-story Pagoda), stand in the center of an open area surrounded by a roofed cloister. Inside the Kondō, on a large rectangular platform, are some of the most important sculptures of the period including the Sakyamuni triad.In the Sakyamuni Triad, Sakyamuni, the center Buddha, is attended by two other figures, Bhaisajyaguru to its right and Amitābha to its left. The statues are dated to 623. The style of the statue is characterized by the two-dimensionality of the figure and the repetitive pattern-like depictions of the cloth the triad sits upon. This style is incredibly typical of the Asuka period. 
  Key works include: the Shaka Triad, Yakushi Triad, Kannon, and Tamamushi Shrine.
caption: Shakyamuni Triad by Tori Busshi depicts the Buddha Shakyamuni in the traditional sixth-century Chinese style with an elongated head and in front of a flaming mandorla - a lotus petal shaped cloud.
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