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gohyaku rakan@άS Ώ | ||||||
KEY WORD :@art history / iconography | ||||||
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Ch: wubai
luohan. Five hundred arhats *rakan
Ώ, a Buddhist art subject developed in China featuring large numbers of
Indian wise men usually accompanied by servants. The origin of the grouping
is unknown, although several Chinese texts mention rakan as protective
saints, who guard the Buddhist law until the coming of *Miroku νθΣ (Sk:Maitreya), the Buddha of the Future (see *juuroku
rakan \Z
Ώ). The Chinese belief that Five hundred arhats inhabited
a peak beyond the Stone Bridge *Shakkyou Ξ΄ on Mt. Tiantai (Jp: Tendaisan VδR) is probably an adaptation into popular
Buddhism of Taoist legends about the locale as the home of immortals. Tang period
Chinese were also familiar with Indian legends of five hundred arhats believed
to live on Mt. Buddhavanagiri near Rajagrha. It is not clear whether the
number "500" refers to 500 specific individuals or simply indicates a large
number. Beginning in the 5c large groups of rakan were depicted as
seated, a pose that was also used for portrayal of independent rakan images. By the 10c and 11c, rakan depictions were elaborated with
landscape or domestic interior settings as the rakan cult became
wide spread. The best-known painting of five hundred rakan is the
set of 100 hanging scrolls (divided among Daitokuji εΏ, Kyoto; Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston; and other collections) by Lin Tinggui (Jp: Rin Teikei Ρλ];
act.1174-89) and Zhou Jichang (Jp: Shuu Kijou όGν; late 12c). The inscription
of 1178 also states that the set was originally commissioned by a merchant
family as a gift to a temple, and this type of popular patronage probably
lies behind many of rakan paintings. The complete set of scrolls
by Lin and Zhou was in Japan by the late 14c as copies were made by the
Japanese painter-priest Minchou Ύ (1351-1431) for Toufukuji (1386) in Kyoto
and for Engakuji ~o in Kanagawa prefecture. Although all 500 of the rakan were
occasionally painted on a single scroll, more frequently depictions were
done on a series of scrolls or large wall surfaces. The subject was revived
in Ming China and similarly found renewed interest in Edo period
Japan. Ike no Taiga's rελ (1723-76) screen, *fusuma ¦ painting of five hundred rakan at Manpukuji δέ is a well-known
but unorthodox example. More typical are the 100 scrolls by Kanou Kazunobu
λμκM (1815-63) at Zoujouji γ, Tokyo. Rock sculptures of the five hundred rakan were created at temples all over Japan, including Kita-in μ½@
in Saitama prefecture, Rakanji
Ώ in Ooita prefecture, and Sekihouji Ξτ
in Kyoto. |
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(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.@No reproduction or republication without written permission. fΪΜeLXgEΚ^ECXgΘΗASΔΜRecΜ³f‘»E]ΪπΦΆά·B |
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