Guardian Figures

Title: Guardian Figures

Type: Sculptures

Associated Religious Tradition: BuddhismClose TooltipBuddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE.

Origins

• Geography: Japan
• Date: ca. 1235
• Period: KamakuraClose TooltipKamakura[kama-KOO-ra]a city in Eastern Japan. It is the namesake of the historical Kamakura period, 1185–1333. period (1185–1333)

Physical Properties

• Material: Wood
• Dimensions: H: 233.5 cm (91 15/16 in)

Crediting Information

• Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
• Credit Line: Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment
• Accession Number: F1949.20, F1949.21

NiōClose TooltipNiō[nee-OH]guardian statues, or “Benevolent Kings,” that can be found in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. guardian statues, or “Benevolent Kings,” can be found in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. These wrathful and muscular guardian figures stand in pairs at the entrance of temples to protect the BuddhaClose TooltipBuddha[BOOD-huh]literally, “Awakened One”; a being who has awakened to the true reality of existence and is thereby liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. A Buddha teaches others the path to enlightenment. and devotees.

Buddhist guardian deities protect believers and the faith itself. Four categories of deities exist in the Japanese Buddhist pantheon: Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Wisdom Kings, and devas. Devas are benevolent supernatural beings that dwell on the heavenly plane. The Niō guardian deities belong to this category. Most devas have origins in Hindu mythology but were incorporated into BuddhismClose TooltipBuddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE. and became protectors of faith.

Guardian statues were initially developed in China and date back to at least the sixth century CE. Early examples have been found in Japan dating to the seventh century CE. The statues relate to an esoteric school of Buddhism known in Japan as ShingonClose TooltipShingon[SHING-gone]one of the schools of esoteric Buddhism in Japan, originally from China. Buddhism, which traces its teachings back to the eminent monk KūkaiClose TooltipKūkai[KOO-kye](774–835) – Japanese Buddhist priest who brought Shingon Buddhism from China to Japan. (774–835). This esoteric Buddhist school initially spread from India to China and then to Japan by Japanese monks returning home from China. Some of the Niō figures carry in their hands a vajraClose Tooltipvajra[vaj-RUH]literally, “thunderbolt” or “adamantine”; both a common symbol and a ritual implement used in tantric Buddhism to express the power and indestructibility of its teachings and the speed at which Buddhahood can occur when these teachings are followed., or thunderbolt, which is a significant ritual weapon in Shingon Buddhism and represents indestructibility and power.

The large, wooden guardian sculptures display bulging eyes and ferocious facial expressions. Their muscles are distinct and enwrapped by protruding veins, showing their strength. They are without shirts and wear flowing pants. Their legs are separated, indicating they are willing to jump up at any time to defend against demons. One guardian lifts his right hand in the air with a fist, ready to attack. These wooden protectors would have been placed together at a Japanese Buddhist temple entrance. Their presence is believed to ward off evil spirits, demons, and human thieves from the temple’s sacred grounds.

The figure to the right is featured raising his left fist with his mouth open, speaking the syllable “ah.” The figure to the left, with a closed mouth and bare hands, speaks the syllable “un.” Found on most NiōClose TooltipNiō[nee-OH]guardian statues, or “Benevolent Kings,” that can be found in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. guardian figure pairs, these utterances represent the first and last syllables of the SanskritClose TooltipSanskrit[san-SKRIT]the Indian language in which the earliest Hindu hymns, as well as many later scriptures, were composed. A cosmopolitan language used across South and Southeast Asia for centuries, it is the language of numerous Buddhist texts. Buddhist texts known or believed to have been translated from Sanskrit are considered authoritative. alphabet, which symbolize the whole of existence (om).

These two guardian figures are composites of multiple pieces assembled using the joined-block method (yosegi-zukuriClose Tooltipyosegi-zukuri[YOH-sey-guee ZOO-koo-ree]a method of making sculptures in Japan by assembling individually carved pieces, such as arms, torso, and legs.), a revolutionary technique that emerged at the beginning of the KamakuraClose TooltipKamakura[kama-KOO-ra]a city in Eastern Japan. It is the namesake of the historical Kamakura period, 1185–1333. period as many temples were rebuilt following a devastating civil war. For example, the face was crafted separately, like a mask, and then affixed to the front of the head. The pair of figures were initially painted red, but the pigments have worn off due to centuries of exposure to the elements outside the temple. These particular guardians exhibit a three-character ink inscription, which reports that they came from the EbaraderaClose TooltipEbaradera[EY-buh-ruh-dey-ruh]Buddhist temple in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. temple in Sakai, south of Osaka, Japan.

These NiōClose TooltipNiō[nee-OH]guardian statues, or “Benevolent Kings,” that can be found in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. guardians were initially placed at the entrance door of the EbaraderaClose TooltipEbaradera[EY-buh-ruh-dey-ruh]Buddhist temple in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. temple in Sakai, Japan, to protect the temple from evil. They now stand in the north corridor of the National Museum of Asian Art, safeguarding the collections in the museum.

During the KamakuraClose TooltipKamakura[kama-KOO-ra]a city in Eastern Japan. It is the namesake of the historical Kamakura period, 1185–1333. period, one goal after a devastating civil war was to rebuild and revitalize Japan’s traditional religious foundation. Famous sculptors and monks updated Buddhist temples that were destroyed during the war.

Sometimes, devotees commission Buddhist images to advance their spiritual enlightenmentClose Tooltipenlightenmenta moment of great wisdom and understanding; the highest level of consciousness, believed to be achieved through meditation and adhering to the basic moral teachings of Buddhism., achieve immediate salvation, protect them from evil powers, and obtain peace of mind. Many of these guardians remain outside temples in Japan and other Asian countries.

1. Describe what you see in the statues. What are the differences between the two figures?
2. What do you notice about the arrangement of the figures? What do they seem to be doing? What elements convey power and beauty? How are the bodies’ strength and power emphasized in the sculptures?
3. What aspects of the statues are particularly beautiful to you, and why? How can the figures be considered artistic? Why was the color red chosen to paint the figures’ skin?

1. Why do the guardians have ferocious facial expressions?
2. What do Buddhists believe about guardian deities?
3. What do Buddhists do with the statues of the protective deities?
4. How does worshiping at a Buddhist temple with protective deities help create a sense of community?

Fitski, Menno. Two Japanese Temple Guardians. Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum, 2015.

Yoshihiro Suzuki. Understanding Japanese Buddhist Sculpture through Visual Comparison. Bilingual edition. Translated by Michael Jamentz. Tokyo: PIE International, 2020.