The Genealogy of Buddha Statues: From Gandhara to Japan

Author: (Japanese) Murata Yasuko, translated by Jin Shen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-08-01
Features: This book is based on seven articles published in the magazine "Monthly Cultural Treasure," sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of Japan, from June 1989 to December 1990, and was revised. In May 1995, it was compiled into a single volume and published by Daido Gakugei Publishing. To date, it has sold 92% of its print run in Japan. Overall, it is impossible to fully clarify the genealogy of Buddha statues based solely on "formal expression," which is why this book primarily focuses on important facial expressions and the kasa-maru (suspended skirt) base. This is also a distinctive feature of the book. There are already many comprehensive surveys of general Buddha statues, but this book naturally starts with Japanese Buddha statues, exploring the origins of ancient statues with the kasa-maru. The book introduces the birth of the Buddha and the origins of Buddha statues; Gandhara; India; Afghanistan; Han Chinese regions of China; the Korean Peninsula; and Japan.