Hotan, Remains of a Standing Nyorai (Tathagata) Statue Made of Clay

This is a brick Buddha statue unearthed in Khotan, an oasis city that flourished as a strategic point on the Silk Road, on the southern edge of the Tarim Basin. Brick Buddha statues are small Buddha images molded and fired from clay, and many were embedded in the walls inside grottoes, forming part of the adornment. This piece is one such fragment, and it is imagined that it once adorned the entire space alongside similar statues.

The statue depicts Amitabha Tathagata, with a soft expression and well-defined features that evoke a certain familiarity. Of particular note is the preserved state of the coloring, with a deep blue spreading across the back and vermilion thinly outlining the contours of the statue.

Imagining such vibrant colors adorning the entire grotto, one can envision the remarkably splendid appearance of that era.

The "iron wire drawing" technique, characterized by vermilion lines that create outlines without varying thickness, is said to have been developed by the painter Yuchi Yiseng. This technique accentuates the form while imbuing the statue with a pure and serene impression.

Khotan, located on the southern route of the Silk Road, was a place where Indian, Central Asian, and Chinese cultures converged from ancient times. There is a theory that Buddhist sculptors from this region migrated eastward and were involved in the creation of the wall paintings at Horyuji Temple. In that sense, this work can be said to be an interesting artifact for considering the origins of Japanese Buddhist painting.

Among the Silk Road routes, divided north and south by the Taklamakan Desert, relics from Khotan on the southern route exhibit softer expressions, differing from those found in northern sites, and somehow resonate with the sensibilities found in Japanese Buddhist statues and paintings. The Amitabha Tathagata in this work also features remarkably impressive rounded contours and a gentle countenance.

This fragment conveys the depth of time and space through which Buddhism spread across the vast Eurasian continent. Though a small piece, it is an artifact that truly embodies the memory of cultural exchange.