25702931 nepalese buddhist artist arniko and his contribution to buddhist heritage of china

7/24/2019 25702931 Nepalese Buddhist Artist Arniko and His Contribution to Buddhist Heritage of China

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Nepalese Buddhist artist Arniko

AND

HISCONTRIBUTIONTOBUDDHISTHERITAGEOFCHINA

MIN BAHADUR SHAKYADirector

Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods

A center for Buddhist centre

Introduction

Nepa has produced stars of !riiant personaities "ho contri!uted a ot to hu#anit$ and societ$

through their arduous tra%es& s'is and 'no"edge( But so#e of these personaities are not

recorded in annas of our countr$ due to utter negigence and si#p$ due to ac' of infor#ation

a!out the#( Athough Arni'o is one of the 'e$ figures in the arts of Nepa& )i!et and Yuan *hina

he is sti poor$ understood(

According to *hinese sources his egendar$ ife and career o%er near$ sixt$ $ears had a

asting artistic and spiritua infuence on Asia and on *hina in particuar( )he #agnitude of his

acco#pish#ents ri%as those of Bruneeschi& Micheangeo& and +eonardo in the ,est( In spite

of his great contri!ution in *hina and )i!et his na#e is not e%en #entioned in the annas of

Nepa( +itte is 'no"n a!out his contri!ution on his Buddhist artistic s'is( He !uit ,hite

-agoda in Beijing& ,u ta.i Shan& /oden -agoda in )i!et and constructed a great dea of

#onasteries& shrines& paintings& portraits& artifacts and e%en scientific e0uip#ents(

)he present stud$ has panned to thro" ight on the contri!ution of Arni'o for the

de%eop#ent of Buddhis# and artistic heritage in *hina( He not on$ !uit Buddhist #onasteries

!ut aso *onfucius shrines& "a paintings and nu#erous i#ages of this tradition( Arni'o1s ten

acco#pish#ents at the court "ere enu#erated( )he first six of his achie%e#ents incude his

#aster$ in god& 2ade& terracotta and the i'e( )he ast four #ention four specific textie artist

e#!roider$ and three t$pes of "ea%ing na#e$ da#as'& !rocade and tapestr$(

,hie Nepaese histor$ is scanti$ recorded& there is one exception3 su!stantia infor#ation

on Arni'o1s ife is found in *hinese historica sources& "hich pro%ide a rare gi#pse into the

Nepai artist.s societ$& fa#i$& career& and art(

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Names

A "ord of note concerning the na#e of this great Master #ust !e #entioned !efore co##encing

!iographica notes of this #aster( /reat 4rench Sa%ant S$%ain +e%i #entions fro# Yuanshi5678a!out his na#e as foo"s3

A5r5ni5'o "as a nati%e of Nati%e of Nepa( )he peope of 'ingdo# of Nepa ca hi# as -a5e5

pou(

-( -eiot& the e#inent Mongoian schoar and Yuan speciaist "as intrigued !$ the na#e of

Ani'o( His research eft hi# to the opinion that the cogno#en "as neither a Mongoian

pseudon$# nor proper Ne"ari !ut Hindi not Sans'rit and a %ariant of Anango& one of the 9:

Mahasiddhas( He coud not decide this e%en(-( -eiot suggested that -a5e5pou is Ba5po& the )i!etan na#e for Nepa spet as -a5e5pou

in the !iograph$ of A5ni5'o(

According to the *hinese epitaph "ritten *hengjufu it is #entioned as ;)he Master1s na#e

is Anige( He "as one of the descendants of a 'ing of Nepa:&pp(6F65697(Especia$& he

descri!es a!out the acti%ities of Arni'o and his infuence on )i!etan art and in *hina( @p(6FF

2( 3aakar Arniko# T%e 4e kno5n arc%itect Arniko

A #ajor stud$ on the !iograph$ of Arni'o and his contri!ution has !een #ade !$ Mr( Sat$a

Mohan 2oshi& in G"alakar Arniko3 )he ,e 'no"n architect Arni'o ;Kath#andu& 67:: @>9F

A(D((But here the infor#ation on Arni'o1s construction of ,hite -agoda and other #onasteries

in ,utai Shan are "ho$ #issing(

6( .ortraits of 3u$ai 3%an and Em&ress C%a$i $! Annin" 7in"

A "e researched artice on the !iograph$ and especia$ on Arni'o1s t"o portraits "hich are

housed in Nationa -aace Museu#& )aipei are discussed thorough$(

( Anige& Hi#aa$an Artist in Khu!iai Khan1s *ourt !$ Anning 2ing

Mr( Anning 2ing has treated in this artice a!out the i#portance of the treatise ;)sao5hsiang5tu5

ing5ching @Icono#etric treatise or -rati#aa'sana sutra#5-e'ing(

0+( )uandai Huasu8i#a part of Histor$ of Yuan d$nast$ "hich descri!es the artistic tradition ofYuan d$nast$ a portion of it reating to Arni'o !ecause it "as "ide$ used as a text!oo' on art

#aterias( )hese #aterias ha%e occupied schoars fro# S$%ain +e%i to the present in the

Nepaese histor$(

00( 3( 9uciano .etec%# :edie;a Histor! of Ne&a

Fi!id(f(n(89Medie%a Histor$& + -etech pp(5>77

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+uciano -etech pu!ished the !oo'&$ediae%al History of &e'al @Ro#e3 Is( M(E(J(& >?9& --(

75>(Based on funera inscription he ana$Ced so#e of the features in Arni'o.s ife

0*( 9( Her$ert Frankes 6F( It aso gi%es the description of the ,hite stupa(

@In """(ihp(sinica(edu(t"Lasia#ajorpdf>:a>??(pdf

His ear! career and education

,hen he "as three $ears od& his parents too' hi# to a Buddhapuja cere#on$ in a #onaster$(

After seeing the Buddha te#pe he had expressed his senti#ents3

;Jh ,ho coud !e the !uider of the pinnace and piars of this te#pe8

S$%ain +e%i reads thus3

,ased on inscri'tion in the to() of Arniko found in the collection of .yue lau chi te/ts#>7a post& piar&cou#n or a $asti>>!hu#i is !asica$ thirteen rings paced on the top of the do#e or anda or gar!ha>6

@co anning 2ing at """(jinganige(ht#>8*heng 2ufu&G +iangguo Minhui&G 8>?(

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Arni'o "as a nati%e of Nepa( )he peope of that 'ingdo# ca hi# -a5e5 pou(,hen 0uite

$oung he dispa$ed a !right inteigence of superior 'ind to that of ordinar$ chidren( ,hen

he gre" a itte oder he coud recite fro# #e#or$ the Buddhist texts and at the end of a $ear

he understood the# a( A#ong his schoo feo"s there "as one "ho "as a s'etcher& painter&

#odeer& decorator and "ho recited the +a" of Measure#ents( He on$ heard it once andArni'o "as a!e to repeat it( Jn gro"ing oder he !eca#e an expert s'etcher hi#sef and

exceed in the art of #odeing and #eting into shapes& i#ages in #eta(

Before he eft Nepa for )i!et& he "as aread$ an expert in painting& #odeing and casting

i#ages(>:He has earnt Sans'rit anguage as "e in his chidhood and "rites the etters %er$

nice$( E%en the od #an of his ti#e used to !e jeaous of his earning( He had aso earnt the

texts like ,uddha'rati(alaksana shastra>? concerning icono#etrics( It see#s that he had the

capacit$ of #e#oriCing the texts once he had heard( Jther signs of Ani'o.s genius are cited in

the epitaph3

He is descri!ed as #ature and conte#pati%e i'e an adut( He is a !riiant student( Endo"ed "ith

an acute #ind& he 0uic'$ co#prehends his text!oo's and !eco#es a good caigrapher( His "or'

is ad#ired e%en !$ %enera!e eders& "ho readi$ ac'no"edge their inferiorit$( B$ nature he has

a 'een interest in treatises on art( No sooner has he heard the# read than he has the# #e#oriCed(

As he gro"s& he fre0uent$ produces art o!jects of ex0uisite 0uait$( At schoo& he #astered his

text !oo's and !eca#e a good caigrapher in such a short ti#e that e%en the %enera!e eders >

ac'no"edged their inferiorit$( He coud #e#oriCe treatises on art as soon as he heard the#

read(>F

He is particuar$ good at painting and scupture( B$ the age of sixteen& he is one of the !estartisans of the countr$(>9

His 5eddin" at 0*-+ CE

4oo"ing socia custo# of the da$& Arni'o #arried in his ear$ teens( His !ride& *ait$aax#i

@ch( ai$edaa0i#ei "as de%oted to hi#5a de%otion that "oud "ithstand the %icissitudes of

their ater i%es(

)he $ear >67 #ar'ed a turning point in Arni'o.s ife( )he e%ent that !rought Arni'o to)i!et& and e%entua$ to the Mongo court& "as Ku!iai.s decree of >67 to .-hags pa& the fifth

>:Yuanshhi& juan 678&:?:?>?*hinese )ext tite is 0sao-hsiang tu-liang-ching>)he$ are caed Stha%ira Aju according to Ne"ar Buddhist Monastic tradition>F*heng 2ufu& G+iangguo MinhuiG 8>?>9

@i!id5jinganige ht# aso Yuanshi&juan 678&:?:?

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patriarch of the Sa5 s'$a sect of )i!etan Buddhis#& to !uid a goden Stupa in honor of *hos

5rje pa Sa'$a -andita Kun 5dga. rg$a #tshan @>>965>6?>& the fourth patriarch of the sect(

In >67 he "as appointed I#peria -receptor& the highest reigious authorit$ in the Mongo

e#pire( In >67 Ku!ai Khan had re0uested the +a#a -hags pa& his spiritua preceptor& to erect a

goden stupa in )i!et( -hags pa su##oned artists fro# Nepa for this purpose(King 2a$a!hi#ade%a of Nepa coected 97 artisans and chose to ead the# Arni'o& a descendant

of the ro$a fa#i$ of Nepa( >

Arniko in Ti$et

Arniko and his team visit Tibet in Sakya monastery to construct Golden Stupa.

After recei%ing the decree to construct /oden stupa fro# Ku!iai Khan& the e#peror thenO-hags5pa turned to Nepa for artists( )i!etan Buddhists had a"a$s oo'ed to"ard Nepa& the

!irthpace of the Buddha and Buddhis# for reigious and artistic inspiration( But !$ the ate

t"efth and ear$ thirteenth centuries& Buddhis# in India had decined( )he ast re#nants of Indic

Buddhis# "ere in the eastern /angetic region& "here the -aa artistic tradition had fourished&

though !$ >67 those re#nants had ong since disappeared(. Nepa re#ained the on$ stronghod

"here the )i!etans coud sti find Buddhist art of the Indic tradition(

According to the Histor$ of Yuan D$nast$& in >67 Ku!ai 'han& the great ruer of *hina and

suCerain of the Mongo states and )i!et& re0uested his spiritua teacher& the a!!ot of Sa5s'$a&.

-hags5pa @>68?597& to erect a G/oden stupaG67

in )i!et(-hags5pa intended to recruit as #an$ as one hundred artists for the project( )he nu#!er #a$

not ha%e !een arge !$ the standards of the Mongo e#pire& "hich had incacua!e hu#an and

financia resources( But for the s#a 'ingdo# of Nepa& "hich had !een de%astated !$ repeated

"ars& fa#ines& and earth0ua'es& to find so #an$ 0uaified artists in a short ti#e "as not eas$(

Jne5hundred Ne"ar artists "ere to !e found and sent for the tas'& and the 'ing of Nepa& 2a$a

Bhi#a Maa @>6?F5F>& #anaged to gather eight$ of the#( )o head the# he chose a #e#!er of

ro$a fa#i$& Arni'o "ho& though& then aged on$ sixteen& had specifica$ re0uested to ead the

tea#(

Before sending the# to )i!et& he recei%ed the# persona$ and ordered the# to seect aeader a#ong the#se%es( No!od$ "as "iing to ta'e charge( )hen Arni'o& one of the $oungest&

%ounteered to ta'e up the responsi!iit$(. He no#inated hi#sef not "ith the rashness of

adoescence !ut "ith sef5confidence(

>+uciano -etech in$edie%al History of &e'al& p(5>7767S(+e%i&op(cit&%o 8&p(>9F& A stupa according to +( -etech&$edie%al History of &e'al&op(cit(p(& and others

foo"ing /()ucci )i!etan -ainted Scros&op(cit& %o(>&pp(6FF59& and )i!et&*acutta&>F&p(>77(

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,hen as'ed a!out his age& he ans"ered& GSixteen(G )he 'ing hesitated and tried to discourage

the ad& for he "as oo'ing for so#eone #ore ad%anced in age and experience(

But the confident $outh repied& GM$ !od$ is $oung indeed& !ut #$ #ind is not(G In spite of his

$oung age& Arni'o "as aread$ an acco#pished draughts#an& #ode and #eta caster( It appears

that he "as aso expert in painting and "ea%ing in !rocade(*on%inced of the $oung #an.s a!iit$& the 'ing entrusted hi# "ith the responsi!iit$ of

eading the tea# to )i!et( Arni'o and the Nepaese artists arri%ed in )i!et in >6>(

Arniko in C%ina

Arni'o.s success had !een such that +a#a .-hags5pa insisted hi# and as'ed hi# to %isit *hina(

4oo"ing O-hags5pa& Arni'o arri%ed in Dadu @Beijing !$ the end of >66( After arri%ing at

*hina& Arni'o appeared in the presence of E#peror Ku!ai 'han in the paace( )he E#perorha%ing o!ser%ed hi# for a ong ti#e !efore spea'ing and interrogated& GYou arri%ed in the

ceestia E#pire( Do $ou not get frightenedG )he E#peror interrupted& ;,h$ "ere $ou so< He

responded3 ;Jur state$ trade is as a son of ten thousand countries( 4or a son to arri%e !efore his

father& "hat reason is there to fear< He repied3 ;M$ fatherand is in the countr$ of the occident(

I had recei%ed the order of the so%ereign to erect a stupa in )i!et( In t"o $ears I ha%e executed

that order( )here I ha%e o!ser%ed disorder and "ar the peope are incapa!e of protecting their

ife&< )he e#peror as'ed3 ;,hat is that $ou 'no" #a'ing< He repied3 ;I 'no" "e ho" to

design& #ode and #oud #etas(< )he e#peror tested Arni'o1s s'i !$ as'ing to repair a !ronCe

statue that had !een judged as da#aged ;!e$ond repair< !$ a the other court artists( Arni'oaccepted the chaenge( )hen ordered to restore a statue of copper dedicated to the Song

E#perors Ani'o !eca#es super%isor5in5chief(

In >6F8& Ani'o !eca#e super%isor5in5chief of a casses of artisans( Under his direction a

depart#ent in charge of artisans "as esta!ished in >6F?( During Khu!iai.s rue& this "as one of

the t"o #ost i#portant artistic institutions of the d$nast$(

As director of this grade& Arni'o super%ised thousands of artisans and "as responsi!e for

reigious i#ages& i#peria portraits& and other court projects( He cast god seas for the heir to the

throne and se%era princes and cast god5 and si%er5ettered roundes as tra%e passes(

He produced astrono#ica instru#ents such as an ar#iar$ sphere and a "ater coc'( He#ade ne" s$#!os of the e#peror.s so%ereignt$& !ased on designs fro# Nepaese cuture such as

the dhar(acakra @,hee of the +a"& "hich "as used to ead i#peria processions& and the

i#age of /aruda& the ceestia !ird that "as dispa$ed o%er the i#peria throne(

)he conception of these ne" s$#!os of i#peria so%ereignt$ did not originate "ith Arni'o&

!ut it "as his #ateriaiCation of the# that #ade the# effecti%e s$#!os of Khu!iai.s d$nastic

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po"er( Not i#ited to the court& their infuence penetrated e%en to the o"er e%es of *hinese

societ$(

4%ite .a"oda at Bei8in" =0*20/21>

T%e 4%ite .a"oda is ocated in the "estern part of the cit$ of Beijing( It "as !uit in the 9th

$ear of hi Yuan @>6F> A(D( and co#peted in the hi Yuan @>6F A(D( of the Yuan

d$nast$(6>(,hen it "as co#peted a !ig reigious function "as organiCed !$ the e#peror to

initiaiCe it( Upon arri%a of the e#peror to the ,hite -agoda a po"erfu hea%en$ ight !ea#

struc' on it and the -agoda go"ed( According to the *hinese chronices& foods of sunight

sudden$ !ro'e the couds and iu#inated the s'ies "hen the Stupas "ere dedicated& on separate

occasions( In an$ case these dra#atic effects deighted the Mongo ruers and con%inced the# of

the sacred nature of the #onu#ents and the supernatura a!iities of their designer and !uider()he e#peror "as astonished to see this and !eie%ed Arni'o had di%ine po"ers( )he e#peror

#ade hi# a po"erfu #inister in the court( He "as gi%en the tite of +iang /uo /ong @du'e and

"as posthu#ous$ gi%en the tite of Ming Hui(66After its co#petion& a #onaster$ of great

di#ensions "as constructed in front of it and granted the na#e Gthe #onaster$ of greatness&

ho$& onge%it$& and e%erasting peace and tran0uiit$G(

4or Arni'o& hea%en$ !essing #ateriaiCed into earth$ re"ard( 4or the first stupa he "as

a"arded fifteen thousand acres of rich far# and around the capita& near$ one thousand serfs&

and one hundred head of catte(

Arniko $uits Sarira .a"oda at 4utai s%an/0,+0

Arni'o constructed another ,hite Stupa at )aihuai in the centra part of the ,utai Mountain in

>87>(An i#peria order& issued joint$ "ith the fifth Yuan i#peria -receptor /rags pa Ood Cer

@>6:5>878 fro# the ,utai #ountain& indicates that )e#ur and the I#peria -receptor "ere

aso in the ,utai Mountain in the fourth #onth of the sa#e $ear( )heir trip there #ust ha%e !een

reated to the construction of the stupa(It is said that auspicious couds and ights appeared in the

s'$ at the !eginning of the construction( )o the genera pu!ic& such a %ie" not on$de#onstrated the sacred nature of the #onu#ent !ut aso added to Arni'o1s reno"n(

At the !eginning of the construction& auspicious couds and go" appeared in the s'$( It is

especia$ popuar a#ong Nepaese& )i!etans and Mongoians( Besides& he #ade #an$

Monasteries and houses for pigri#s there( It has aso sur%i%ed and stands fift$ t"o #eters high

6>Anning 2ing in 0he ortraits of "hu)ilai "han and Cha)i )y Anige3 A Nepai artist at the Yuan court& pp(?> fn F:(66coArni'o societ$ artices

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do#inating the %ie" of the ,utai Mountains( Encosed in t"o "hite stupas are a arge nu#!er of

Buddhist i#ages& texts& and other treasures( If their contents co#e to ight in the future& the$ "i

drastica$ change art historians. understanding of Arni'o1s st$e and the art of the period( 68-(

+andon states that at ,u )a.i Shan there is sti a structure 6:re#ote$ rese#!ing the shrines of

Bodhnath and S%a$a#!hu and it does not appear that an$ other si#iar shrines is to !e found in*hina proper( )his suggests that Nepaese Buddhist #on's had infuenced the ife and #anner of

#on's at ,u )a.i shan of *hina(6?4or this second stupa& he "as gi%en ten thousand tasses of

si%er and "as #arried to a Mongo officia.s daughter(

Contri$ution in t%e construction of Tem&e Buidin"s? &aintin"s? scu&tures

Apart fro# these three #ajestic stupas& Arni'o !uit #an$ #onasteries( According to Stee

inscription& Arni'o is said to ha%e !uit nine Buddhist te#pes or #onasteries& and t"o*onfucian shrines and one )aoist paace( )o descri!e the# in detais is !e$ond the scope of this

s#a artice( Ho"e%er& a tentati%e ist of #onasteries is gi%en !eo"3

>( henguo Ren"angsi& in Beijing @>6F7

2. Pian$uan shi @*hi An she#in Qanadu @>6F:

3. Huan$anshi @2e wang she# in Xanadu 145#

:( Da Huguo Ren"angsi the )e#pe of !ene%oent King safe guarding the state

?( houChou at Beijing @>6F

( Yousheng#iao5)he )e#pe of Ho$ BessingF( Shengshou ,anningsi @>6F5>699 @)he )e#pe of Sacred +onge%it$ and M$riad

-eace5

9( *hengnansi5)he te#pe in the South of the *it$5>697

( Qingjiaosi @the te#pe of fourishing )eaching5>698(

>7( Sanhuang#iao @the )e#pe for the )hree so%ereigns5>6?

>>( Dong Hua$uansi @)he )e#pe of the East /arden5>87:

>6( *hongCen ,anshougong5 @ the -aace of No!e truth and #$riad +onge%it$5

68

Anning 2ing inAnige, Himalayan Artist in Khubilai Khans Court pp.6:Hu!ert Deceer states that he did !uid the sti sur%i%ing /reat *ait$a in the *hinese capita and another ,hite

*ait$a on Mt( 4i%e -ea' @ ,u ta1i Shan& -anca sirsa -ar%at #entioned in the S%a$a#!hu -urana& !ut as thepictures #a'e cear& neither !ears an$ rese#!ance to Kath#andu ae$ cait$a architecture( Hu!ert percei%es that

the structure of ,hite -agoda do not ha%e an$ Nepaese infuence (But I fee difficut$ in accepting his co##ents

that it has no rese#!ance "ith Nepaese stupa architecture( It is cear that !hu#i @ tra$odasa!hu#i 5the rings of the

to"er structure "hich s$#!oiCe these Bodhisatt%a5e%es& /ajur and *hatra are definite$ a Nepaese st$e as

depicted in S%a$a#!hu and Boudhnath stupa( Athough there is so#e change in andaor do#e structure and an

a!sence of Har#i'a(6?Nepa& o(II&>69&+ondon&pp 668

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13.Shouningsi @)e#pe of +onge%it$ and -eace at 4utais%an

14.,anshen Yuguosi @)he te#pe of #$riad saints safeguarding the state at 4utais%an

>6?5F

15.)he Nanshan )e#pe3 >6?5F at 4utais%an

16.-uji )e#pe@ >8765>87? at 4utai s%an

Arni'o "as a genius and %ersatie person( As far as the scuptures are concerned& ;a

statues in #onasteries in Dadu and Shangdu "ere scupted under his super%ision( At that ti#e&

the statues #ade !$ hi# !eca#e the standard art st$e of the Yuan d$nast$(

Arni'o introduced Nepaese artistic st$es into *hinese cuture So#e of his outstanding

paintings and scuptures are3

>( -ortraits of E#peror Ku!ai'han and e#press *ha!i

@-reser%ed Nationa -aace Museu#& )aipei2. -ainting of /reen )ara3 No" preser%ed in the *e%eand Museu# of Art&USA

3. Maha'aa scupture3 Dated >66

-artia$ po$chro#e and gided ithographic i#estone

:F x 69? c# +( 4ournier donation "ith usufruct

MA ?>9> no" in Musee /ui#et& -aris

:( +ac0uor Bodhisatt%a

5. I#age of Manjusri @ >87?(-reser%ed in Nationa -aace Museu#&)aipei

Arniko and %is disci&es in C%ina

E%en after the death of Arni'o& his art tradition did not die a"a$ "ith hi# !ut continued through

his discipes( He eft !ehind his st$istic standard for the court( Man$ of his discipes continued

to "or' foo"ing his nor#s of art tradition( A#ong the# t"o of his sons Asangge and Ashua

too' charge of his officia duties and foo"ed in the officia footsteps of their father !ut none of

the# achie%ed fa#e(6It "as !ecause Yuan e#peror 'ept Arni'o1s st$e as officia standard(

. Grand !aster Asangge

He "as Arni'o1s first !orn son fro# his Ne"ari "ife *ait$a ax#i& the /rand Mistress to the

Du'e of +iang( He "as aso high ran'ing art officia( He "as gi%en the tite of grand Master for

/orious Happiness @Rongai dafu @>! and /rand Minister of Education(

6)he$ "ere A5seng5'o& "ho #aintained the saar$ of a controer and A5shu5a& "ho !eca#e Director /enera of

the artisans of a casses(

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". Grand !aster Ashula

He "as !orn to Yan fro# )ai$uan and caed grand Master for exceent counci @2ia$i dafu 8a

and daruhachi of the super%isorate5 in =chief of A *asses of Artisans( He had ta'en

responsi!iit$ in the depart#ent of fine arts as chair#an(

#. The Great artist $iu %uan

A *hinese Daoist priest "as one of the fa#ous discipes of Arni'o( In the se%enth $ear of the

founding of Yuan d$nast$& >6F7 A(D Ku!ai Khan "as oo'ing for a "e 'no"n artist for the

construction of ne" #onaster$ Ran ,ang #onaster$ in )ahu(

He had an opportunit$ to #eet Arni'o during that ti#e( He earnt the techni0ue of Sithen in

creating Buddhist statues fro# Arni'o and ater he !eca#e expert in creating Buddhist statues or

his s'is attained its Cenith( +ater& "hen the #onasteries "ere !uit in Beijing and Shangdu

@Mongoia& #ost of the goden i#ages and terracotta i#ages "ere !uit !$ +iu Yuan hi#sef(+ater he attained the position of *hang fang ta'hu (ishu chen tsin and !eca#e a fa#ous

scuptor( -eope caed hi# +u *hang fang(

)he rea continuator of his schoo and his chief pupi "as the *hinese +iu Yuan6F( )he

tradition of Arni'o asted for a ong ti#e a#ong the Buddhist scuptors in *hina& and is sti

uphed in the introduction to a ate icono#etric treatise& the 0sao-hsieang-tu-liang-ching6of his

schoo

)he st$e of Buddhist art created !$ Arni'o and +iu Yuan is caed 7an she st$e "hie

!efore this period #ost of the art st$e "ere in Han st$e( 6 )he tradition of Arni'o asted for a

ong ti#e a#ong the Buddhist scuptors in *hina& and is sti uphed in the introduction to an >9th

centur$ icono#etric treatise& the Zao/iang dliang ji(gjie& !$ the Mongoian schoar #/on5po5

s'$a! @c(>75>F?7(87)hese textie portraits ha%e not sur%i%ed& !ut the t"o #odes are sti in

existence& no" in the coection of the Nationa -aace Museu# in )aipei(

9ast da!s

Jn No%e#!er >7& >87?& Arni'o recei%ed an order fro# the e#press Buuhan !ut a the tantricdeities "ere destro$ed in front of hi#( It "as catastrophic !o" to hi#(

6FA!out hi# -(-eiot has descri!ed in detai in his "or'&88&pp(>?5>F69)aisho n(>:> %o(xxi&p 8a(6Chunggo 7o /iao -,uddhis( in China ''!1*;#87+o !ue p(6

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)o Arni'o& the order "as #ore than destruction of the statues( It "as the destruction of his

faith& his "or'& his dignit$& and his un"a%ering o$at$ to the Mongo d$nast$(

4or #ore than fort$ $ears his "or's had !een ad#ired& praised& and regarded as #odes of

artistic and spiritua purit$ at the Mongo court and throughout the e#pire(

Sudden$& ho"e%er& the$ "ere denounced and destro$ed( He had ne%er suffered such ahu#iiation !efore( His heath faied& and he fe i after returning fro# a court session( )"o

da$s ater he died( 4oo"ing Nepai custo#& he "as cre#ated& and his ashes "ere !uried in a

stupa near the capita three #onths ater( Before his inco#ing death& Arni'o gathered his

discipes and said3 ;,hen I "as a!out to die& $ou put #e in a !ed and encirce #e "ith a screen

and et #e die in peace()he Sprit5"a$ Stee for Minhui& the Du'e of state of +iang& !$ *heng 2ufu&p(96

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25702931 nepalese buddhist artist arniko and his contribution to buddhist heritage of china

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