{"id":8718,"date":"2018-11-15T10:40:21","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T15:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parsons.edu\/undergrad\/?post_type=student-work&p=8718"},"modified":"2018-12-06T10:58:33","modified_gmt":"2018-12-06T15:58:33","slug":"shania-zhu","status":"publish","type":"student-work","link":"https:\/\/parsons.edu\/undergrad\/student-work\/shania-zhu\/","title":{"rendered":"Shania Zhu"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

H. 10 3\/4 in. (27.3 cm); W. 4 1\/8 in. (10.5 cm); D. 2 1\/2 in. (6.4 cm)
Gilt leaded bronze; piece-mold or lost-wax cast
8th Century
Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art\u2019s Open Access Policy<\/p><\/div>\n

The Buddha of Compassion<\/p>\n

“The sculpture of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara [Guanyin] (acc. no. 42.25.27a, b) can be\u00a0found in the the Asian wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The sculpture has\u00a0a minuscule size of only 9 and 3\/4 inches tall and 3 and 1\/4 inches wide, most likely dating back\u00a0to the eighth century (907-60) in China. This piece portrays Buddha Avalokiteshvara in the half\u00a0seated meditating position with excessive decor and jewelry. In this piece, the sculptor uses a\u00a0range of formal devices to communicate the divine power and earthly compassion of Bodhisattva\u00a0Avalokiteshvara to the viewers.<\/p>\n

The basic form of the buddha has a freestanding and closed structure attached to a hallow\u00a0trapezoid shaped base. The sculpture as a whole has a complicated silhouette with detailed\u00a0carvings of accessories that poke out in various directions; such as: the low-relief backboard, the\u00a0lotus flower in the figure\u2019s hands, the figure\u2019s jewelry and drapery, and etc. Since the sculpture\u2019s\u00a0size is minuscule, it is meant to be seen from up close in order to detect its detailed carvings.\u00a0Even though this sculpture shouldn\u2019t be considered a frontal sculpture as it is freestanding, the\u00a0viewer can understand and identify the piece best with a frontal view. The small scale of the\u00a0sculpture emphasizes the nonmaterialistic and anionic beliefs of Buddhism. The Buddhist culture\u00a0originally despised the iconic depiction of the deity to emphasize the earthly quality of the\u00a0buddha as he was born on earth (class notes). Thus, this scale focuses less on the deity\u2019s physical\u00a0body, but more on the ideology and meaning the buddha Avalokiteshvara embodies. The Buddha\u00a0depicted in the sculpture has the Chinese name \u201cGuan Yin\u201d, who was associated with\u00a0compassion and known to Chinese folk religions as the \u201cGoddess of [compassion]\u201d (reading\u00a0notes). Guan Yin was believed to have miraculous powers and divinity that assists all those who\u00a0pray to her (reading notes). The sculptor depicts such power through the Guan Yin\u2019s accessories\u00a0and position. For instance, the headboard attached behind the buddha touches the figure\u2019s higher\u00a0back is wider and almost as tall as the buddha itself. This portrays Guan Yin Buddha\u2019s\u00a0miraculous power by depicting him in a way that is strong, support something on his back that\u00a0seems to be much heavier than the buddha\u2019s own body, alike the way he\u2019s believed to support his\u00a0worshippers.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“The figure\u2019s propped up left leg that creates the illusion of a triangular shape,\u00a0balancing out the lifted right hand, creating a sense of vertical symmetry in the figure itself. The\u00a0viewer next sees a four-tiered octagon underneath the lotus flower that the buddha\u2019s foot rests on.\u00a0This layered composition demonstrates the form of steps, emphasizing the sense of elevated\u00a0divinity that the buddha represents. Lastly, the shape of a trapezoid is located at the bottom of the\u00a0sculpture. All together the shapes are vertically aligned and ties the sculpture together as a whole,\u00a0emphasizing the symbolism of oneness and unity. This alignment leads the audience to gaze the\u00a0sculpture vertically. Except for the diagonally mirroring position of the figure\u2019s lifted left leg and\u00a0right arm, the figure almost possesses a perfect vertical symmetry. Such perfection can be related\u00a0to the idea of the buddha as a perfect being in the Chinese Buddhist culture.”<\/p>\n

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