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Book Review: "Portraits of Chōgen: The Transformation of Buddhist Art in Early Medieval Japan," By John M. Rosenfield |
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| Author |
Graham, Patricia J.
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| Source |
Religious Studies Review
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| Volume | v.37 n.3 |
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| Date | 2011.09.14 |
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| Pages | 238 |
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| Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell |
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| Publisher Url |
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/
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| Location | Oxford, UK [牛津, 英國] |
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| Content type | 期刊論文=Journal Article; 書評=Book Review |
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| Language | 英文=English |
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| Note | PORTRAITS OF CHŌGEN: THE TRANSFORMATION OF BUDDHIST ART IN EARLY MEDIEVAL JAPAN . By John M. Rosenfield . Japanese Visual Culture Series, vol. 1 . Leiden : E. J. Brill , 2011 . Pp. 296 ; 162 plates, 2 maps. $132.00 . |
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| Abstract | In this beautifully produced book, Rosenfield, Harvard University professor emeritus of Japanese art, has written a superb account of the state of Japanese Buddhism at a pivotal moment in time, through the lens of S. Chōgen (1121‐1206), the monk who led the restoration of Japanese Buddhism's greatest national symbol, the temple complex of Tōdaiji in Nara, which was destroyed in a ruthless civil war in 1180. Although few of the products of Chōgen's efforts at Tōdaiji have survived, Rosenfield interweaves documentary sources and extant imagery to bring this tumultuous age to life. In the process, he explicates how renewed contacts with China then played a critical role in the faith's transmission, impacting both developments within Japanese Buddhism and its related material culture. His chapters address wide‐ranging topics including reasons for the unusual architectural style adopted for the restored Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) at Tōdaiji, the renewed realism in painted and sculpted icons, the history of East Asian portraiture generally and priest portraiture in particular, and the uses of Buddhist ritual objects. Rosenfield explores the complex interpersonal dynamics that shaped Buddhism's reception in Japan through a discussion of Chōgen's relations with monks of other sects, esteemed lineages of Buddhist sculptors, politicians, and lay patrons. This excellent book is a rarity in that Rosenfield's clear writing and careful explanations make this complex topic accessible to nonspecialists while concurrently, his use of diverse primary sources, including Chōgen's own memoir (translated in an appendix), distinguishes it as an invaluable resource for specialists as well. |
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| ISSN | 0319485X (P); 17480922 (E) |
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| Hits | 115 |
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| Created date | 2014.11.05 |
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| Modified date | 2019.11.29 |
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