The timeless art of the temple
- Source: Global Times
- [09:29 August 23 2010]
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Standing Buddha. Photo: Courtesy of Shanghai Museum
By Huang Xi
As Christianity has been vital in the development of Western art, Buddhism has played an important role in the Eastern art world. The India: the Art of the Temple exhibition at the Shanghai Museum illustrates how religion and art merged into each other in this ancient country, where Buddhism originated.
This exhibition presents 106 ancient works related to Buddhism, all on loan from the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Apparently this is the first time the Shanghai Museum has exhibited art from India - even if these works have been borrowed from Britain.
The magnificent exhibits (dating from the 1st to the 19th centuries) are divided into three parts according to the religions they relate to: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
"The three religions co-existed for about 3,000 years, and many splendid temples were built during this period," said Chen Kelun, the deputy director of the museum.
Andrew Burnett, the deputy director of the British Museum, strongly recommends visitors to study the Seated Figure of Sakyamuni, a stone statue of Sakyamuni made in the 3rd century.
The elaborate carvings on the statue, especially those on the gown, represent the highest level of craftsmanship, even though the halo behind Sakyamuni's has been lost.
The shape and style of gown on this work misled generations for a long time into believing Buddha had come from Greece rather than India, which meant the religion was misconceived as a Western creation.
The bronze statue Standing Buddha, made in the 6th century in Bihar, India, represents another artistic peak. The gown seems to be molded close to the figure, a typical style of Sarnath, one of the important centers for Buddhism in India.
According to Buddhist sutras, Sakyamuni was an Indian prince. In this sculpture, his sexual organs are invisible, suggesting that Buddhism converts should suppress sexual desire.
