The Asuka Period

Asuka Period

(552-710 AD). The introduction of Buddhism in the middle of the 6th century. made significant changes to the way of life and thinking of the Japanese and was the impetus for the development of the art of this and subsequent periods. The arrival of Buddhism from China via Korea is traditionally dated to 552 BC, but probably it was known before. In the early years, Buddhism has faced political opposition and opposition from the national religion of Shinto, but just a few decades, a new faith received official approval and definitively established. In the early years of entry into Japan, Buddhism was the religion of a relatively simple with a small number of deities who needed images, but through what some hundred years it has gained

Development of representations of gods, increased technical skills and freedom of possession of the material allows the artist to create a more intimate and affordable cult images. The base of the new Buddhist sects expanded the pantheon, which included even the saints and the founder of Buddhism. Also a bronze sculpture known a large number of products of wood, clay and polish. The stone was rare and almost never used for sculpture. The dry varnish was especially popular, perhaps because, with all the complexity of the process of preparing the composition of the work out of it looked spectacular wooden and were stronger than the more simple in the manufacture of clay products. Lacquer shapes formed on the basis of wood or clay, which is then removed, and a wooden or wire reinforcement; they are light and durable. Despite the fact that this technique is dictated some rigidity poses, in the image of persons permitted greater freedom, which partly contributed to the development of what could be called a proper portrait sculpture. The facial image of the deity was executed in accordance with the strict regulations of the Buddhist canon, but the popularity and even the deification of some founders and preachers of faith provides an excellent opportunity to transfer portrait resemblance. This similarity can be traced in the sculpture of the dry varnish revered in Japan of Chinese patriarch Gendzina located in the temple Tosёdaydzi. Gendzin was blind when he arrived in Japan in 753, and his sightless eyes and an enlightened state of inner contemplation perfectly conveys an unknown sculptor. This trend is most realistic vividly expressed in a wooden sculpture preacher Kuya created by sculptor Kosё in 13-14 centuries. The preacher dressed as a wandering beggar with a stick, and a gong beater, and from his half-open mouth out small figures of Buddha. Not satisfied with the image of a