Toshodaiji Temple Golden Hall: Four Heavenly Kings

JAPAN, Nara; Nara period

The Heavenly Kings guard the four directions in Toshodaiji Temple’s Golden Hall: Dhrtarastra to the east, Virudhaka to the south, Virupaksa to the west, and Vaisravana to the north. The figures are carved from hollowed cypress blocks, to which details were attached. Although the figures were originally painted and lacquered, their colors have largely faded. This group of figures was listed as a National Treasure in 1953.
The warriors, wearing helmets or sporting topknots, are suited in armor with a robe beneath, the wide-sleeves emerging from the breastplate, and the skirt beneath the surcoat. The tall figures shout or frown angrily. Dhrtarastra brandishes a sword in his left hand, and Virudhaka is armed with a vajra and poses hand on hip. Virupaksa carries a brush in his right hand and a scroll in his left hand, while Vaisravana holds a stupa and clenches a trident in his left hand.
Similar to the statues of Brahma and Sakra in the same hall, these figures are believed to be the work of the same sculptor or from the same workshop. Another theory suggests they were made by Chinese sculptors who followed Master Jianzhen to Japan in the second half of the 8th century.