Master Xuanzang

JAPAN; Kamakura period

Master Xuanzang was born in Goushi, Luozhou (present day Yanshi, Henan) during the Tang dynasty (618–907). He became a monk at an early age and eagerly studied all of the scriptures available in China at the time. In 629, Xuanzang embarked on a pilgrimage westward towards India in search of original Buddhist sutras written in Sanskrit. He traveled alone across the desert and faced many dangers along the way, but managed to reach India and studied for years at the renowned Nalanda University. When he returned to China, he brought back a wealth of sutras that he dedicated the rest of his life to translating. Based on his interpretations of the Sanskrit texts, Xuanzang developed a system of thought that became the Faxiang school. After he passed away, he was given the posthumous title Dapianjue (Great Omniscience). This depiction of Master Xuanzang’s Journey to Obtain the Sutras was painted in Japan during the 14th century. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1926.
In this painting, Xuanzang has long eyebrows and a rounded jaw. He wears the attire of a traveler and carries a trunk full of Buddhist scriptures on his back. His mouth is slightly open; possibly a reference to an account of his travels that describes how he began reciting the Heart Sutra when he entered the desert. Xuanzang holds a whisk in his right hand and a sutra in his left. A golden incense burner hangs from the top of the trunk. The painting is similar to depictions of traveling monks found in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, China. The white and gold highlights on the clothing reflect the influence of Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasty art.