Maitreya Bodhisattva

CHINA; Northern Song dynasty

According to the inscriptions in the upper corners, the original illustration was made by Gao Wenjin, and it was carved into a woodblock by Master Zhili. This print was brought from China to Japan by a monk from Todaiji Temple, and was stored inside the Sakyamuni Buddha statue at Seiryoji Temple, Kyoto. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan. Maitreya Bodhisattva sits in lotus position on a raised lotus throne. Above Maitreya, there is an elegant canopy with an apsara on either side. In the lower register, a Dharma wheel is flanked by two heavenly beings. The inscription to the left of Maitreya identifies the donor as Shi Yongchong, and the inscription on the right is a postscript by the monk Zhongxiu.