称名寺、金沢文庫 Shoumyouji, Kanazawabunnko,
Yokohama
I visit here almost every time I return to
Japan so you've probably seen similar views before, but each time is a new
meeting. Indeed, I was glad to visit Shoumyouji yesterday and see the
exhibition of Hinata Yakushi (Buddha statue). A soft spoken senior volunteer
was speaking fits and starts as I entered the room. He moved to the three Buddha
statues called 本尊薬師三尊像 and began speaking detail about
the construction of the statue. I was intrigued.
Seeing is believing. The middle statue is
largest. Please see the images below. https://www.planet.pref.kanagawa.jp/city/bunko/tenji.html
The following is from an older event, but
you see the whole view of the center Buddha statue.
http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/evt/p899147.html
It was so good to listen to an intelligent
and passionate expert and so exciting to find out recent discoveries not only
on physical parts found under the floor or wall or inside the statues, but the newly
developed perspectives on the past established views.
The technique of carving that above statue
is called natabori 鉈彫 and nata means hatchet, but chisel was
used. I wondered why the naming is confusing but I thought both hatchets and
chisels were used. Anyway, the similar technique was also used on making Gumyouji
Kannon—I want to remind you of Gumi chan’s Gumyouji-- so I was excited. Some
experts used to believe, because of its rough texture, they were incomplete. I
wish all the photos of Buddha statues are available online. I wish you can see
them. The Gumyouji Kannon is very rough carved statue and unique in that,
unlike other divine and authoritative looking statues. The Hinata Yakushi
statue in above links comes with a smaller beautiful statute on both sides.
Again I wish I could show you those two
statues, which showed beautiful repetitive chiseled marks all around their
bodies. Today, experts came to understanding that the rough texture of natabori
was not because of its incompleteness in finish but it is now known as a
distinct carving technique. Of course! I recommend Gumyouji Kannon to be
upgraded to a national treasure! When I saw it in the Ueno National Museum, I
was shocked and delighted. It was nothing like all others. How dare those
experts to judge the truth-seeking rough carved Gumyouji Kannon to be
unfinished! Don’t you love this story?
Another discovery or new interpretation on the chisel technique is this. When Kaikei, the name of the creator, carved the statue, the chiseling noises made comforting music. It must be entrancing to listeners as well as the artist making the statue. Kaikei expressed his experience in the finishing touch. You can see a little bit of the chisel marks at the edge of the first photo, and they get stronger marks outward on to the smaller statues. Unkei is the most famous Japanese Buddha sculptor, but I think the expert wanted to say that Kaike is not as famous as Unkei, but he left magic on his creations, especially in the half-open, communicating eyes.
Don’t you love this new perspective? It
made sense to me. I found a seat behind the audience, sat, and imagined the
scene that took place 800 years ago: Hojo Masako and her daughter-in-law came
to pay their respect to this Buddha and I was looking at the same statue who
had seen all.
