Nara Period (710-794)

In the Nara period, the continental culture which had been communicated to Japan often by way of the Korean Peninsula during the Asuka period came to be more commonly brought directly from China following the absorption by the Korean kingdom of Silla, in the late 7th century, of the formerly independent Korean kingdoms of Koguryo and Paekche, which had developed especially close relations with Japan. In the arts, strong continental influences are seen, for example, in the mural paintings of Horyuji Temple's main hall (known as the Kondo) and in the mural paintings on the inside walls of the stone burial chamber of the Takamatsuzuka Tomb, which was discovered in Asuka Village (Nara Prefecture) in 1972.

Both sets of murals show technical skills comparable to those of Chinese painters of the Tang dynasty. These are not mere copies and have drawn attention not only because of the precision of their brush techniques but also because of styles that are distinctive to Japan. Although the Horyuji Kondo murals show the Buddha's Pure Land Paradise, the Takamatsuzuka murals may be called "secular paintings" depicting scenes from real life. Both share a characteristic attention to line and a refined sense of color.

In the Tempyo era (729-749), Buddhist art reflecting continental influences reached its peak. Few paintings remain from these middle years of the Nara period, although special features of the time may be seen in the 6-panel screen Beauties Beneath Trees, the Mafu Bosatsu painting of a bodhisattva in the Shosoin and the portrait of Kichijoten at Yakushiji Temple. These depictions are done with an idealized realism, and both their lines and colors are dynamic and vital. Tang-dynasty Chinese art incorporated many elements from neighboring regions, in particular from lands lying to the west, and had a distinctly international flavor. These influences came first to affect and later to dominate painting in Japan. The line engravings of lotus petals on the pedestal of the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) statue at Todaiji Temple in Nara demonstrate the precision of East Asian art, which is often referred to as an "artistry of line."

(1) Takamatsuzuka Tumulus Grave Murals (ca. 700 AD)

These murals decorate the plaster-covered walls of a burial chamber built of cut tufa blocks excavated in 1972 at the site of a late tumulus grave (kofun) in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture. The ceiling of the burial chamber bears drawings of constellations and the walls have representations of four guardian spirits (shishin) of Chinese mythology. These are the Azure Dragon (Seiryu) of the east with the sun above; the White Tiger (Byakko) of the west with the moon above; and the Black Warrior (Genbu), looking like a combination of a snake and a turtle, which appears on the north wall. The painting of the fourth guardian spirit, a phoenix-like bird known as Suzaku, had been lost due to the falling away of its plaster base. Between these guardian spirits are figures of men and women, who seem to be proceeding toward the south wall, holding round fans and Buddhist ceremonial staffs.

A group of women on the west wall in continental-style jackets and long skirts.

A group of men on the east wall in continental-style long robes and trousers.

The Azure Dragon.

The White Tiger.

The Black Warrior on the north wall.

(2) E-ingakyo (Illustrated Sutra of Cause and Effect)

The contents of this handscroll are based on the Sutra of Cause and Effect, which recounts some of the so-called jataka tales about the previous lives of the Historical Buddha, Prince Gautama Siddhartha. The lower part of the horizontally opening scroll has excerpts from the text of the sutra, while the upper part depicts the contents of the text in pictorial form. This handscroll was made in the mid-8th century, during the Nara period. Similar handscrolls had already been seen in China, and this scroll was no doubt copied from a Chinese model. Showing the influence of styles from the pre-Tang Six Dynasties Period for the depiction of people, trees, rocks, etc., this work, which is the oldest extant handscroll in Japan, preserves to a very remarkable degree the brightness of the original colors in which it was painted.

(3) Painting of Kichijoten

Kichijoten was originally a goddess in ancient Indian mythology. She was incorporated into Buddhism around the time of the establishment of the Mahayana sutras, and her cult was introduced to Japan at an early date. This painting was the main object of reverence for devotional meetings known as Kichijo kekae, which were very popular during the Nara period. By praying to this painting, worshipers expressed their hopes for peace and tranquillity and for plentiful harvests. This painting was made by applying large quantities of very carefully prepared pigments to a piece of hemp cloth that had first been painted white. It shows a charming female figure walking slowly toward the right front of the picture and is likely to have been modeled after ladies of Tang-dynasty nobility in China. It is a superb work both as a "Buddhist painting" and as a depiction of a beautiful woman.

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• Scroll Painting(Emaki)
• Screen and Partition Painting(Shoheiga)
• Buddhist Painting(Butsuga)
• Ink Painting(Suibokuga)
• Litearati Painting(Bunjiga)
• History of Painting