Slow Walk Illustrated Guide
Zentsu-ji Tanjo-in Birthplace Complex (West Temple)
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Commentary
Ksitigarbha (Bodhisattva who looks over children, travellers and the underworld) is also commonly called Ojizo-san. After the Buddha entered nirvana and during the 5.67 billion years that passes until the appearance of the next savior Maitreya (bodhisattva) Tathagata (perfected one), Ksitigarbha is the Buddha for the salvation of all living things that experience samsara (endless cycle of death and rebirth). This wooden statue is made from a single trunk of hinoki cypress. The statue’s simple and symmetrical head and body and overall balance of all parts, gentle composition of the face, serene expression, and soft texture of its garments have all been skilfully carved from the wood. These features can be traced back to the traditional Japanese style of sculpture known as “wayō chōkoku”, which was established by the Buddhist image sculptor Jōchō and became a hallmark carving style of the late Heian period. It is thought to have been carved from around the end of the 11th Century to the beginning of the 12th Century, when that particular form of sculpture was developing.
Designated Section
Important cultural property
Structure
Wooden statue: 116.0cm in height
Era
Heian Period
Address
Zentsu-ji Treasure Hall, 3-3-1 Zentsuji-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture
