Interview with Matthew Welch
Curator of Korean and Japanese Art
1. Can you tell us what these imposing figures are, and what they have to do with Buddhism?
Yes, we're looking at Buddhist guardians called Nio (pronunciation: "nee-OH"), literally, "Two Kings."
Within the vast Buddhist pantheon, the Nio are members of a group of heavenly beings, known as devas (pronunciation: "DEY-vahss"), that generally serve Buddhism as guardians or attendants to Buddhas or bodhisattvas.
Devas that serve in the role of guardians are typically represented as ferocious beings with agitated bodies and scowling faces. Many people are surprised by these threatening figures because they contradict their conception of Buddhist deities as supremely calm and introspective.
2. What is their purpose more specifically?
They typically flank the entrance gate to Buddhist temples—one on each side of the opening.(1) Their duty is to protect the complex, the monks, and the worshippers from harm, but more generally to challenge anyone or anything that would contradict the Buddha's teachings.
Consequently, unlike Buddhas who are often depicted in a state of meditative bliss—suggestive of their passage into nirvana—guardian figures are shown in threatening postures, revealing their involvement with the more mundane task of protecting the faith.
3. Like you said, Buddha figures usually look so peaceful. These guys appear quite frightening.
They're fantastically muscled—and their robes are removed from their torsos in the Indian dhoti (pronunciation: "DOH-tee") fashion. In this regard, they would have seemed very exotic and foreign to the Japanese, and consequently very frightening.
In both cases these figures originally would have been brightly colored. Over time, most for the pigment has been lost, but the underlying black lacquer still remains in places.(2) Originally, the dhoti would have been brilliantly painted—often with decorative roundels or other painted patterns that served to suggest foreign fabric. And their skin also would have been pigmented: red for the figure on the right, and green for the figure on the left.
4. They look like they're flying—and extremely angry.
Absolutely. They're in very active postures, and the sculptors carved the dhoti as if they were fluttering about—activated by the guardian's cosmic fury.
Typically too, each guardian would have held a weapon in his hand—usually a staff with a vajra-shaped (pronunciation: "VAHJ-rah"), or stylized thunderbolt, finial.
5. Are their expressions always depicted this way?
Yes. The guardian on the left as an open mouth, as if uttering the syllable "ah,"(3) and the guardian on the right has a closed mouth for "um."(4) Together, these two sounds symbolize the beginning and ending of the cosmos.
6. In the context of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts' collection of Buddhist art, how would you describe the importance of these figures?
The Nio are important to our collection for several reasons. Most notably, they are excellent examples of the Japanese Buddhist sculptural tradition as it had evolved by the 13th century. Their large scale and excellent condition make them rare among similar examples in other American collections. Since Nio typically stand outside, under the eaves of the gateway leading into a temple, they are likely to be attacked by insects and subjected wind and rain damage. Although the Institute's examples have lost their original pigments, the underlying wood is in remarkably good condition.
Another reason they are highlights of this collection is because they represent an important subcategory of the Buddhist hierarchy—the devas—a generalized category of heavenly beings, many of who were adopted into the Buddhist pantheon from early religious tradition in pre-Buddhist India. As protectors of Buddhism, they are ubiquitous in Buddhist temples in China and Japan, and therefore a standard and important aspect of Buddhist iconography.
7. These figures really do present a surprising image of Buddhism.
It's important to keep in mind, when we look at other types of Buddhism—particularly the Tibetan tradition—that the wrathful aspect of Buddhism is a very important one. The fury of these wrathful deities suggests their impatience with humankind's inability to follow the Buddha's teachings. This furious energy forms a counterpoint to the calm benevolence of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. In essence, however, all Buddhist deities—at their core—are concerned with humankind's salvation.
8. Is this the kind of object you'd like to add more of to the museum's collection?
Yes. For some time I've been looking for a great example of a vidyaraja (pronunciation: "veed-yah-RAH-jah")—a wrathful savior. This type of deity forms a direct counterpoint to a bodhisattva. Rather than standing or sitting on a beautiful lotus throne, they are positioned on piles of rock to suggest their immovable strength. Rather than compellingly sweet and serene faces, vidyaraja glare from beneath scowling brows and sometimes have fangs, flame-like hair and hold terrifying weapons. Westerners typically aren't aware of this aspect of Buddhism, so I think displaying such a sculpture would greatly help visitors to the museum understand the complexity of the Buddhist pantheon.