Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara is an Esoteric Buddhism Bodhisattva known for saving humankind with its unique form, as depicted in iconography. Existing research on this bodhisattva has often focused on regional or period-specific asp...
Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara is an Esoteric Buddhism Bodhisattva known for saving humankind with its unique form, as depicted in iconography. Existing research on this bodhisattva has often focused on regional or period-specific aspects. In Japan, for example, many have been studied as instances of Transformed Avalokitesvara, and recent research has delved into individual artifacts. In this context, Chinese Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara research requires a new perspective study through specific classification of artifacts. This study concentrates on the iconography of the Tang Dynasty in China, categorizing artifacts into distinct types and examining the characteristics of each. The analysis extends to characteristic expressions observed in the Tang Dynasty and later periods. Additionally, the study explores the iconography of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara artifacts produced in Korea.
The many faces and arms of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara were influenced by the development of Esoteric Buddhism, drawing from Hinduism. Initially, the Eleven-Headed Avalokitesvara was created, paving the way for the complete form of a Bodhisattva with numerous faces and arms in the Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara. This Chinese Bodhisattva was venerated around Changan in the mid-to-late 7th century. However, owing to the influence of the Buddhist Persecutions in China, active creation centers shifted to Esoteric Buddhism areas such as Sichuan and Tunhuang. This paper conducts an analysis of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara artifacts, classifying them into three types: A, B, and C.
Type A of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara features several large hands and numerous small hands. Type B is characterized by an icon with 40 large hands, while Type C includes 40 large hands, a halo made up of small hands, and several families, including 28 families. Each type reflects the influence of specific scriptures and incorporates characteristics from previous iconography. Type A is found in the Changan and Sichuan regions, while Type B was produced in Sichuan and Tunhuang. Types A and B seem to represent early expression methods when Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara first flowed into China and began to be created. Type C appears to have been formalized as the most prevalent style during the Tang Dynasty, influencing subsequent generations.
Even after the Tang Dynasty, it also follows Type C. However, there are changes that emphasize a thousand hands or 11 faces, as well as the relics become huge. In Korea, despite the popularity of the '千手經' there are fewer artifacts of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara. Rather than creating a new heterogeneous shape, it appears that the character of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara was added to existing icons. In China, a common form of voyeurism was also made into Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara. The Korean paintings of Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara have the characteristics of Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara, supporting the opinion.
Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara, with its Esoteric Buddhism character, gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty and continued to be created steadily after the Song Dynasty. Beyond the character of Avalokitesvara, its many faces and arms facilitate visual expression of believers' aspirations. The C-type Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara evolved after the Tang Dynasty, becoming popular and spreading to East Asia, where it became an object of faith in various countries. Building upon prior studies, this research identifies the characteristics and development process of Tang Dynasty's Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara iconography, presenting new possibilities for East Asian research on Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara.