Transmission Buddhas and Bodhisattvas along the Silk Route

In the Introduction to this exhibition text I presented a plethora of data and imagery in support of the transmission of Buddha imagery "out of Uddiyana" along the Silk Route and into China and beyond – reaching to Korea and Japan. This fifth section of our exhibit presents a large group of hitherto unpublished images entirely relevant to this theme and includes a number of highly important metal castings both small and large. Some are enigmatic, still needing gaps to be filled so as to properly understand the progression of imagery, styles and time-periods. Others are classic, fitting perfectly into the body of already well-known imagery and attributions. All are, I am sure, authentic. The Buckingham Collection has not a huge amount of material to illustrate the "Out of Uddiyana" theme into China, but there are some truly remarkable components, new material seen here for the first time. A number of small seated Buddha images in bronze and gilt bronze, without or with podiums or thrones – including leonine and an elephant throne – are of significance. Though small in size and number, they do fill gaps in our knowledge of the transmission process during the early Wei era.

Of great importance and high beauty is a gilded standing "Ashokan" style Buddha very reminiscent of the Gandhara prototype. The facial features are, however, unquestionably Chinese – from the 5th century AD, when sculptures of similar type were still being made in Gandhara.
Of huge significance is an exquisite gilded bronze standing figure of the Bodhisattva and Future Buddha Maitreya. Of virtually identical composition and size to the famed example in Japanʼs Yurinkan Museum, Kyoto – which is attributed to the Jin dynasty circa 300 AD – this masterpiece of the Buckingham Collection is a major new addition to our understanding of this subject during this highlyimportant era when Gandharan-inspired art-works first entered China.

Another gilded bronze standing Bodhisattva, similarly conceived yet entirely different in style and manner, presents us with evidence of style-making as Gandharan/Indian archetypes were absorbed by Chinese Buddhist artisans. And there is yet one more example of this type - a small coppery-bronze of the standing Maitreya on the Gandharan-style lotus podium.
A matching "pair" of large standing gilded bronze Uddiyana Buddhas, their hands making complementary gestures, are both inscribed with the reign-mark of Emperor Tʼai He – the date 477 AD.
These are both "reliquary pieces", their backs now open to reveal the cavities for sacred items to be deposited. From these one can understand how the Uddiyana ideal figure of the Buddha with its cascading drapery was first transmitted into China. And there are more large early gilded bronze Buddhas, including unusually charming examples from the northern Wei and northern Qi.
Then there is a most unusual pair of standing Buddhas, ungilded, yet with cavities in the back so they could be used as reliquaries – no doubt once carrying precious treasures from "out of Gandhara or Uddiyana". These somewhat resemble the famed Bamiyan Buddhas, are of the same general period circa 5th/6th century AD and are of the precise type of Uddiyana rendering that reached China, Korea and Japan not long after. Then there are later Chinese and Tibetan Uddiyana Buddhas also.