Heian Japan

Excerpt from "The llustrated Legends of the Kitano Shrine"

This is part of a larger series of paintings which tell the story of the origin of the Tenjin cult, a central part of Shintoism. Tis type of narrative painting is called Emaki.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sculpture of Zao Gongen

This is a Shinto deity whose image was inspired by the Buddhist Gods of Brightness. His cult was Shugendo, which was devoted to mountain worship.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

 Sculpture of Fudo Myoo

Fudo Myoo is the most prominent of the aformentioned Kings of Brightness, and was considered the defender of Buddhism, whose sword cut through ignorance. These two statues exemplify the intense religious competition that took place in Heian Japan.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra gained popularity because it emphasized that the Buddha's compassion was open to all, which was enticing to women and the lower classes in Japan. The Lotus Sutra is stuctured in a way that is not at all dissimilar to an Emaki, using sequential illustrations as a method of storytelling.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Heart Sutra

The Heart Sutra's main tenet was that true wisdom comes from emptiness, the haloed figures surrounding the Buddha in both Sutras are Bodhisatvas. Interestingly, the technique is very similar to Song Woodblock techniques.

Source: British Museum

Wooden Figure of Fudo Myoo

Another King of Light, Fudo is the enemy of illusion, showing the true enlightenment beyond life and death. Fudo's sword is used to cut away illusions and expose reality.

Source: British Museum

A Battle between the Minamoto and Taira Clan

This massive screen serves to commemorate a critical battle between to warring clans, however it blends the events of two. The first two panels represent the battle of Yashima, and the last two panels represent the battle of Dannoura, which resulted in the final defeat of the Taira.

Source: British Museum

Battles of Ichinotani and Yashima

Here you can recognize the battle of Yashima from the first screen, but this portrayal was far after the fact, in the Edo period. The reason that this battle retained salience is that it was this conflict that resulted in Minamoto no Yoritomo become Japan's first Shogun.

Source: British Museum

Wooden statue of Kichijoten

Kichijoten's place in Heian culture is surprising, and this statue only makes it more so. Kichijoten is derived from Laksmi, wife of Vishnu and member of the Hindu Pantheon. Even more bizarrely, she is depicted here in Tang dynasty clothes. Her existence as a Japanese deity is strange given her outdated Chinese attire and hindu origin. Her gestures represent the overcoming of calamities and the granting of desires.

Source: British Museum

Ceremonial Jar

This ceremonial jar comes from Sanage, which gained prestige for there use of leftover ash as makeshift glazing. This was the closest Japan could come to the Chinese full glazing techniques. Ironically, it may have been a funerary jar.

Source: British Museum

Tale of Ganji

Handscroll paintings based on the famous novel of the same name, this is part of a larger collaborative work called Ganji-e, which told the story of Ganji in great detail through a series of different art pieces in different styles.

Source: the british museum

Mongolia

Mongolia

Panchen Lama by Zanabazar

http://www.mongolianculture.com/Mongolian-Traditional-Arts.htm

This is a depiction of an incarnation of the Panchen Lama by the acclaimed artist and eventual  Jebtsundamba Khutuktu Zanabazar. The Jebtsundamba Khutuku is the spiritual leader of Mongolian Buddhism. Zanabazar was considered to be the "Michelangelo of Asia"for his brilliant artwork, but "Da Vinci of Asia" might be more appropriate; he invented a new language which blended Mongolian, Sanskrit, and Tibetan; he even made significantg contributions to Astronomy and Medicine.

Thangka Depicting Zanabazar 

http://www.himalayanart.org/image.cfm/1089.html

this Thangka, or buddhist painting, is a representation of Zanabazar. This is interesting because Thangkas usually only depicted deities, showing the degree of veneration that Zanabazar had.

Portrait of Genghis Khan

 http://www.welcome2mongolia.com/archives/genghis-khans-portrait/

This is the only known portrait of Genghis Khan, made by Khorisun on the order of Kublai Khan.

Portrait of Kublai Khan

http://www.asianresearch.org/articles/2123.html

This is a portrait of Genghis's Grandson Kublai Khan, who ruled Yuan Dynasty China. This Portrait is also post mortem, made by Araniko, a nepalese artist who served in the Khan's court.

Buryat Dress Deels

http://www.interactivemongolia.com/clothes.html

This is an example of formal mongolian dress, which would be worn at times of political importance, such as political events.

Mongol Coin, minted in Samarkand.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3315097&partId=1&searchText=mongol

Coins like these circulated throughout the silk roads, and consequentially through all of eurasia.

Ilkhanid Bowl 

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=237075&partId=1&searchText=mongol&page=2

This bowl exemplifies the political and cultural fusion between the persians and mongols.

Sutra Holder

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=227054&partId=1&searchText=mongol&page=2

This chest was made in Mongol occupied Korea at the behest of Kublai Khan's wife.

Ilkhanid tile

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=179409&partId=1&searchText=mongol&page=2

Another Example of cultural blending, this tile has traditional Mongolian hairstyles put persian poetry on the margins.

Yuan Dynasty Sculpture

 British Museum

The mongolian rule of China brought about many things, one of which was cultural mixing within the larger Mongolian Empire, this statue exhibits significant Nepalese influence.