English ver. Message from YABUUCHI Satoshi 英訳｜籔内佐斗司

Prospectus
The Tenpyō Period Reborn in Reiwa!
A Project to Reproduce the Standing Statue of Shukongōshin [Skt. Vajrapāṇ] Belonging to Tōdaiji Temple’s Hokkedō [Lotus Hall]

YABUUCHI Satoshi
Vice President, Tokyo University of the Arts 
Professor of the Conservation Course Sculpture Laboratory
Tokyo University of the Arts

The Standing Statue of Shukongōshin belonging to the Hokkedō [Lotus Hall] of Tōdaiji temple is designated a national treasure and is the greatest masterpiece to spring from the Silk Road culture that formed the basis of Tenpyō period culture. Even in China, no other examples of a clay statue in such a good state of preservation have been discovered. However, despite it being such an outstanding work, this statue is a so-called hibutsu, meaning the doors to its shrine are only opened once a year and people have little opportunity to see it. Furthermore, although replicas of this statue have been created, by Kaikei during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and Takeuchi Kyūichi during the Meiji period (1868–1912), both of these works were carved from wood and so the reproduction is not entirely accurate.

Our laboratory received special permission from Tōdaiji temple to carry out comprehensive scientific research on this statue in the 2011 academic year, acquiring highly detailed data that we have carefully analyzed. In 2019 academic year, Shigematsu Yūshi produced a reproduction of this statue as part of the studies for his doctorate and now this year a project team has been established to recreate the designs that were originally used to decorate its surface. Once this coloring is achieved the Reiwa period reproduction will finally be complete. This project team includes many students from China. 

After the completion of this project, the statue will be donated to Tōdaiji temple where I am sure it will be used widely to demonstrate the interaction with the continental culture that took place during the Tenpyō period. 

The Tokyo University of the Arts is employing crowdfunding in order to raise money for this project and we would sincerely appreciate any contributions you may like to make.