Questions? Consult the FAQ's!
Course Question & AnswerBuddhist Art
Purpose of Course showclose
Course Information showclose
Welcome to ARTH406, Buddhist Art. Below, please find general information on this course and its requirements.
Primary Resources: This course makes use of a variety of different online resources, including:
- Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery’s The Art of Buddhism: A Teacher’s Guide
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Art of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators
- Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World”
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Arts of Korea: A Resource for Educators
- Asian Historical Architecture
Requirements for Completion: To complete this course, you must work through all the assigned resources (readings, interactives, lectures, and videos), complete two assignments (“Guided Observation 1: Buddhist Iconography and Kushan Buddhist Sculpture”and “Guided Observation 2: Understanding Buddhist Architecture”), and pass the Final Exam with a grade of 70% or more. Please note that you will only receive an official grade on the final exam. If you do not receive a 70% or higher, you are welcome to take the exam again.
Time Commitment: Approximately 135 hours.
Tips/Suggestions: Before beginning this course, it may be useful to review ARTH101: Art Appreciation and Art Techniques, Units 1–4, which focus on general art history vocabulary, materials, and techniques. This knowledge, combined with the more specific vocabulary covered in this course, will be useful when discussing Buddhist art and architecture.
Learning Outcomes showclose
- Identify the core beliefs of Buddhism, major Buddhist schools, and basic Buddhist iconography.
- Identify major works of Buddhist art and Buddhist monuments from South, Southeast, and East Asia, as well as the Himalayas.
- Identify the major developments in Buddhist doctrine and Buddhist art and architecture, as well as the relationship between the two as the religion spread throughout Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Himalayas.
Course Requirements showclose
√ Have access to a computer.
√ Have continuous broadband Internet access.
√ Have the ability/permission to install plug-ins (e.g., Adobe Reader or Flash) and software.
√ Have the ability to download and save files and documents to a computer.
√ Have the ability to open Microsoft files and documents (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.).
√ Be competent in the English language.
√ Have read the Saylor Student Handbook.
√ Have completed ARTH101: Art Appreciation and Techniques, ARTH110: Introduction to Western Art History—Pre-Historic to High Gothic, and ARTH111: Introduction to Western Art History—Proto-Renaissance to Contemporary ArtUnit Outline show close
Expand All Resources Collapse All Resources
-
Unit 1: Early Buddhist Art and Architecture in India
This unit focuses on the development of Buddhist art and architecture on the Indian subcontinent. It begins with an overview of Buddhism and Buddhist iconography. The unit then traces the development of Buddhist art and architecture from its early aniconic stage (3rd-2nd c. BCE) through the Gupta Period (320-550 CE), in which the form of the Buddha (which would prove to be the model used by generations of artists to come) took shape. Finally it focuses on the importance of pilgrimage in Buddhism and the transmission of Buddhism and Buddhist Art across the Silk Roads. After completing this unit, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the central beliefs of Buddhism, the major elements of Buddhist iconography, the early development of Buddhist art and architecture in India, and the role the Silk Roads played in the transmission of Buddhism to Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Himalayas.
Unit 1 Time Advisory show close
Unit 1 Learning Outcomes show close
-
1.1 Introduction to Buddhism and Buddhist Iconography
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators” (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read the sections: “Buddhism,” “Buddhism and Hinduism in Southeast Asia,” “Identification of Hindu and Buddhist Deities,” and “Symbols and Attributes in Buddhist Art” on pages 17-20 and 25-28 of the PDF file. Please note that this resource will be used throughout the course, so you might consider saving the file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
- 1.2 Buddhist Art of the Mauryan and (325-185BCE) and Shunga Dynasties (c. 2nd-1st Century BCE)
-
1.2.1 Emperor Ashoka and Early Buddhist Art and Architecture
- Reading: PBS: MayaVision International’s The Story of India: “Edicts of Ashoka”
Link: PBS: MayaVision International’s The Story of India: “Edicts of Ashoka”(HTML)
Instructions: First, read the text about Emperor Ashoka (c.269-233 BCE) and his conversion to Buddhism. After closing this box by clicking on the X at the top left corner, click on “Show Hotspots” above the “Explore the Topic” title, and two hotspots will appear. Click on each and read the accompanying text. Afterwards, click on the video link on the right side of the page, and watch the video about the edicts of Ashoka. Note that the Buddha was not portrayed in human form in early Buddhist art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: PBS: MayaVision International’s The Story of India: “Edicts of Ashoka”
-
1.2.2 Early Stupas
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators” (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read the section titled “The Buddhist Stupa” on page 33 of the PDF file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Sanchi,” “Amaravati” and “Bharhut”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Sanchi,” (PDF) “Amaravati,” (PDF) and “Bharhut” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read about the Buddhist pilgrimage sites and stupas at Sanchi, Amaravati, and Bharhut. Be sure to look at the more detailed images below the text.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here, here, and here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Boundless: “Stupas”
Link: Boundless: “Stupas” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the text for a brief description of stupas. Please study the images closely.Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. It is attributed to Boundless, and the original version can be found here.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “The Stupa”
Link: The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “The Stupa” (YouTube)
Also available in:
iTunes U
Instructions: Please watch the brief video in its entirety (4:30 minutes) to get a good overview of the different forms and functions of stupas.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Art and Archaeology’s “The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India. Sandstone, circa 50 BC to 50 AD.”
Link: Art and Archaeology’s “The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India. Sandstone, circa 50 BC to 50 AD” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the text in its entirety. Please also click on the images to open them in a webpage and study the Buddhist Stupa located at Sanchi, India more closely.
Terms of Use: This resource is licened under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. It is attributed to Art and Archaeology and Blogspot user Molli, and the original version may be found here.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
-
1.2.3 Chaitya Halls
- Reading: B. Annapurna Sastri’s “Buddhist Art and Architecture: Chaityas”
Link: B. Annapurna Sastri’s “Buddhist Art and Architecture: Chaityas” (HTML)
Instructions: Plead read the section of this webpage titled “Chaityas.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Bhaja & Karle”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Bhaja & Karle” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the above text about the early Buddhist rock cut temples at Bhaja and Karle. View each of the images below the text when you are finished to see details of the main prayer hall and entrance to a cave at Bhaja.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: Buddhist Films’s “Bhaja Caves” and “Kondavane and Karle Caves”
Link: Buddhist Films’s “Bhaja Caves” (YouTube) and “Kondavane and Karle Caves” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch these videos about the chaitya halls at Bhaja, Kondavane, and Karle in their entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: B. Annapurna Sastri’s “Buddhist Art and Architecture: Chaityas”
-
1.3 Buddhist Art of Kushan Period (c. 2nd century BCE- 3rd century CE)
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Brown’s “Buddhism in India, Part I and II” Lectures
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Brown’s “Buddhism in India, Part I and II” Lectures (iTunes U)
Instructions: Choose the hyperlinks for lecture 5 and lecture 6 in the list on this webpage. Please view the entirety of video lectures 5 and 6 by Robert Brown from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Divine and Earthly Visions” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of Washington: Jason Neelis’s “Art of the Silk Road: The Kushan Empire”
Link: University of Washington: Jason Neelis’s “Art of the Silk Road: The Kushan Empire”(HTML)
Instructions: Note this reading covers materials for subunits 1.3.1 and 1.3.2. Read the introduction about the Kushan Empire and then click on each of the images on the left. Please focus on the two Buddhist sculptures that represent the two different styles of Buddhist sculpture (Mathuran and Gandharan) under the Kushan Empire, when the Buddha was depicted in human form for the first time.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Brown’s “Buddhism in India, Part I and II” Lectures
-
1.3.1 Gandharan Sculpture
Note: This subunit is covered by the reading and lectures assigned beneath subunit 1.3.
-
1.3.2 Mathuran Sculpture
Note: This subunit is covered by the reading and lectures assigned beneath subunit 1.3.
- Reading: University of Washington: Jason Neelis’s “Art of the Silk Road: The Kushan Empire”
Link: University of Washington: Jason Neelis’s “Art of the Silk Road: The Kushan Empire” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the introduction about the Kushan Empire, and then click on each of the images on the left. Please focus on the two Buddhist sculptures that represent the two different styles of Buddhist sculpture (Mathuran and Gandharan) under the Kushan Empire, when the Buddha was depicted in human form for the first time.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Brown’s “Buddhism in India” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Brown’s “Buddhism in India” Parts I and II (iTunes)
Instructions: Choose the hyperlinks for lecture 5 and lecture 6 from the list on this webpage. Please view the entirety of both videos.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Robert Brown are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Divine and Earthly Visions” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Guided Observation 1: Buddhist Iconography and Kushan Buddhist Sculpture”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: University of Washington: Jason Neelis’s “Art of the Silk Road: The Kushan Empire”
- 1.4 Buddhist Art and Architecture of the Gupta Period (320-550 CE)
-
1.4.1 Buddhist Sculpture during the Gupta Period
- Reading: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “The Gupta style of the Buddha & its influence in Asia”
Link: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “The Gupta style of the Buddha & its influence in Asia” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this page as an introduction to Buddhist sculpture during the Gupta period and its relationship to later regional styles that developed throughout South and East Asia.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators” (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read the entire section titled “Poster A: Standing Buddha” on page 53 of the PDF file to learn about an example of Buddhist sculpture from the Gupta Period.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Nalanda”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Nalanda” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the above article about Buddhist site of Nalanda. Make sure to view each of the images below the text to see details of buildings at Nalanda.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: Buddhist Films’s “The Intellectual Quest”
Link: Buddhist Films’s “The Intellectual Quest” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this video about Buddhist universities in its entirety (approximately 4 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “The Gupta style of the Buddha & its influence in Asia”
- 1.4.2 Buddhist Caves and Murals
-
1.4.2.1 Ajanta
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ajanta Caves”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ajanta Caves” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read the text about the Buddhist caves as Ajanta. Make sure to view each of the images below the text when you are finished to see examples of Buddhist art at Ajanta.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Ajanta Caves” Interactive Map
Link: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Ajanta Caves” Interactive Map (Quicktime or Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the images that appear on the map to “visit” several of the caves at Ajanta.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Web Media: YouTube: Buddhist Film’s “Masterpieces of Buddhist Art”
Link: Buddhist Film’s “Masterpieces of Buddhist Art” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this video about the Buddhist caves at Ajanta in its entirety (6:31 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ajanta Caves”
-
1.4.2.2 Ellora
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ellora”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ellora” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read about the Buddhist caves as Ellora. Make sure to view each of the images below the text when you are finished to see examples of Buddhist art at Ellora.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Ellora Caves” Interactive Map
Link: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Ellora Caves” Interactive Map (Quicktime or Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the images that appear on the map to “visit” caves 10 and 12 at Ellora.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Ellora”
-
1.5 Buddhist Art, Pilgrimage, and the Silk Roads
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to Buddha’s Life Sites”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to Buddha’s Life Sites” (PDF)
Instructions: Please note that this reading will also cover the materials for subunits 1.5.1 and 1.5.2. First, read over the text that explains the importance of pilgrimage in Buddhism. Then, read the short text about each of these sites. Make sure to look at the details below the passages.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to Buddha’s Life Sites”
-
1.5.1 Buddhist Pilgrimage and the Art and Architecture of Buddha’s Life Sites
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to Buddha’s Life Sites”
Link: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to the Buddha’s Life Sites” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read over the text that explains the importance of pilgrimage in Buddhism. Then read the short text about each of these sites. Make sure to look at the details below the passages.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: Asian Art Museum’s “Bodh Gaya: Center of the Buddhist World”
Link: YouTube: Asian Art Museum’s “Bodh Gaya: Center of the Buddhist World” (YouTube)
Also available in:
iTunes U
Instructions: Please watch this brief video about the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya in its entirety (about 3 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Pilgrimage to Buddha’s Life Sites”
-
1.5.2 Buddhist Art and the Silk Roads
- Reading: Asia Society’s Buddhist Art and the Trade Routes: “Introduction,” “Trade Routes,” “Maritime Routes,” and “Overland Routes”
Link: Asia Society’s Buddhist Art and the Trade Routes: “Introduction,” (HTML) “Trade Routes,” (HTML) “Maritime Routes,” (HTML) and “Overland Routes” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages about the transmission of Buddhism and Buddhist Art over the Silk Roads in their entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asia Society’s Buddhist Art and the Trade Routes: “Introduction,” “Trade Routes,” “Maritime Routes,” and “Overland Routes”
-
Unit 2: Buddhist Art and Architecture in Southeast Asia
This unit examines Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist art and architecture from Southeast Asia, where Buddhism often coexisted alongside Hinduism after the sixth century. It begins with an overview of Southeast Asian Buddhism and art. Then, the unit focuses on Buddhist art and architecture created during the reigns of the Sailendra kings of Java (8th-9th century), King Jayavarman VII of Cambodia (the Khmer ruler of the late 12th and early 13th centuries), the Pagan rulers of Myanmar (11th-14th centuries), and the Ayutthaya rulers of Thailand (1351–1767). After completing this unit, you will be able to identify major Southeast Asian Buddhist monuments and artworks and the important role that Buddhist and Hindu art played in definitions of Southeast Asian kingship.
Unit 2 Time Advisory show close
Unit 2 Learning Outcomes show close
-
2.1 Buddhist Art and Architecture in Southeast Asia
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators” (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then read the sections: “Southeast Asia,” “Buddhism and Hinduism in Southeast Asia,” and “Southeast Asian Art” on pages 9-11, 20, and 40-43 of the PDF file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Forrest McGill’s “Introduction to the Arts of Southeast Asia” Parts I and II
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Forrest McGill’s “Introduction to the Arts of Southeast Asia” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Choose the hyperlinks for lectures 1 and 2 from the list on this webpage. Please view both lectures in their entirety.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Forrest McGill are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Sacred Lands, Sacred Traditions” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of South and Southeast Asia: A Resource for Educators”
-
2.2 Art and Architecture of the Saliendra Kings: Borobudur (8th-9th Centuries)
- Reading: PBS’s Treasures of the World: “Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment,” “Historical Records,” “Borobudur Revealed,” “Building Borobudur,” “Guide to Enlightenment,” “More about the Panels,” “The Galleries,” “The Hidden Panels,” and “The Upper Terraces”
Links: PBS’s Treasures of the World: “Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment,” “Historical Records,” “Borobudur Revealed,” “Building Borobudur,” “Guide to Enlightenment,” “More about the Panels,” “The Galleries,” “The Hidden Panels,” and “The Upper Terraces”
Note: all website are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read the above webpages about the temple of Borobudur. You may click on each individual hyperlink above, or you may click on the hyperlinks for each title in the table of contents under “Borobudur” on the initial webpage “Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Natahsa Reichle’s “Borobudur” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Natasha Reichle’s “Borobudur” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Click on the hyperlink “View in iTunes” for lecture 30 and 31 in the list on this webpage. Please view both of these lectures in their entirety.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Natasha Reichle are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Passport to Asia” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Guided Observation 2: Understanding Buddhist Architecture”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: PBS’s Treasures of the World: “Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment,” “Historical Records,” “Borobudur Revealed,” “Building Borobudur,” “Guide to Enlightenment,” “More about the Panels,” “The Galleries,” “The Hidden Panels,” and “The Upper Terraces”
- 2.3 Khmer Buddhist Art and Architecture under Jayavarman VII (c. 1181-1218)
-
2.3.1 Khmer Buddhist Sculpture
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Khmer Buddhist Sculpture during the Reign of Jayavarman VII”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Khmer Buddhist Sculpture during the Reign of Jayavarman VII”
-
2.3.2 Khmer Buddhist Architecture
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Preah Khan Temple”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Preah KhanTemple” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the Preah Khan Temple. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the webpage.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Ankgor Thom South Gate”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Angkor Thom South Gate” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of Angkor Thom. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Bayon Temple”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Bayon Temple” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the Bayon Temple. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Preah Khan Temple”
- 2.4 Pagan Buddhist Art and Architecture (11-14th centuries)
-
2.4.1 The City of Pagan
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 1: Introduction and City Plan of Pagan”
Link: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 1: Introduction and City Plan of Pagan” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the section titled “A. Introduction and General History” about the city of Pagan from Chapter 3 of Dr. Cooler’s text.
Note on the Text: Dr. Richard M. Cooler is Professor Emeritus of Art History of Southeast Asia and former Director of the Center for Burma Studies at Northern Illinois University.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 1: Introduction and City Plan of Pagan”
-
2.4.2 Pagan Stupas
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 2: General Characteristics and Stupas”
Link: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 2: Architecture 1: General Characteristics and Stupas” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entire Part 2 text about Pagan stupas.
Note on the Text: Dr. Richard M. Cooler is Professor Emeritus of Art History of Southeast Asia and former Director of the Center for Burma Studies at Northern Illinois University.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 2: General Characteristics and Stupas”
-
2.4.3 Pagan Temples and Monasteries
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 3: Architecture 2: Temples and Monasteries”
Link: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 3: Architecture 2: Temples and Monasteries” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this entire Part 3 text about Pagan temples and monasteries.
Note on the Text: Dr. Richard M. Cooler is Professor Emeritus of Art History of Southeast Asia and former Director of the Center for Burma Studies at Northern Illinois University.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 3: Architecture 2: Temples and Monasteries”
-
2.4.4 Pagan Buddhist Art
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 4: Sculpture, Conclusion and Bibliography”
Link: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 4: Sculpture, Conclusion, and Bibliography” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the entire Part 4 text on Pagan Buddhist art.
Note on the Text: Dr. Richard M. Cooler is Professor Emeritus of Art History of Southeast Asia and former Director of the Center for Burma Studies at Northern Illinois University.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Don Stadtner’s “Burma: The Three Jewels of Pagan and the Ananda Temple” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Don Stadtner’s “Burma: The Three Jewels of Pagan and the Ananda Temple” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Click on the hyperlink titled “View in iTunes” for lectures 49 and 50 from the list on this webpage. Please view the entirety of both lectures.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Don Stadtner are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Passport to Asia” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Northern Illinois University: Dr. Richard M. Cooler’s The Art and Culture of Burma: “Chapter 3: The Pagan Period, Part 4: Sculpture, Conclusion and Bibliography”
-
2.5 Buddhist Art and Architecture of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1251-1767)
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “The Kingdom of Siam: The Art of Central Thailand, 1350-1800”
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “The Kingdom of Siam: The Art of Central Thailand, 1350-1800” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this introduction to the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Ayutthayan Art, and the first major exhibition of Ayutthayan Art in 2005.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of California, Berkeley and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Mapping Ayutthaya: The Kingdom of Siam Gallery”
Link: University of California, Berkeley and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Mapping Ayutthaya: The Kingdom of Siam Gallery” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on each individual object and read the text that appears in the new window.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “The Kingdom of Siam: The Art of Central Thailand, 1350-1800”
-
Unit 3: Buddhist Art and Architecture in the Himalayas
Time Estimate: 2 weeks/18 hours
Unit 3 Time Advisory show close
This unit examines Vajrayana Buddhist Art and Architecture in Tibet and Nepal. The unit begins with an overview of this history of Buddhism in Tibet from the sixth century onward. It then focuses on Tibetan paintings, mandalas, and other ritual objects and two famous Buddhist monuments in Tibet, the Great Kumbum Stupa at Gyanstse, and the Potala Palace. The second half of the unit examines Newar Buddhism practiced in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, concentrating on Nepalese painting and sculpture, and the Boudhanath and Swayambhunath stupas in the Kathmandu Valley. After completing this unit, you will be able to identify the core beliefs and general history of Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal and Tibet, major Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhist monuments, and the major types of Buddhist paintings, sculptures, and ritual objects made and used by Buddhist practitioners in the Himalayas.
Unit 3 Learning Outcomes show close
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World"
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World" (PDF)
Instructions: Please note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 3.1.1-3.1.4. To locate this resource, first scroll down the webpage until you reach the subtitle “The Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World”. Then, click on the link labeled “download pdf” below the image of the book. Please do not click on the PayPal link; you do not need to pay for this packet unless you want the paper version sent to you. Please read pages 9-70 of “Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World”, which surveys the history of Tibetan Buddhism, major characteristics of Tibetan Buddhist Art, the Gyantse Stupa, and Potala Palace, and presents examples of the most important types of Buddhist ritual objects.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World"
-
3.1 Tibetan Buddhism
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World"
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World" (PDF)
Instructions: Please note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 3.1.1-3.1.4. First, scroll down the webpage until you reach the subtitle, “The Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World,” to locate this resource (resources are listed by region). Then click on the link labeled “download pdf” below the image of the book. Please do not click on the PayPal link; you do not need to pay for this packet unless you want the paper version sent to you. Please read pages 9-70 of “Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World,” that surveys the history of Tibetan Buddhism, major characteristics of Tibetan Buddhist Art, the Gyantse Stupa, and Potala Palace, and presents examples of the most important types of Buddhist ritual objects.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage aboveSee a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s "Sacred Arts of Tibet: Art from the Roof of the World"
-
3.1.1 Tibetan Buddhist Paintings and Mandalas
- Web Media: YouTube: Emory University’s “The Tibetan Art of Thangka Painting”
Link: Emory University’s “The Tibetan Art of Thangka Painting” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this short video (2:19 minutes) about Tibetan Thangka Painting.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: Emory University’s “The Tibetan Art of Thangka Painting”
-
3.1.2 Tibetan Buddhist Ritual Objects
Note: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath Unit 3.1. Focus specifically on pp. 48-52.
-
3.1.3 Great Kumbum Stupa at Gyantse
Note: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit 3.1. Focus specifically onpp. 35-37.
-
3.1.4 Potala Palace
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa” Interactive Map
Link: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa” Interactive Map (Quicktime or Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the images on the map to “visit” the Potala Palace.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Warren Clark’s “Ritual Objects of Tibetan Buddhism” Parts I and II and Terese Bartholomew’s “Tibetan Art: Thangkas and Sculptures,” Parts I and II
Links: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Robert Warren Clark’s “Ritual Objects of Tibetan Buddhism” Parts I and II (iTunes U) and Terese Bartholomew’s “Tibetan Art: Thangkas and Sculptures” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Please watch either Robert Warren Clark’s (listed as lectures 13 and 14) or Therese Bartholomew’s (listed as lectures 15 and 16). Click on the hyperlink titled “View in iTunes” listed in line with each lecture title to watch the video through iTunes.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Robert Warren Clark are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Sacred Lands, Sacred Traditions” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa” Interactive Map
- 3.2 Newar Buddhist Art and Architecture in Nepal
-
3.2.1 Newar Buddhism
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Newar Buddhism"
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Société Européenne pour l'Etude des Civilisations de l'Himalaya et de l'Asie Centrale: Anne Vergati’s “Image and Rituals in Newar Buddhism”
Link: Société Européenne pour l'Etude des Civilisations de l'Himalaya et de l'Asie Centrale: Anne Vergati’s “Image and Rituals in Newar Buddhism”
Instructions: Please read this article about the unique characteristics of Newar Buddhist rituals in its entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Newar Buddhism"
-
3.2.2 Nepalese Buddhist Sculpture
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Sculpture”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Sculpture” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this introduction to Nepalese sculpture. After you have read the text, click on “View Slideshow” to view examples of Nepalese sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click on each individual image and read the accompanying text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Sculpture”
-
3.2.3 Nepalese Buddhist Painting
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Painting”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Painting” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this introduction to Nepalese painting. After you have read the text, click on “View Slideshow” to view examples of Nepalese painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click on each individual image and read the accompanying text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Nepalese Painting”
-
3.2.4 Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in Nepal
- Reading: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Buddhist pilgrimage sites: Nepal”
Link: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Buddhist pilgrimage sites: Nepal” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this page as an introduction to the Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Patan and Swayambhunath.
Terms of Use: The linked material above has been reposted by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum and can be viewed in its original form here. Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Buddhist pilgrimage sites: Nepal”
-
Unit 4: Buddhist Art and Architecture in China, Korea, and Japan
This unit examines the development of Mahayana Buddhist art and architecture in China, Korea, and Japan, following its transmission to East Asia via the Silk Roads. We will first focus on Chinese Buddhist art and architecture from the fourth through the ninth centuries CE and then examine Buddhist art in Korea until the founding of the Chos?n dynasty in 1392. Finally, we will survey the development of Buddhist art and architecture in Japan from roughly the sixth through the sixteenth centuries. After completing this unit, you will be able to identify major Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhist monuments, the types of Buddhist paintings, sculpture, and ritual objects made and used by East Asian Buddhist practitioners, and the relationship between Buddhist art and architecture from these three countries.
Unit 4 Time Advisory show close
Unit 4 Learning Outcomes show close
- 4.1 Buddhist Art and Architecture in China
-
4.1.1 Buddhism in China: Overview
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Michael Knight’s “Buddhist Arts of the Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Michael Knight’s “Buddhist Arts of the Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Please note that these lectures cover materials for subunits 4.1.1-4.1.3. Click on the hyperlink titled “View in iTunes” for lectures 15 and 16, listed on the webpage. Please view the entirety of both lectures.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Michael Knight are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Arts of China” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's "Buddhism in China: A Historical Overview"
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Michael Knight’s “Buddhist Arts of the Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties” Parts I and II
-
4.1.2 Early Buddhist Art and Architecture (4th-6th Centuries)
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Northern and Southern Dynasties,” “Buddha Maitreya (Mile),” “Altarpiece Dedicated to Buddha Maitreya (Mile),” and “Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)”
Links: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Northern and Southern Dynasties” (HTML), “Buddha Maitreya (Mile)”(HTML), “Altarpiece Dedicated to Buddha Maitreya (Mile)”(HTML), and “Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages about the Northern and Southern Dynasties and Northern Wei (386-584) and Northern Qi (550-577) Buddhist Art.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Northern and Southern Dynasties,” “Buddha Maitreya (Mile),” “Altarpiece Dedicated to Buddha Maitreya (Mile),” and “Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)”
-
4.1.3 Northern Wei Cave Temples
- Web Media: You Tube: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Chinese Buddhist Cave Shrines”
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Chinese Buddhist Cave Shrines” (YouTube)
Also available in:
iTunes U
Instructions: Please note that this video covers materials for subunits 4.1.3.1, 4.1.3.3, and 4.1.4.2. Please watch the video in its entirety (4:36 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Patricia Berger’s “Exemplary Lives in the Buddhist caves of Northern China” Part I and II
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Patricia Berger’s “Exemplary Lives in the Buddhist Caves of Northern China” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: This lecture covers material from subunits 4.1.3 and 4.1.4. Click on “View in iTunes” for lectures 5 and 6 listed on this webpage. Please view the entirety of both lectures.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Patricia Berger are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Passport to Asia” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: You Tube: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Chinese Buddhist Cave Shrines”
-
4.1.3.1 Yungang
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
Link: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the introductory paragraph and the text in the middle section under “Yungang.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Yungang Grottos,” “Cave 20,” “Cave 19, West Side,” “Cave 18,” and “Cave 18”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Yungang Grottos” (HTML), “Cave 20” (HTML), “Cave 19, West Side” (HTML), “Cave 18” (HTML), and “Cave 18” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the text and look at the images on each of these webpages. Please note that the webpages for “Cave 18” contain two separate images; make sure to view each “Cave 18” webpage linked above.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Yungang Grottoes” Interactive Map
Link: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Yungang Grottoes” Interactive Map (Quicktime or Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the images on the map to “visit” the Yungang Caves.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
-
4.1.3.2 Binyang Caves
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Buddhist Pentad,” “Buddhist Assembly,” “Northern Wei Style of Buddhist Sculpture,” “Amida Pentad,” and “Amida Pentad”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Buddhist Pentad,” “Buddhist Assembly,” “Northern Wei Style of Buddhist Sculpture,” “Amida Pentad,” and “Amida Pentad”
Note: All webpages are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read these webpages about the Binyang Caves that were constructed by the Northern Wei rulers after they moved their capital to Luoyang.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s “Offering Procession of the Empress as Donor with Her Court, ca. 522 C.E.”
Link: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s “Offering Procession of the Empress as Donor with Her Court, ca. 522 C.E.” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this text about one of the reliefs from the Binyang Caves that depicts a Northern Wei empress and her attendants.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Buddhist Pentad,” “Buddhist Assembly,” “Northern Wei Style of Buddhist Sculpture,” “Amida Pentad,” and “Amida Pentad”
-
4.1.3.3 Dunhuang: Pre-Tang Dynasty Caves
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
Link: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”(HTML)
Instructions: Please read the text under “Dunhuang.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Facade,” “Maitreya,” “Meditating Buddha,” “Hunting Scene,” “The 500 Bandits,” and “Thunder God”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Facade” (HTML), “Maitreya” (HTML), “Meditating Buddha” (HTML), “Hunting Scene” (HTML), “The 500 Bandits” (HTML), and “Thunder God” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages about pre-Tang Buddhist Art at Dunhuang in their entirety. Please pay particular attention to the details of each image.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
- 4.1.4 Tang Dynasty Buddhist Art and Architecture (618-906)
-
4.1.4.1 Tang Dynasty Buddhist Sculpture
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Internationalism in the Tang Dynasty (618-906),” “Buddha Vairocana,” “Buddhist stele,” and “Buddha, Probably Amitabha (Amituo)”
Link: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Internationalism in the Tang Dynasty” (HTML), “Buddha Vairocana (Dari)”(HTML), “Buddhist stele” (HTML), and “Buddha, Probably Amitabha (Amituo)” (HTML)
Instructions: Read these webpages as an introduction to Tang Dynasty Buddhist sculpture.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Internationalism in the Tang Dynasty (618-906),” “Buddha Vairocana,” “Buddhist stele,” and “Buddha, Probably Amitabha (Amituo)”
- 4.1.4.2 Tang Dynasty Cave Temples
-
4.1.4.2.1 Longmen
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
Link: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the text under “Longmen.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Fengxian Si,” “Vajrapani,” “Vaisravana,” “Bodhisattva,” “Vairocana,” “Bodhisattva and Ananda,” “Kanjing Si,” “Shakyamuni Teaching,” and “Arhats”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Fengxian Si,” “Vajrapani,” “Vaisravana,” “Bodhisattva,” “Vairocana,” “Bodhisattva and Ananda,” “Kanjing Si,” “Shakyamuni Teaching,” and “Arhats”
Note: All websites are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read these webpages about Tang Dynasty Caves at Longmen in their entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of Washington: Patricia Buckley Ebrey’s A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization: “Buddhist Cave Temples”
-
4.1.4.2.2 Tang Dynasty Caves at Dunhuang
- Reading: Old Stones: Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Guanyin,” “Vimalakirti,” “Bodhisattva with Ananda and Lokapala,” and “Dancer Holding a Pipa Behind Her Back”
Links: Old Stones: Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Guanyin,” “Vimalakirti,” “Bodhisattva with Ananda and Lokapala,” and “Dancer Holding a Pipa Behind Her Back”
Note: All websites are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read these webpages about Tang Dynasty Buddhist Caves at Dunhuang in their entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Dunhuang Academy’s “Mogao Cave 96 (Early Tang 618-705AD)”
Link: Dunhuang Academy’s “Mogao Cave 96 (Early Tang 618-705 AD)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the text about Cave 96 at Dunhuang.
Note on the Text: This website includes many more detailed descriptions of individual caves at Dunhuang. Click on “The Grottos” at the top of this page for a detailed list of caves and their links. The Dunhuang Academy (DHA) was first established in 1944 as the National Research Institute on Dunhuang Art, renamed the Research Institute on Cultural Relics of Dunhuang in 1950 and further broadened to the present DHA in 1984. The Dunhunag Academy works to conserve, research, and promote the Buddhist caves at Dunhuang.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Guanyin,” “Vimalakirti,” “Bodhisattva with Ananda and Lokapala,” and “Dancer Holding a Pipa Behind Her Back”
-
4.1.4.3 Great Goose Pagoda
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)” and “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)” (HTML) and “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages about the Great Goose Pagoda in Xi’an.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)” and “Great Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta)”
-
4.1.4.4 Foguang Temple
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Arhats,” “Vaisravana,” “Zushi Ta,” “Manjusri Hall,” “Manjusri Hall,” and “Bodhisattva Manjusri”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Arhats,” “Vaisravana,” “Zushi Ta,” “Manjusri Hall,” “Manjusri Hall,” “Bodhisattva Manjusri,” and “Wooden Pagoda”
Note: All websites are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read these webpages about the Foguang Temple. Please note there are three webpages with images and information for “East Hall.”
Note on the Text: The Arhats, Manjusri Hall and the Wooden Pagoda at Foguang Temple do not date to the Tang Dynasty. The Arhats were made during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Manjusri Hall was constructed during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and the Wooden Pagoda was built during the Liao Dynasty (907-1125).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “East Hall,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Altar Sculptures,” “Arhats,” “Vaisravana,” “Zushi Ta,” “Manjusri Hall,” “Manjusri Hall,” and “Bodhisattva Manjusri”
-
4.1.4.5 Famen Temple
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Famen Si,” “Kasyapa,” “Carved Wooden Doors with Guardians,” “Gold Monk’s Staff,” “Bodhisattva Presenting a Prayer Tablet,” “Reliquary Casket,” “Nested Reliquary Casket,” “Reliquary in the Form of a Model Pagoda,” “Censers,” and “Openwork Basket”
Links: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Famen Si” “Kasyapa,” “Carved Wooden Doors with Guardians,” “Gold Monk’s Staff,” “Bodhisattva Presenting a Prayer Tablet,” “Reliquary Casket,” “Nested Reliquary Casket,” “Reliquary in the Form of a Model Pagoda” “Censers” and “Openwork Basket”
Note: all websites are in HTML format.
Instructions: Please read these webpages about Famen Si and the Tang Dynasty Art recovered from its crypt in their entirety.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Old Stones: The Monuments of Art History: Michael D. Gunther’s “Famen Si,” “Kasyapa,” “Carved Wooden Doors with Guardians,” “Gold Monk’s Staff,” “Bodhisattva Presenting a Prayer Tablet,” “Reliquary Casket,” “Nested Reliquary Casket,” “Reliquary in the Form of a Model Pagoda,” “Censers,” and “Openwork Basket”
-
4.1.5 Buddhist Art after the Tang Dynasty
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Patricia Berger’s “Later Buddhist Arts” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Patricia Berger’s “Later Buddhist Arts” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Click on the “View in iTunes” hyperlink for lectures 35 and 36. Please view the entirety of both lecture.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Patricia Berger are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Arts of China” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Patricia Berger’s “Later Buddhist Arts” Parts I and II
- 4.2 Buddhist Art and Architecture in Korea
-
4.2.1 Buddhism in Korea: Overview
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s "The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators"
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators" (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read “Buddhism” and “Buddhist Art” on pages 37-44 of the PDF file as an introduction to Buddhism in Korea and Korean Buddhist Art. You will be referring to this resource in other subunits, so you may consider saving the PDF file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s "The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators"
-
4.2.2 Buddhist Art of the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla (57 BCE-935 CE)
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s "The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators"
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators" (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read “Overview of Korean History: Three Kingdoms Period,” “Overview of Korean History: Unified Silla,” “Overview of Korean Art History: Three Kingdoms Period,” “Overview of Korean Art History: Unified Silla,” “Image 5,” and “Image 9,” on pages 27-29, 82, and 86 of the PDF file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Pensive Bodhisattva”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Pensive Bodhisattva” (HTML)
Instructions: Please look closely at and read the text about this Korean Buddhist statue from the Three Kingdoms Period.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s "The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators"
-
4.2.3 Buddhist Art and Architecture during the Kory? Dynasty (918-1392)
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators" (PDF)
Instructions: Please download this resource by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page labeled, “Download the Resource (PDF).” Then, read “Overview of Korean History: Kory?,” “Overview of Korean Art History: Kory?,” “Artists and Materials: Buddhist Painting, “and “Images 15-19” on pages 30-31, 57-59, 72, and 92-99 of the PDF file.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Haeinsa Temple” Interactive Map
Link: WHTour.org’s and Tito Dupret’s “Haeinsa Temple” Interactive Map (Quicktime or Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Click on the images on the map to “visit” the Haeinsa Temple.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Lewis Lancaster’s “Beyond Words at the Haein Monastery in Korea: An Event of Art as Writing” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Lewis Lancaster’s “Beyond Words at the Haein Monastery in Korea: An Event of Art as Writing” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Click on the “View in iTunes” hyperlink for lectures 12 and 13. Please view the entirety of both lectures.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Lewis Lancaster are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Passport to Asia” lecture series.
Note on the Lectures: These lectures focus on the Haeinsa Temple’s complete collection of the Buddhist scriptures carved onto wooden printing blocks.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Arts of Korea: A Guide for Educators
- 4.3 Buddhist Art and Architecture of Japan
-
4.3.1 Buddhism in Japan: Overview
- Reading: Boundless: “Introduction” and “Art of Zen Buddhism”
Link: Boundless: “Introduction” (PDF) and “Art of Zen Buddhism” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read these texts in their entirety for an introduction to the topics of Buddhism in Japan and the art of zen Buddhism. Please click on all of the images to enlarge and study them more closely.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. They are attributed to Boundless, and the original versions can be found here and here.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Boundless: “Introduction” and “Art of Zen Buddhism”
-
4.3.2 Buddhist Art and Architecture of the Asuka and Nara Periods (538-794)
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Asuka and Nara Periods,” “Segment of a Daihokobutsu Kegongyo (Avatamsaka Sutra),” and “Miniature Pagoda”
Links: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Asuka and Nara Periods” (HTML), “Segment of a Daihokobutsu Kegongyo (Avatamsaka Sutra)” (HTML), and “Miniature Pagoda” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these webpages as an introduction to Buddhist art of the Asuka and Nara Periods.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “H?ry?-ji”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “H?ry?-ji” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the Buddhist temple complex of H?ry?-ji in Nara. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “T?dai-ji”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “T?dai-ji” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the Buddhist temple complex of T?dai-ji in Nara. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Web Media: YouTube: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Ancient Temples of Nara”
Link: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s “Ancient Temples of Nara” (YouTube)
Also available in
iTunes U
Instructions: Please watch this brief video about the Buddhist temples of Nara in its entirety (5:21 minutes).
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: A to Z Photo Dictionary: Japanese Buddhist Statuary’s “Asuka Period Photo Tour,” “Japanese Busshi (Sculptors), Asuka Period,” and “Nara Period Photo Tour"
Link: A to Z Photo Dictionary: Japanese Buddhist Statuary’s “Asuka Period Photo Tour,” “Japanese Busshi (Sculptors), Asuka Period,” and “Nara Period Photo Tour”
Instructions: Please read the above pages as an introduction to the development of Buddhist sculpture during the Asuka and Nara Periods.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Tamamushi Shrine”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Asuka and Nara Periods,” “Segment of a Daihokobutsu Kegongyo (Avatamsaka Sutra),” and “Miniature Pagoda”
-
4.3.3 Heian and Kamakura Buddhist Art and Architecture (794-1333)
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Heian Period” and “Kamakura and Nanbukucho Periods”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Heian Period” (HTML) and “Kamakura and Nanbukucho Periods” (HTML)
Instructions: Read these introductions to the Buddhist art of the Heian, Kamakura and Nanbukucho Periods. After you have read the text, click on “View Slideshow” and view examples
Heian, Kamakura, and Nanbukucho Buddhist Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click on each individual image and read the accompanying text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “By?d?-in”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “By?d?-in” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the By?d?-in in Kyoto. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the page.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Japanese Mandalas Avatars and Emanations: Bernard Faure’s “Japanese Mandalas—Under the Gaze of the Stars: Astral Mandalas in Medieval Japan”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Japanese Mandalas Avatars and Emanations: Barnard Faure’s “Japanese Mandalas—Under the Gaze of the Stars: Astral Mandalas in Medieval Japan” (HTML)
Instructions: First read the text on the right of the page. Then click on the hyperlink labeled, “video” above the left side of the image and watch the video in its entirety (1 hour, 11 minutes) to learn more about Japanese Buddhist mandalas.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Heian and Kamakura Buddhist Sculpture”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Heian and Kamakura Buddhist Works on Paper”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Heian Period” and “Kamakura and Nanbukucho Periods”
-
4.3.4 Zen Buddhism
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Zen Buddhism”
Link: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Zen Buddhism” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this overview of Zen Buddhism and its role in the arts of Japan. After you have read the text, click on “View Slideshow” and view examples of Zen Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Click on each individual image and read the accompanying text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Ry?an-ji”
Link: Asian Historical Architecture’s “Ry?an-ji” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this overview of the Buddhist temple complex of Ry?an-ji. Make sure to look at the images in the photo gallery at the top of the webpage.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Gregory Levine’s “Where’s the Zen: Art at the Daitokuji Monastery” Parts I and II
Link: iTunes U: Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Lewis Lancaster’s “Where’s the Zen: Art at the Daitokuji Monastery” Parts I and II (iTunes U)
Instructions: Click on the “View in iTunes” hyperlink for lectures 16 and 17 from the list on the webpage. Please view the entirety of both lectures.
Note on the Link: These lectures by Gregory Levine are part of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's “Passport to Asia” lecture series.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Zen Painting”
The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History’s “Zen Buddhism”
-
Final Exam
- Final Exam: Saylor Foundation's ARTH406 Final Exam
Link: Saylor Foundation's ARTH406 Final Exam
Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Final Exam: Saylor Foundation's ARTH406 Final Exam
