If you see this message, your browser is unable to view the answers through dynamic HTML. The answers to the questions are:

  1. What is the same about them? (Height, weight, musculature and body type, body decoration and jewelry, hairstyle, facial features, garments.)
  2. What is different? (Poses or gestures, facial expressions.)
  3. What are these figures standing on? (Clouds.)
  4. How can you tell? (Bases are carved in swirling mist-like patterns.)
  5. What does that tell us about their domain? (Heavenly domain rather than earthly.)
  6. Which is which? How can you tell? (The figure with its fist raised, Misshaku Kongo, stands for power in action. Raised fist, stiff right arm and open mouth with bared teeth suggest that this figure is physically threatening. Explain that Misshaku Kongo's mouth sounds out "ah", meaning birth. The figure with its arms lowered, Naeren Kongo, stands for potential power, or power withheld for the moment. Lowered bent arms close to the body and hand extended in a halting gesture, mouth closed, suggest that this figure's power is contained, in control. Explain that Naeren Kongo's mouth sounds out "om", meaning death.)
  7. Which is which? How can you tell? (Misshaku Kong, with raised fist, was meant for the left side and Naeren Kongo, with arms lowered, was meant for the right. In this configuration, Naeren Kongo's lowered arm fits neatly under Misshaku Kongo's raised fist, their extended legs are mirror images of each other, they face away from each other rather than toward each other and their garments flow outward, away from the entrance that would have been between them.)
  8. Would they be more or less threatening if they still had their black coating? Explain. (No right answer.)
  9. What are symbols of protection that we see today? (Operation Identification stickers on front doors, McGruff safe house signs, bars on windows, traffic signs serve as protection for drivers.)
  10. What message would these sculptures convey to the Buddhist worshippers who pass between them? (Recall the story of Kongorikishi. Rather than intimidate Buddhist worshippers the Nio Guardian figures were meant to reassure them that they were protected against evil forces.)
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Nio Guardian Figures



Discussion Questions:

Nio Guardian Figures
Nio Guardian Figures
About 1360
Cypress wood with traces of lacquer
Gift of the Regis Corporation

Key Ideas
Story
Background
Discussion Questions

Look

  1. Tell the story of Kongorikishi. In the generally pacifistic Buddhist philosophy, this story justified the use of physical force to defend the Buddha and his worshippers against evil. How do these guardian figures, over six feet tall, personify physical force? Consider: size, musculature, body type, and pose.

  2. Compare these two guardian figures.
    What is the same about them? Height, weight, musculature and body type, body decoration and jewelry, hairstyle, facial features, garments.
    What is different? Poses or gestures, facial expressions.

Detail of clouds from the Nio Guardian Figures

Detail of clouds from the Nio Guardian Figures

  1. What are these figures standing on? Clouds.
    How can you tell? Bases are carved in swirling mist-like patterns.
    What does that tell us about their domain? Heavenly domain rather than earthly.
  1. One of the figures stands for potential power, and the other stands for direct action.
    Which is which? How can you tell? The figure with its fist raised, Misshaku Kongo, stands for power in action. Raised fist, stiff right arm and open mouth with bared teeth suggest that this figure is physically threatening. Explain that Misshaku Kongo's mouth sounds out "ah", meaning birth. The figure with its arms lowered, Naeren Kongo, stands for potential power, or power withheld for the moment. Lowered bent arms close to the body and hand extended in a halting gesture, mouth closed, suggest that this figure's power is contained, in control. Explain that Naeren Kongo's mouth sounds out "om", meaning death.

  2. These Nio Guardian figures would have stood outside the entrance to a Buddhist temple. Look carefully at these figures standing side by side. Is one made for the left side of an entrance and one made for the right?
    Which is which? How can you tell? Misshaku Kong, with raised fist, was meant for the left side and Naeren Kongo, with arms lowered, was meant for the right. In this configuration, Naeren Kongo's lowered arm fits neatly under Misshaku Kongo's raised fist, their extended legs are mirror images of each other, they face away from each other rather than toward each other and their garments flow outward, away from the entrance that would have been between them.

Think

  1. These wooden Nio Guardian figures were originally covered with black lacquer. Some traces of the lacquer still appear on the sculptures.
    Would they be more or less threatening if they still had their black coating? Explain. No right answer.

  2. Nio Guardian figures served as symbolic protection at a Buddhist temple hundreds of years ago.
    What are symbols of protection that we see today? Operation Identification stickers on front doors, McGruff safe house signs, bars on windows, traffic signs serve as protection for drivers.

  3. Buddhism is a nonviolent philosophy.
    What message would these sculptures convey to the Buddhist worshippers who pass between them? Recall the story of Kongorikishi. Rather than intimidate Buddhist worshippers the Nio Guardian figures were meant to reassure them that they were protected against evil forces.
Key Ideas Story Background Discussion Questions
 
 

 

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