Unknown
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Shūkongōjin, 12th/14th century
Wood with traces of polychromy
Kate S. Buckingham Endowment
Also known as the thunderbolt deity, this fierce protector of the Law of Buddhism brandishes a kongōsho that symbolizes the power of wisdom to penetrate ignorance and destroy evil. Shūkongōjin belongs to the same category of deities as the paired guardians (niō) often placed on either side of the gateways to Buddhist temples. Because he was not intended to be seen within a sculptural ensemble, sculptors frequently used portrayals of Shūkongōjin as occasions for eccentric and exaggerated effects. The figure seen here is comparatively small, but it still conveys the threat of explosive force: a divine wind blows the god’s garments about and fuels the flames of his hair, and he stands surrounded by churning waves. The hyperrealism of his chiseled muscles and bulging veins is a characteristic feature of Japanese sculpture of this era.
