In comparing the art of two cultures
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In comparing the art of two cultures, it is possible to see how aspects of their art that are alike and unlike, reflect similarities and differences in religion and world view. The Yoruba people of the Guinea Coast of West Africa and the Japanese people have little in common. Among their shared traits, however, are their high degree of urbanization, the great importance placed on aesthetic experience, and their remarkable traditions of sculpture. In both cultures, sculpture was primarily religious in nature. But, the religious sculptures of the Yoruba, which were invested with their own share of the spirit of the gods, served very different functions from the numerous sculptures of the incarnations of the Buddha that were looked on as sacred only by association with the one they represented. The Japanese sculptures were objects that helped focus meditation and prayer in the course of the individual's attempt to attain higher enlightenment. The Yoruba sculptures were modes of communication with gods who could respond to the people's requests. The Yoruba excelled in a number of arts, especially beadwork, pottery, and the carving of useful objects such as helmets, doors, house posts, and other items. Their statuary was produced in wood, stone, iron, and bronze. Though the arts, in general, "served to aggrandize the status of [Yoruba] kings," and wealthy individuals, "most sculpture was associated with religion" (Bascom 85). The Japanese also practiced many arts; incl
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ifferent aspects of his character (Boger 69). Each of these versions of Buddha has its own attributes and mode of presentation. Further variations, such as the representation of Kannon, Buddha's "spiritual offspring," who was, essentially, "the god of mercy," made the Buddhist temples look as though they were centers for the worship of a host of gods (Nagahiro, Yum and Kuno 70).
When Buddhism reached Japan from Korea, in the mid-sixth century, it arrived in the form of a "gilt-bronze image of the Buddha," accompanied by the promise that this religion would "lead one to a full appreciation of the highest wisdom" (Stanley-Baker 30). At first, the emperor was afraid of offending the local spirits, and upsetting the people. He was also afraid of the objections of the upper class, who practiced a religion of ancestor worship called Shinto. Therefore, he allowed only one powerful clan to study and practice the new religion (Stanley-Baker 30). The Shintoists did object and destroyed Buddhist statues in disgust. But, the emperor Shotoku (573-621) became an important promoter of Buddhism and it soon became the dominant form of religion.
From its beginnings, Japanese Buddhism involved representations of the Buddha as focal points
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Approximate Word count = 1729
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)
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