Nyoirin Kannon seated statue of Kyoto’s Zuishin-in put on rare display after repairs

[PUBLIC VIEWING HAS ENDED]

The wooden seated statue of Nyoirin Kannon (Cintamanicakra) — the principal object of worship at the Zuishin-in temple (Yamashina Ward, Kyoto) — was returned to the temple recently after 11 months of repair work and is currently on display for public view there.

Known for its dignified features and long, elegant limbs, the Kamakura period (12th-14th century) statue was designated by the Japanese government as an important cultural property in September 2020. Experts have the view that the statue was produced by a busshi (sculptor of Buddhist statues) of the Kei school*.

*What is Kei school (or Kei-ha)?

– A dominant school of Buddhist sculpture based in Nara

– Kokei, a master sculptor of the late Heian-early Kamakura period, is said to have laid its foundation

– Sculptors of the school include Kokei’s son Unkei, Unkei’s son Tankei, and Kaikei

– “Kei” comes from the kei in the sculptor’s names

The repair work began in May 2021 and was completed in March 2022 at Kyoto National Museum’s Conservation Center for Cultural Properties. Conservators from Bijyutsu-in, a public interest incorporated foundation based in Kyoto, worked on the statue to prevent the gold leaf on the surface from peeling off.

The restoration was financially supported by the Tsumugu Project, a joint effort of Japan’s Cultural Affairs agency, Imperial Household Agency and national daily newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun (headquartered in Tokyo) to help preserve the nation’s artistic treasures.

The Nyoirin Kannon, which is usually enshrined in the Zuishin-in main hall and rarely shown to the public, was placed next to the seated statue of Kongo-satta in the Omote Shoin (main drawing room) on April 15 for the exhibit. The Kongo-satta, another designated important cultural property housed at the temple, is said to have been made by Kaikei of the Kei school. This statue is scheduled to undergo repair work next year.