416 henrik h. sØrensen
The Sichuanese sites reveal that it was chiefly the cults of the Bodhisat-
tva Avalokiteśvara that dominated the Esoteric Buddhist imagery and
iconography during the Tang. It is important to note, however, that
Esoteric Buddhism, at least as it is reflected in the stone sculptures of
Sichuan, was neither dominant nor especially prolific. However, that
situation was to change dramatically in the proceeding centuries.
On the Esoteric Buddhist Art from Tang China Kept in Japan
Throughout the ninth century Japanese pilgrim-monks studying under
Esoteric Buddhist masters in China exported a large amount of Eso-
teric Buddhist material to Japan. While the most important among
these monks are Saichō and Kūkai, the founders of the Tendai and
Shingon schools, respectively, there were many others, including the
Tendai monks Ennin (793/794–864) and Enchin (814–891).^24
These important monks left inventories of the Buddhist books and
artifacts they brought with them back to Japan, and a perusal of these
gives us an indication of the availability of Esoteric Buddhist material
under the Tang. Kūkai’s list, the Go Shōrai mokuroku
(Catalogue Submitted by Imperial Request), refers to a wide range
of Esoteric Buddhist images, mandalas, and ritual implements (cf.
T. 2161.50:1064b–65a), while the inventory by Jōgyō (?–865),
the Jōgyō ōsho seirai mokuroku (Ven. Jōgyō’s
Catalogue Submitted by Imperial Request),^25 also mentions images
and ritual objects, as well as various votive paintings including the
divinities of the five planets and the twenty-eight constellations (T.
2163.55:1070c–1071ab).
Due to the geographic position of Japan and its special veneration
for Buddhist art, many of these artifacts have been relatively well pre-
served. Here it is important not to overlook the fact that much of
our knowledge of the Esoteric Buddhist art from the Tang has been
preserved via early Heian icons. Hence, much of the relevant material
presently surviving in Japan may not be truly Chinese, but in many
cases may be copies based on Tang prototypes. This is actually true
for a significant portion of the Shingon material associated with Kūkai
(^24) For these monks see Orzech, “After Amoghavajra,” Tinsley, “Kūkai,” and Dolce,
“Taimitsu,” in this volume. 25
T. 2163. In terms of Esoteric Buddhist art and material culture, this catalogue is
as important as Kūkai’s Go Shōrai mokuroku.