Jizō, Bodhisattva of the Earth Store (Kshitigarbha)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Here, the bodhisattva Jizō—referred in Sanskrit as Kshitigarbha—takes the guise of an itinerant monk. He holds in his left hand a wish-fulfilling jewel and in his right hand a monk’s staff with six rings that jingle to announce his arrival. From hell to paradise, Jizō’s compassionate presence illuminates the righteous way, and he saves from harm those who call out to him. The beautiful flowing movement of the garment helps to date this work to the early Kamakura period. Traces of richly colored paint and cut-gold decoration remain on the lower half of the sculpture, providing a rare glimpse of the work’s original condition.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art