Anchira-taisho Jochi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The subject of this iconographic drawing, which originally belonged to Kōzanji, a temple in the mountains northwest of Kyoto, is generally identified as General Anchira (Andira in Sanskrit), one of the twelve guardian generals who dedicated themselves to the Yakushi (Bhaishajyaguru) Buddha. The twelve generals are usually crowned with the twelve animals of the zodiac; here, Anchira has a rabbit on his head. The drawing was executed with exceptional care. According to a document accompanying the scroll, it was copied by Jōchi from a Chinese model in 1164. Inscriptions in the painting indicate specific colors iconographically associated with this deity.

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