National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

　　The principal object of worship in Seiryōji Temple in Saga of Kyōto, Standing Shakamuni (Skt. Śākyamuni) (national treasure), is an imitation statue commissioned by a Sanron sect monk Chōnen (938–1016) modeling a statue made by King Udanaya (Udennō shibo zō) in Yongxi 2 (985) during his pilgrimage to the Northern Sung dynasty in China. It has been worshiped as a Shakamuni statue, which came down from India via China. Many of these imitated statues have been created since the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and this statue is one of them. The statue has hair just like a coiled rope and wears one of types of a kasaya, dai’e, that has concentric folds of the robe (emon) and a tight collar and it is clear that the statue imitated the special form of iconography of the original statue. However, unlike the exotic features of the original, this has a simplicity specific to the Kamakura period. It clearly reflects the features of the Kamakura period, which include a figure with a large head and the concentric emon that extend to the area between both legs. Therefore, the typical exotic impression of the original has weakened.
　　According to the ink inscription on the rail of the pedestal (kamachi), this statue was made by the sculptor-priest Genkai (dates unknown), in Bun’ei 10 (1273) using old materials from the Golden Hall of Furuhashidera in Gangōji Temple. As Genkai did not make other statues, the details of Genkai as a sculptor-priest are unknown. Although the statue was made from Japanese nutmeg using a single block construction technique, the head part was made from other materials and hollowed out using an inner cavity and the crystal eyes were fit in, and articles were stored inside.