地蔵 Jizō (Ksitigarbha), unknown maker from Japan

Exhibition Label: "Nature/Natural," Jul-2014, Kris Ercums Women played a significant role in the reception and development of Buddhism in East Asian countries. Ever since Buddhism, a foreign religion from India, arrived in China, Korea, and Japan, women have been among the most ardent believers and patrons of Buddhism, disseminating the faith and sponsoring the creation of Buddhist temples, sculptures, paintings, and scriptures. The objects displayed in this case are the fruition of women’s prayers for pregnancy, safe birth, and the healthy growth of their children. As guardians of women and their children, these Buddhist deities were revered by female Buddhist practitioners. For example, in Japan Jizō was known to protect children who died before their parents, and since the 1980s has been worshipped as the guardian of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses. Exhibition Label: "Nature/Natural," Feb-2011, Kris Ercums This statue depicts Ksitigarbha, who is said to have vowed to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six realms of suffering in the era between the death of the historic Buddha, Sakayamuni, and the rise of the future Buddha, known as Maitreya. In Japan, Ksitigarbha, known as Jizo¯, or respectfully Ojizo¯-sama, is one of the most loved of all Japanese divinities. His statues are a common sight, especially by roadsides and in graveyards. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, particularly children who die before their parents. Since the 1980s, he has been worshipped as the guardian of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses. The inscription dates the sculpture to 1728, and indicates a female donor.