Sixteen Arhats

Ever wondered how a painting can reflect an era’s turbulence and faith?

Guanxiu’s Sixteen Arhats does just that. Created in 880 but completed later in Hubei, this masterpiece showcases aged Buddhist saints with striking, unusual features. These Arhats symbolize resilience and survival amid the 9th-century persecution of Buddhism. Guanxiu’s portrayal, with its raw and emotional depth, contrasts sharply with the refined Tang Dynasty court portraits, urging us to confront deeper truths about suffering and endurance.

Five Dynasties Period (907-960) Guan Xiu. Colored, silk, hanging scroll. Collection of the Imperial Household Agency, Tokyo, Japan.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.