Invertigation and Study of Buddhist painting in the Yi

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It has long been said that on account of its anti-Buddhist, pro-confuction policies, the Yi Dynasty (1393-1910) product only few works of truly superior Buddhist art. Despite this, over two-hundred samples of Yi Dynasty Buddhist painting survive in Japan today, of which nearly forty bear inscriptions (mei) relating when, by whom, and why they were produced. By examining such works and their inscriptions, we can incentify the major characteristics of Yi Dynasty Buddhist painting.(1) As for the iconology of Buddhist painting of the Yi, there can be divided between works evincing strongly traditional elements dating back to the Koryo period, and those more progressive in style. Furthermore, the more traditionally skewed works are seen to then concentrated in the period up to the early seventeenth century, after which the more progressive works begin to appear.(2) To the extent that we can rely on the inscriptions, the Buddhist painting of the Yi show class distinctions, as they appear to have been produced respectively by the royal family and courtiers, monks, and the class of commoners. There distinctions are manifest in the class differences between painters (academicians), quality of materials used, et cetora.(3) Of the works of inscrived Yi Dynasty Buddhist painting surviving in Japan, the overwhelming majority are items produced before or during the early seventeenth century. For this reasons, it is possibly to conduct research on early yi Buddhist painting in Japan.