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Buddhism has become a central aspect of a sense of Burmese identity. The evolution of Burmese Buddhist practice and imagery has been closely linked to the country's historical development. The earliest Buddhist influences in Burma were
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Buddhism has become a central aspect of a sense of Burmese identity. The evolution of Burmese Buddhist practice and imagery has been closely linked to the country's historical development. The earliest Buddhist influences in Burma were |
Mahayana
traditions absorbed through contacts with Bengal and North India. Some
legacy of this influence persists in the form of the Lokanat, a celestial
spirit that many people believe is a form of the Mahayana bodhisattva,
Avalokiteshvara. The first great flowering of Burmese culture occurred with the conquest of the Mon kingdom in what is now Southern Burma. The Mon practiced Theravada Buddhism and had a distinctive artistic style in common with the Dvaravati kingdom in Thailand and the Angkor kingdom in Cambodia. Most images of that time were made in sandstone and the soft material required a simple style without much detail in the body and clothing. Bagan kings strongly associated themselves with protection, encouragement, and purification of Theravada Buddhism. Pilgrims and scholars journeyed to Sri Lanka where the religion had been preserved in an unbroken tradition since the Buddha's own lifetime. During this time Buddhist influence waned in India and Burma's contact with Indian culture and arts declined. Burmese Buddhist art developed a more unique style. Following the collapse of the Bagan kingdom in 1275, a succession of weak kingdoms ruled until the development of the Inwa, also known as Ava, kingdom near present-day Mandalay. From this time the use of marble and bronze in Buddha statues increased and these materials were suitable for the more smoothly finished style of the period. The Inwa style also bears many resemblances to the art of Thailand's Ayuthaya kingdom with which Burma both fought and traded. During this period Buddhist imagery incorporated more supernatural elements such as flame-like finials. Crowned images became particularly popular as representations of Buddha humbling the proud King Jambupati. The final great period of Burmese art followed the conquest of Ayuthaya and the establishment of a new capital at Mandalay. Mandalay period Buddha images combine a natural lifelike appearance with great decorative detail of the robes and |
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figures. Perhaps
the most distinctive and widely known Mandalay style images are the standing
figures with arms spread at the base. The posture is a form of the "Offering"
mudra and often the Buddha holds a small piece of medicinal fruit, a representation
of the curative benefits of Buddha's teaching. Following the British conquest
in 1875, relatively little evolution of Buddhist art and imagery has occurred.
Most new images are made as copies of famous Mandalay style images.
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