Iron Buddha

A cast iron Buddha statue. There are records of six-height iron Buddhas being made in China as early as the Six Dynasties (6th century), and they were made throughout the Sui and Tang dynasties, but they were most popular during the Song dynasty. This is thought to be the result of a strict copper ban being imposed in China, as the amount of copper produced did not meet demand, including for export. They also became popular in Korea from the end of the Silla period through the Goryeo period, but this was also due to the scarcity of copper.

In Japan, remains from the end of the Heian period or the beginning of the Kamakura period have been found, with many from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, with around 90 confirmed nationwide, but 90% of them are concentrated in eastern Japan from the Chubu region eastwards, and it is thought that the reason iron Buddhas became popular in Japan stems not from a shortage of copper or the influence of China, but from a kind of faith in iron among the warlords of the eastern provinces.Some old examples from around the country include the seated Acala statue (early 13th century) at Kakuon-ji Temple in Kanagawa Prefecture, the seated Yakushi Nyorai statue (1218) at Yakushido Hall in Kamiishikawa, Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, the standing Jizo Bodhisattva statue (1230) at Hozo-ji Temple in Aichi Prefecture, and the standing Jizo Bodhisattva statue (1235) at Choko-ji Temple in the same prefecture.

[Akio Sato]

"Iron Buddha" by Akio Sato (1979, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鉄製鋳造の仏像。中国ではすでに六朝(りくちょう)時代（6世紀）に鉄丈六仏(じょうろくぶつ)がつくられた記録があり、隋(ずい)・唐期以降も各時代にわたってつくられたが、宋(そう)代にもっとも盛行した。これは、中国の産銅量が輸出を含む需要に及ばなかったため、厳しい禁銅令が施行された結果とみられる。朝鮮でも新羅(しらぎ)時代の末から高麗(こうらい)時代にかけて流行したが、これも銅の産出が乏しかったことによる。

　日本では平安末ないし鎌倉初頭ごろから遺品がみられ、鎌倉・室町期に多く、全国で90体ほどが確認されるが、その90％までが中部地方以東の東日本に集中しており、日本で鉄仏が流行した理由は銅の不足や中国の影響というより、東国の武将たちの鉄に対する一種の信仰のようなものに発すると思われる。神奈川県覚園(かくおん)寺の不動明王坐像(ざぞう)（13世紀初）、栃木県鹿沼(かぬま)市上石川薬師堂の薬師如来(にょらい)坐像（1218）、愛知県法蔵寺の地蔵菩薩(ぼさつ)立像（1230）、同長光寺の地蔵菩薩立像（1235）などは各地の古い作例である。

［佐藤昭夫］

『佐藤昭夫著『鉄仏』（1979・小学館）』

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