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Nepalese Buddhist artist Arniko

AND
HIS CONTRIBUTION TO

BUDDHIST HERITAGE OF CHINA

MIN BAHADUR SHAKYA


Director
Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods
A center for Buddhist centre

Introduction
Nepal has produced stars of brilliant personalities who contributed a lot to humanity and society
through their arduous travels, skills and knowledge. But some of these personalities are not
recorded in annals of our country due to utter negligence and simply due to lack of information
about them. Although Arniko is one of the key figures in the arts of Nepal, Tibet and Yuan China
he is still poorly understood.
According to Chinese sources his legendary life and career over nearly sixty years had a
lasting artistic and spiritual influence on Asia and on China in particular. The magnitude of his
accomplishments rivals those of Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, and Leonardo in the West. In spite
of his great contribution in China and Tibet his name is not even mentioned in the annals of
Nepal. Little is known about his contribution on his Buddhist artistic skills. He built White
Pagoda in Beijing, Wu ta'i Shan, Golden Pagoda in Tibet and constructed a great deal of
monasteries, shrines, paintings, portraits, artifacts and even scientific equipments.
The present study has planned to throw light on the contribution of Arniko for the
development of Buddhism and artistic heritage in China. He not only built Buddhist monasteries
but also Confucius shrines, wall paintings and numerous images of this tradition. Arnikos ten
accomplishments at the court were enumerated. The first six of his achievements include his
mastery in gold, Jade, terracotta and the like. The last four mention four specific textile artist
embroidery and three types of weaving namely damask, brocade and tapestry.
While Nepalese history is scantily recorded, there is one exception: substantial information
on Arnikos life is found in Chinese historical sources, which provide a rare glimpse into the
Nepali artist's society, family, career, and art.

Names
A word of note concerning the name of this great Master must be mentioned before commencing
biographical notes of this master. Great French Savant Sylvain Levi mentions from Yuanshi-203
about his name as follows:
A-r-ni-ko was a native of Native of Nepal. The people of kingdom of Nepal call him as Pa-lepou.

P. Peliot, the eminent Mongolian scholar and Yuan specialist was intrigued by the name of
Aniko. His research left him to the opinion that the cognomen was neither a Mongolian
pseudonym nor proper Newari but Hindi not Sanskrit and a variant of Anango, one of the 84
Mahasiddhas. He could not decide this even.
P. Pelliot suggested that Pa-le-pou is Bal-po, the Tibetan name for Nepal spelt as Pa-le-pou
in the biography of A-ni-ko.
According to the Chinese epitaph written Chengjufu it is mentioned as The Masters name
is Anige. He was one of the descendants of a king of Nepal
Luciano Petech interprets that A-ni-ko is the correct form of the name, as attested by the
funeral inscription and by the early editions of the Yuan shih

Arnikos family lineage:


Arniko, the greatest artist of Nepal and the highest artisan-official at the court of the Mongol
emperor Khubilai Khan, was born in 1245. His father's name was La-Ko- na and his grand
father's name was Mi-ti-erh. His grandmother was Chundi laxmi (Chinese: Kun di la qi Mei) and
his mother shu-ma-ketai1.
Based on the Chinese epitaph we have been able to identify the names of the family members
partly in Chinese and partly in Nepalese names only.
According to the official Chinese epitaph, Arniko was descended from a king of Nepal. His
royal lineage cannot be the contemporary kings or princes. Concerning his royal birth lineage it
is highly probable that he was born in Sakya family of Patan.2 Tradition is that he was a
descendant of Buddha Shakyamuni's family. Because in the inscription he was mentioned as
descendents of royal family. Sakyas of Kathmandu valley still use their lineage as Sakyavamsa
1

For inscription in the Chinese epitaph, see appendix


Mr.He Pei, Director of the Administrative office of the White Dagoba Temple writes: Arniko was born in Patan
city, Kathmandu in his Pictorial Biography of Arniko p.III,2009
2

i.e of lineage of Sakya. The names of his wife and grandmother suggest Sakya family of the
Patan city at present time as well.
Arniko, with the ancestral home in Patan in Nepono was called as Balubu by the people at
that time as an architect.3
Mr. Thomas L. Guta in his article on Aniko: Image weaver mentions:4
But first one similarity among all the accounts the mention of Anikos royal Nepalese ancestry.
This glaring improbability need not be accepted at face value nor rejected out of hand for it tells
us more about social institutions than artistic traditions. It was not an uncommon de-facto
assignation to legitimize marriage to royalty, in this case a Mongol Princess.

Arnikos birth place


In the History of Yuan dynasty he was mentioned as from Nepal known as Palupu-Nipaar-But the
exact birthplace of Arniko has not yet been identified.
According to Mr. Satya Mohan Joshi,5 his birthplace is identified at Lalitpur or Patan where
the tradition of building Buddhist statues, sculptures, is still maintained today. He was born in
the place where bronze statues are created and casted as mentioned in the inscription installed in
his cemetery.6
Arniko was not born into wealth or favored circumstances; his parents seem to have been
neither rich nor poor. While they could afford to send him to school, they also needed his manual

Sources for the biography of Arniko


1. The standard source on the biography of Arniko and his family is his funeral inscription,
which was engraved on a stele and erected on the pathway to his tomb near the village of
Hsiang-shan in the district of Yuan-ping, west of Beijing. It was composed by Cheng Chu fu
(tzu: Wen hai; 1249-1318) and is reproduced in his Hsueh-lou-chi (Ming edition), Ch.7.ff 10111b).
2. Cheng, Jufu. "Liangguo Minhui gong shendao bei"
(The Spirit-way Stele for Minhu, the Duke of the State of Liang).
3

Satyamohan Joshi in his " kalakar Arniko: The Well-known architect Arniko"Kathmandu,2044 (1987 A.D) pp.93
Contribution to Nepalese Studies, Vol.24,No.1 ( January 1997), 72
5
Ibid.pp.90
6
ibid.pp.91
4

In Cheng Jufu, ChengXuelou wenji (The Collected Works of Cheng Jufu), I: 313-ZO. Taipei:
Zhongyang tushu guan, 1970.
3. Gendai no Kogeika Neparu no Ozoku Anika no den ni tsuite A standard study of Arniko is
done by M.Ishida: (On the biography of Aniko, artist and member of the Nepalese royal family
during the Yuan dynasty), in Moko Gakuho,II ( 1941),pp.244-260.7
4. History of Yuan dynasty pt.203
5. Arnikos official biography in the Yuan-shi, ch.203, ff.11b-12b, is also translated by Sylvain
Levi, Le Nepal, II, pp.187-189.8
6. Tibetan Painted scrolls by G.Tucci-1949:
G.Tucci has discussed thoroughly on the whole problem of Nepalese influence on Painting and
sculpture in Tibet in his Tibetan Painted scrolls, Rome 1949,pp.272-280.Especially, he
describes about the activities of Arniko and his influence on Tibetan art and in China. (p.277)
7. Kalakar Arniko: The Well known architect Arniko
A major study on the biography of Arniko and his contribution has been made by Mr. Satya
Mohan Joshi, in " Kalakar Arniko: The Well known architect Arniko Kathmandu, 2044 (1987
A.D.).But here the information on Arnikos construction of White Pagoda and other monasteries
in Wutai Shan are wholly missing.
8. Portraits of Kublai Khan and Empress Chabi by Anning Jing
A well researched article on the biography and especially on Arnikos two portraits which are
housed in National Palace Museum, Taipei are discussed thoroughly.
9. Anige, Himalayan Artist in Khubilai Khans Court by Anning Jing
Mr. Anning Jing has treated in this article about the importance of the treatise Tsao-hsiang-tuling-ching (Iconometric treatise or Pratimalaksana sutra)-Peking.
10. Yuandai Huasuji: a part of History of Yuan dynasty which describes the artistic tradition of
Yuan dynasty a portion of it relating to Arniko because it was widely used as a textbook on art
materials. These materials have occupied scholars from Sylvain Levi to the present in the
Nepalese history.
11. K. Luciano Petech: Medieval History of Nepal
7
8

ibid.f.n.3
Medieval History, L Petech pp.99-100

Luciano Petech published the book, Mediaeval History of Nepal (Rome: Is. M.E.O., 1958), PP.
90-91.Based on funeral inscription he analyzed some of the features in Arniko's life
12. L. Herbert Frankes "Consecration of White Stupa in 1279"
The article describes in detail the origin of the White stupa and the tantric rituals performed for
its consecration in 1279. It also gives the description of the White stupa.
(In www.ihp.sinica.edu.tw/~asiamajor/pdf/1994a/155.pdf)

His early career and education


When he was three years old, his parents took him to a Buddhapuja ceremony in a monastery.
After seeing the Buddha temple he had expressed his sentiments:
Oh! Who could be the builder of the pinnacle and pillars of this temple?
At this many people were surprised and said:
If this boy can speak such a profound words even at this small age, in the future he can be a
great architect who will build Buddhist temples. This boy speaks just like an adult.9
We are told, in the Chinese epitaph, that his parents in 1247 once took the child to a temple
to pay homage to the Buddha. Looking up at a stupa (a Buddhist reliquary mound), the threeyear-old boy asked about the symbolism of various parts of the monument and its maker. He also
asked about wooden stambha10, bhumis11 and anda.
Greatly surprised, the people around realized that he was a born artist. From so young a
source, his questions inspired wonder among people nearby, who saw in him a prodigy destined
to become a great artist ... or so the legend goes12.
When he was about seven, 1252 C.E. his temperament was sober like an adult. He entered
school to study western books. He soon understood them and became good at writing.It is said
that his knowledge exceeded that of his teachers. Even venerable elders acknowledged their
inferiority. The sutras of measurements were books on arts. He memorized them as soon as he
heard them read. It is said that he could recite from memory an entire text on Iconometry after a
single reading. In a very short time he mastered the three aspects of image making: designing,
molding and Casting. When he was little older, he often made things that were extremely
exquisite.13
Sylvain Levi reads thus:
9

Based on inscription in the tomb of Arniko (found in the collection of Syue lau chi texts)
a post, pillar,column or a yasti
11
bhumi is basically thirteen rings placed on the top of the dome or anda or garbha
12
(c/o anning Jing at www.jinganige.htm)
13
Cheng Jufu," Liangguo Minhui," 315.
10

Arniko was a native of Nepal. The people of that kingdom call him Pa-le- pou.When quite
young he displayed a bright intelligence of superior kind to that of ordinary children. When
he grew a little older he could recite from memory the Buddhist texts and at the end of a year
he understood them all. Among his school fellows there was one who was a sketcher, painter,
modeler, decorator and who recited the Law of Measurements. He only heard it once and
Arniko was able to repeat it. On growing older he became an expert sketcher himself and
excelled in the art of modeling and melting into shapes, images in metal.

Before he left Nepal for Tibet, he was already an expert in painting, modeling and casting
images.14 He has learnt Sanskrit language as well in his childhood and writes the letters very
nicely. Even the old man of his time used to be jealous of his learning. He had also learnt the
texts like Buddhapratimalaksana shastra15 concerning iconometrics. It seems that he had the
capacity of memorizing the texts once he had heard. Other signs of Aniko's genius are cited in
the epitaph:
He is described as mature and contemplative like an adult. He is a brilliant student. Endowed with
an acute mind, he quickly comprehends his textbooks and becomes a good calligrapher. His work
is admired even by venerable elders, who readily acknowledge their inferiority. By nature he has
a keen interest in treatises on art. No sooner has he heard them read than he has them memorized.
As he grows, he frequently produces art objects of exquisite quality. At school, he mastered his
text books and became a good calligrapher in such a short time that even the venerable elders 16
acknowledged their inferiority. He could memorize treatises on art as soon as he heard them
read.17He is particularly good at painting and sculpture. By the age of sixteen, he is one of the best
artisans of the country.18

His wedding at 1260 CE


Following social custom of the day, Arniko married in his early teens. His bride, Caityalaxmi
(ch. Zaiyedalaqimei) was devoted to him-a devotion that would withstand the vicissitudes of
their later lives.
The year 1260 marked a turning point in Arniko's life. The event that brought Arniko to
Tibet, and eventually to the Mongol court, was Kubilai's decree of 1260 to 'Phags pa, the fifth
14

Yuanshhi, juan 203,4545


Chinese Text title is Tsao-hsiang tu-liang-ching
16
They are called Sthavira Aju according to Newar Buddhist Monastic tradition
17
Cheng Jufu, "Liangguo Minhui" 315
18
(ibid-jinganige htm) also Yuanshi,juan 203,4545
15

patriarch of the Sa- skya sect of Tibetan Buddhism, to build a golden Stupa in honor of Chos
-rje pa Sakya Pandita Kun -dga' rgyal mtshan (1182-1251), the fourth patriarch of the sect.
In 1260 he was appointed Imperial Preceptor, the highest religious authority in the Mongol
empire. In 1260 Kublai Khan had requested the Lama Phags pa, his spiritual preceptor, to erect a
golden stupa in Tibet. Phags pa summoned artists from Nepal for this purpose.
King Jayabhimadeva of Nepal collected 80 artisans and chose to lead them Arniko, a descendant
of the royal family of Nepal. 19

Arniko in Tibet
Arniko and his team visit Tibet in Sakya monastery to construct Golden Stupa.
After receiving the decree to construct Golden stupa from Kubilai Khan, the emperor then
Phags-pa turned to Nepal for artists. Tibetan Buddhists had always looked toward Nepal, the
birthplace of the Buddha and Buddhism for religious and artistic inspiration. But by the late
twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, Buddhism in India had declined. The last remnants of Indic
Buddhism were in the eastern Gangetic region, where the Pala artistic tradition had flourished,
though by 1260 those remnants had long since disappeared.' Nepal remained the only stronghold
where the Tibetans could still find Buddhist art of the Indic tradition.
According to the History of Yuan Dynasty, in 1260 Kublai khan, the great ruler of China and
suzerain of the Mongol states and Tibet, requested his spiritual teacher, the abbot of Sa-skya,'
Phags-pa (1235-80), to erect a "Golden stupa"20 in Tibet.
Phags-pa intended to recruit as many as one hundred artists for the project. The number may
not have been large by the standards of the Mongol empire, which had incalculable human and
financial resources. But for the small kingdom of Nepal, which had been devastated by repeated
wars, famines, and earthquakes, to find so many qualified artists in a short time was not easy.
One-hundred Newar artists were to be found and sent for the task, and the king of Nepal, Jaya
Bhima Malla (1257-71), managed to gather eighty of them. To head them he chose a member of
royal family, Arniko who, though, then aged only sixteen, had specifically requested to lead the
team.
Before sending them to Tibet, he received them personally and ordered them to select a
leader among themselves. Nobody was willing to take charge. Then Arniko, one of the youngest,
volunteered to take up the responsibility.' He nominated himself not with the rashness of
adolescence but with self-confidence.
19

Luciano Petech in Medieval History of Nepal, p.99-100


S.Levi,op.cit;,vol 3,p.187, A stupa according to L. Petech,Medieval History of Nepal,op.cit.p.99, and others
following G.Tucci Tibetan Painted Scrolls,op.cit, vol.1,pp.277-8, and Tibet,Calcutta,1967,p.100.
20

When asked about his age, he answered, "Sixteen." The king hesitated and tried to discourage
the lad, for he was looking for someone more advanced in age and experience.
But the confident youth replied, "My body is young indeed, but my mind is not." In spite of his
young age, Arniko was already an accomplished draughtsman, model and metal caster. It appears
that he was also expert in painting and weaving in brocade.
Convinced of the young man's ability, the king entrusted him with the responsibility of
leading the team to Tibet. Arniko and the Nepalese artists arrived in Tibet in 1261.

Arniko in China
Arniko's success had been such that Lama 'Phags-pa insisted him and asked him to visit China.
Following Phags-pa, Arniko arrived in Dadu (Beijing) by the end of 1262. After arriving at
China, Arniko appeared in the presence of Emperor Kublai khan in the palace. The Emperor
having observed him for a long time before speaking and interrogated, "You arrived in the
celestial Empire. Do you not get frightened?" The Emperor interrupted, Why were you so? He
responded: Our stately trade is as a son of ten thousand countries. For a son to arrive before his
father, what reason is there to fear? He replied: My fatherland is in the country of the occident.
I had received the order of the sovereign to erect a stupa in Tibet. In two years I have executed
that order. There I have observed disorder and war; the people are incapable of protecting their
life, The emperor asked: What is that you know making? He replied: I know well how to
design, model and mould metals. The emperor tested Arnikos skill by asking to repair a bronze
statue that had been judged as damaged beyond repair by all the other court artists. Arniko
accepted the challenge. Then ordered to restore a statue of copper dedicated to the Song
Emperors Aniko becames supervisor-in-chief.
In 1273, Aniko became supervisor-in-chief of all classes of artisans. Under his direction a
department in charge of artisans was established in 1275. During Khubilai's rule, this was one of
the two most important artistic institutions of the dynasty.
As director of this grade, Arniko supervised thousands of artisans and was responsible for
religious images, imperial portraits, and other court projects. He cast gold seals for the heir to the
throne and several princes and cast gold- and silver-lettered roundels as travel passes.
He produced astronomical instruments such as an armillary sphere and a water clock. He
made new symbols of the emperor's sovereignty, based on designs from Nepalese culture such as
the dharmacakra (Wheel of the Law), which was used to lead imperial processions, and the
image of Garuda, the celestial bird that was displayed over the imperial throne.
The conception of these new symbols of imperial sovereignty did not originate with Arniko,
but it was his materialization of them that made them effective symbols of Khubilai's dynastic

power. Not limited to the court, their influence penetrated even to the lower levels of Chinese
society.

White Pagoda at Beijing (1271-79)


The White Pagoda is located in the western part of the city of Beijing. It was built in the 8th
year of Zhi Yuan (1271 A.D.) and completed in the Zhi Yuan (1279 A.D.) of the Yuan
dynasty.21.When it was completed a big religious function was organized by the emperor to
initialize it. Upon arrival of the emperor to the White Pagoda a powerful heavenly light beam
struck on it and the Pagoda glowed. According to the Chinese chronicles, floods of sunlight
suddenly broke the clouds and illuminated the skies when the Stupas were dedicated, on separate
occasions. In any case these dramatic effects delighted the Mongol rulers and convinced them of
the sacred nature of the monuments and the supernatural abilities of their designer and builder.
The emperor was astonished to see this and believed Arniko had divine powers. The emperor
made him a powerful minister in the court. He was given the title of Liang Guo Gong (duke) and
was posthumously given the title of Ming Hui.22 After its completion, a monastery of great
dimensions was constructed in front of it and granted the name "the monastery of greatness,
holy, longevity, and everlasting peace and tranquility".
For Arniko, heavenly blessing materialized into earthly reward. For the first stupa he was
awarded fifteen thousand acres of rich farm land around the capital, nearly one thousand serfs,
and one hundred head of cattle.

Arniko builts Sarira Pagoda at Wutai shan-1301


Arniko constructed another White Stupa at Taihuai in the central part of the Wutai Mountain in
1301.An imperial order, issued jointly with the fifth Yuan imperial Preceptor Grags pa od zer
(1246-1303) from the Wutai mountain, indicates that Temur and the Imperial Preceptor were
also in the Wutai Mountain in the fourth month of the same year. Their trip there must have been
related to the construction of the stupa.It is said that auspicious clouds and lights appeared in the
sky at the beginning of the construction. To the general public, such a view not only
demonstrated the sacred nature of the monument but also added to Arnikos renown.
At the beginning of the construction, auspicious clouds and glow appeared in the sky. It is
especially popular among Nepalese, Tibetans and Mongolians. Besides, he made many
Monasteries and houses for pilgrims there. It has also survived and stands fifty two meters high
21
22

Anning Jing in The Portraits of Khubilai Khan and Chabi by Anige: A Nepali artist at the Yuan court, pp.51 fn 74.
c/oArniko society articles

dominating the view of the Wutai Mountains. Enclosed in two white stupas are a large number of
Buddhist images, texts, and other treasures. If their contents come to light in the future, they will
drastically change art historians' understanding of Arnikos style and the art of the period. 23P.
Landon states that at Wu Ta'i Shan there is still a structure 24 remotely resembling the shrines of
Bodhnath and Svayambhu and it does not appear that any other similar shrines is to be found in
China proper. This suggests that Nepalese Buddhist monks had influenced the life and manner of
monks at Wu Ta'i shan of China.25 For this second stupa, he was given ten thousand tassels of
silver and was married to a Mongol official's daughter.

Contribution in the construction of Temple Buildings, paintings, sculptures


Apart from these three majestic stupas, Arniko built many monasteries. According to Stele
inscription, Arniko is said to have built nine Buddhist temples or monasteries, and two
Confucian shrines and one Taoist palace. To describe them in details is beyond the scope of this
small article. However, a tentative list of monasteries is given below:
1. Zhenguo Renwangsi, in Beijing (1270)
2. Qianyuan shi (Chi An she) in Xanadu (1274)
3. Huanyanshi (Re wang she) in Xanadu (1274)
4. Da Huguo Renwangsi [ the Temple of benevolent King safe guarding the state)
5. Zhouzhou at Beijing (1276)
6. Youshengmiao-The Temple of Holy Blessing
7. Shengshou Wanningsi (1279-1288) (The Temple of Sacred Longevity and Myriad
Peace)8. Chengnansi-The temple in the South of the City)-1280
9. Xingjiaosi (the temple of flourishing Teaching)-1283.
10. Sanhuangmiao (the Temple for the Three sovereigns)-1295
11. Dong Huayuansi (The Temple of the East Garden)-1304
12. Chongzen Wanshougong- ( the Palace of Noble truth and myriad Longevity)23

Anning Jing in Anige, Himalayan Artist in Khubilai Khans Court pp.


Hubert Decleer states that he did build the still surviving Great Caitya in the Chinese capital and another White
Caitya on Mt. Five Peak ( Wu tai Shan, Panca sirsa Parvat mentioned in the Svayambhu Purana), but as the
pictures make clear, neither bears any resemblance to Kathmandu Valley caitya architecture. Hubert perceives that
the structure of White Pagoda do not have any Nepalese influence .But I feel difficulty in accepting his comments
that it has no resemblance with Nepalese stupa architecture. It is clear that bhumi ( trayodasabhumi -the rings of the
tower structure which symbolize these Bodhisattva-levels, Gajur and Chatra are definitely a Nepalese style as
depicted in Svayambhu and Boudhnath stupa. Although there is some change in anda or dome structure and an
absence of Harmika.
25
Nepal, Vol.II,1928,London,pp 223
24

10

13. Shouningsi (Temple of Longevity and Peace) at Wutaishan


14. Wanshen Yuguosi (The temple of myriad saints safeguarding the state) at Wutaishan

1295-97
15. The Nanshan Temple: 1295-97 at Wutaishan
16. Puji Temple( 1302-1305) at Wutai shan
Arniko was a genius and versatile person. As far as the sculptures are concerned, all
statues in monasteries in Dadu and Shangdu were sculpted under his supervision. At that time,
the statues made by him became the standard art style of the Yuan dynasty.
Arniko introduced Nepalese artistic styles into Chinese culture Some of his outstanding
paintings and sculptures are:
1. Portraits of Emperor Kublaikhan and empress Chabi
(Preserved National Palace Museum, Taipei)
2. Painting of Green Tara: Now preserved in the Cleveland Museum of Art,USA
3. Mahakala sculpture: Dated 1292
Partially polychrome and gilded lithographic limestone
47 x 285 cm L. Fournier donation with usufruct
MA 5181 now in Musee Guimet, Paris
4. Lacquor Bodhisattva
5. Image of Manjusri ( 1305).Preserved in National Palace Museum,Taipei

Arniko and his disciples in China


Even after the death of Arniko, his art tradition did not die away with him but continued through
his disciples. He left behind his stylistic standard for the court. Many of his disciples continued
to work following his norms of art tradition. Among them two of his sons Asangge and Ashula
took charge of his official duties and followed in the official footsteps of their father; but none of
them achieved fame.26 It was because Yuan emperor kept Arnikos style as official standard.

1. Grand Master Asangge


He was Arnikos first born son from his Newari wife Caitya laxmi, the Grand Mistress to the
Duke of Liang. He was also high ranking art official. He was given the title of grand Master for
Glorious Happiness (Ronglai dafu) (1b) and Grand Minister of Education.
26

They were A-seng-ko, who maintained the salary of a controller; and A-shu-la, who became Director General of
the artisans of all classes.

11

2. Grand Master Ashula


He was born to Yan from Taiyuan and called grand Master for excellent council (Jiayi dafu) [3a]
and daruhachi of the supervisorate- in chief of All Classes of Artisans. He had taken
responsibility in the department of fine arts as chairman.
3. The Great artist Liu Yuan
A Chinese Daoist priest was one of the famous disciples of Arniko. In the seventh year of the
founding of Yuan dynasty, 1270 A.D Kublai Khan was looking for a well known artist for the
construction of new monastery Ran Wang monastery in Tahu.
He had an opportunity to meet Arniko during that time. He learnt the technique of Sithen in
creating Buddhist statues from Arniko and later he became expert in creating Buddhist statues or
his skills attained its zenith. Later, when the monasteries were built in Beijing and Shangdu
(Mongolia), most of the golden images and terracotta images were built by Liu Yuan himself.
Later he attained the position of Chang fang taphu mishu chen tsin and became a famous
sculptor. People called him Lu Chang fang.
The real continuator of his school and his chief pupil was the Chinese Liu Yuan27. The
tradition of Arniko lasted for a long time among the Buddhist sculptors in China, and is still
upheld in the introduction to a late iconometric treatise, the Tsao-hsieang-tu-liang-ching28 of his
school
The style of Buddhist art created by Arniko and Liu Yuan is called Fan she style while
before this period most of the art style were in Han style. 29 The tradition of Arniko lasted for a
long time among the Buddhist sculptors in China, and is still upheld in the introduction to an 18th
century iconometric treatise, the Zaoxiang dliang jimgjie, by the Mongolian scholar mGon-poskyab (c.1690-1750).30These textile portraits have not survived, but the two models are still in
existence, now in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.

Last days
On November 10, 1305, Arniko received an order from the empress Buluhan but all the tantric
deities were destroyed in front of him. It was catastrophic blow to him.

27

About him P.Pelliot has described in detail in his work,Les grandes voyages maritimes chinois au debut du XV
sicle, in Toung Pao, XXX ( 1933),pp.195-197
28
Taisho n.1419; vol.xxi,p 939a.
29
(Chunggo Fo xiao -Buddhism in China pp.109)
30
Lo bue p.266

12

To Arniko, the order was more than destruction of the statues. It was the destruction of his
faith, his work, his dignity, and his unwavering loyalty to the Mongol dynasty.
For more than forty years his works had been admired, praised, and regarded as models of
artistic and spiritual purity at the Mongol court and throughout the empire.
Suddenly, however, they were denounced and destroyed. He had never suffered such a
humiliation before. His health failed, and he fell ill after returning from a court session. Two
days later he died. Following Nepali custom, he was cremated, and his ashes were buried in a
stupa near the capital three months later. Before his incoming death, Arniko gathered his
disciples and said: When I was about to die, you put me in a bed and encircle me with a screen
and let me die in peace.
As he said, after bathing, he went to meet the emperor and returned to his home. He told his
servants about his crucial pain of death. As soon as the emperor came to know his illness, he sent
his royal doctor for the treatment. But it is of no avail. Palace envoys and doctors visited, but he
passed away in sleep on the eleventh. He died when he was 62 years old.
The emperor Temur grieved over his death after hearing the news and halted the court
session. He ordered palace officials to take care of his family and rewarded the family 25000
teals of silver. The emperor ordered the authorities concerned to make arrangements for the
funeral. That night a star fell into the courtyard. The next day saw icicles on the trees.
On next day i.e March 12th, his body was put on a palanquin or (New: khat) and cremated
and on the seventh day all the purification rituals were performed according to Newar Buddhist
tradition. Since his Newar wife was already in China she must have performed the death rituals
as per Newar Buddhist tradition. After five months, on the fifteenth day of July, a Caitya was
built in his name and his ashes were buried in a stupa at Gangziyuan, Wanping County near the
capital. Aniko's achievements at court are summarized in his Chinese epitaph: the construction of
three stupas, nine great Buddhist temples, two Confucian shrines, one Daoist temple, and
countless images and objects made for the emperor, his imperial family, the court, and private
persons.

Conclusion
He was a genius. While living in China for more than forty-five years he earned highest imperial
positions and honors in Yuan dynasty. His constructions and creations of arts and artifacts have
earned high appreciation and admiration for him from Chinese and other people all over the
world since hundreds of years. With contributions in developing arts and architecture in China he
earned great prestige and honor for Nepal and the Nepalese people. The Chinese people regard
Arniko as a symbol of Nepal China friendship. Arniko's biography is more than a story of a
Nepali artist's gallant adventure and phenomenal success in foreign lands. It is also a story of
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how Himalayan Buddhist art became an international style. That style continued to thrive after
Aniko's death and eventually became the basis for the Buddhist art at the Ming (1368-1644) and
Qing courts and in Mongolia. Most of the Stupas built by Arniko are preserved as heritage
monuments.
Cheng Jufu (1249 - 1318), the writer of his epitaph saw a portrait of Arniko. He inscribed on
the portrait a poem praising Aniko's "noble appearance," diligence, and irreplaceable talent.
We have seen from above discussion that Arniko was not only acquainted with but had attained
mastery of the weaving arts traditionally associated with China. He was able to work in a number
of styles and media. As a number of old Newar sketch books illustrate they had no difficulty
imitating the Chinese or Indian styles.
Although some of his critics expressed their sentiments that his knowledge did not expand
beyond his profession Cheng Jufu appreciates his talents in this way in his epitaph:31
When the sage Kubilai rose, he came to the court in spite of thousands of mile. Seeing,
admiring, feeling and learning, he greatly widened his horizon. Therefore, he was able to
accomplish imperial orders and became the great Master of an age. Indeed, luck is also human
relationship. Otherwise how could he have received glory and prominence to such an extent?
Those who prepared and invented things for the benefit of the world were sages. The skilled
have been continuing the works. Although it is difficult to know if the master's skill surpassed
that of the skilled in ancient times, his fame certainly does. Is that wonderful?

31

The Sprit-way Stele for Minhui, the Duke of state of Liang, by Cheng Jufu,p.82

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