Japan to demand that South Korea return stolen Buddhist statues

[Ensapa]

Isnt it sad to see 2 Buddhist nations bickering over a Buddhist statue?

Japan to demand that South Korea return stolen Buddhist statues
KYODO
FEB 28, 2013

The government will demand that South Korea swiftly return two Buddhist statues that were stolen last year from a temple on the Nagasaki Prefecture island of Tsushima, which is situated about halfway between the two countries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.

“We will call for the speedy return (of the statues) through diplomatic channels and in accordance with international law,” Suga told reporters.

His comments came a day after a provisional ruling by the Daejeon District Court in South Korea that one of the statues, Kanzeon Bosatsu Zazo, from Kannonji, a temple on Tsushima, should not be returned until it becomes clear through legal proceedings if the Japanese temple acquired it in a lawful manner.

The decision came amid accusations in South Korea, particularly among Buddhist circles, that the statue had been plundered by Japan.

The Buseoksa Temple in Seosan, central South Korea, claims the statue was made there in the 14th century.

Japan aims to recover the statue based on the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, according to officials.

[Big Uncle]

A seated statue of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva and a bronze standing statue of Tathagata Buddha, kept at the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea (Provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea)

This looks like it is going to be a long protracted historical dispute between Korea and Japan and I think it is great that both people have placed great emphasis on their history but I think it would be great if they placed a similar emphasis on developing Buddhism instead. Well, I am not very much into oriental Buddhist arts but there has always been a huge interest both Korea and Japan as it is a part of their history and identity of both great nations. Anyhow, through this identity, there can always be a resurgence because as both societies mature, they will find the timeless teachings of the Buddha to be the best in dealing with the pressures and complications of the modern world. Likewise, will happen in China and it would be great when that happens for Dorje Shugden practice to be proliferated because he provides quick results and yet profound blessings are imparted in our minds with Manjushri's great wisdom and compassion.

[Q]

Well, at least their 'bickering' over this ancient Buddha statues is being done in a more peaceful way and the object is of course something all Buddhists would appreciate... unlike Tibet and China bickering over a piece of land... and destroying everything in it's way including holy Temples!!!

The positive side is, at least the statues are not lost and still exists today. I always believe that Buddhist images and carvings from ancient times are very important as it tells us the history of Buddhism. For example, the fact that these Buddhist statues was created in the 14th century shows that Buddhism has already influenced Shintoism at that point of time (of course we all know that it began in the 6th century)