Buddhist Robes That Are and Are Not

Clothing, Desire, and Ambivalent Renunciation in The Tale of Genji

Bibliographic Data

ID3166279
AuthorsHyosook Kim (0000-0003-0369-2236, Sejong University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume16
Issue6
Pages735
Publication date2025-06-07
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel16060735
OpenAlexW4411152832
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited1

This study examines the symbolic ambiguity of Buddhist robes in the Heian period, focusing particularly on their representation in The Tale of Genji. While Buddhist monastic garments traditionally signify religious renunciation, they also functioned as fashion items regulated by strict social norms. Through an analysis of Heian-era dress codes and deviations from them, as well as literary portrayals of robes associated with ordination scenes, this study reveals that robes embodied not only religious aspirations but also worldly attachments. Literary depictions highlight the tension between formal religious identity and persistent human desires, demonstrating how Buddhist robes served not only as religious symbols but also as mediators between spiritual ideals and secular emotions. By examining robes as visual and emotional media within a broader cultural and historical framework, this paper argues that Buddhist robes during the Heian period symbolized the complex intersection of salvation and desire. Ultimately, this study sheds light on how religious symbols, rather than representing pure spiritual transcendence, reveal the enduring contradictions inherent in human nature

Aesthetics · Ambivalence · Archaeology · Art · Buddhism · Clothing · Literature · Psychoanalysis · Renunciation · Theology · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · Japanese History and Culture · Literature: history, themes, analysis · Philosophy · Psychology

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