195 pages / Nosatsu is both a graphic art object and a religious object. Until very recently, scholars have ignored nosatsu because of its associations with superstition and low-class, uneducated hobbyists. Recently, however, a new interest in nosatsu has revived because of its connections to ukiyo-e. Early in its history, nosatsu was regarded as a means of showing devotion toward the bodhisattva Kannon. However, during the Edo period, producing artistic nosatsu was emphasized more than religious devotion. There was a revival of interest in nosatsu during the Meiji and Taisho periods, and its current popularity suggests a national Japanese nostalgia toward traditional Japan. Using the religious, anthropological, and art historical perspectives, this theses will examine nosatsu and the practices associated with it, discuss reasons for the changes from period to period, and explore the heritage and the changing values of the Japanese common people.

Thesis (M.A.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-119). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wyoming, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 9, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-92).

本文的研究對象是南宋（1127-1279）至明代（1368-1644）龍泉窯宗教塑像。這裡所指的宗教塑像，是指佛教、道教和民間宗教的人物塑像。本文旨在探討宗教塑像的生產和使用情況，並特別探討當中龕像的年代和所表現的信仰。 / 本文的第一部分探討塑像的生產和使用情況。通過廣泛蒐集、對比和分析考古及傳世塑像，文章總結出龍泉窯在南宋起開始燒造宗教塑像，元代（1271-1368）時擴大規模，明中期以後停產。雖然宗教塑像並非龍泉窯的大宗產品，可是它們製作講究，經製模、模印、塑貼、雕刻、局部施釉和鬆漆多項工序，足見塑像並不因產量相對較少而顯得不重要，相反它們應是一種受到重視的產品。塑像的使用地點廣泛，除民間之外，明代宮廷也有使用。部分塑像更遠銷海外。 / 文章的第二部分集中探討龍泉窯宗教塑像中龕像的年代和所表現的信仰。鑒於收集所得的二十六尊龕像只有兩尊帶有年款，其餘龕像的年代並不明確，故此第二章首先判斷龕像的年代。通過與發掘所得的塑像及紀年龕像進行對比，文章論證這些龕像均約為明代早期的產品。此外，結合文獻和圖像，文章闡明上述龕像乃分別與道教九天應元雷聲普化天尊、佛教觀音以及觀音與道教真武組合信仰有關。 / This thesis studies religious sculptures made at the kilns in Longquan during Southern Song(1127-1279) and Ming dynasty(1368-1644). More specifically it examines sculptures from Buddhism, Daoism and popular religion. This thesis aims at investigating the production and the consumption of these sculptures, as well as elucidating religious beliefs they represent. / The first part of the thesis examines the production and the consumption of religious sculptures. Through delving into and analyzing a comprehensive collection of the excavated and extant sculptures, the thesis concludes that production of these religious sculptures first began in the Southern Song dynasty, with production scale largely increased in Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), and eventually halted in the late Ming. Albeit those religious sculptures comprise a small portion of Longquan wares, the detailed perfection in each and every step of production as demonstrated in their delicacy and exquisiteness render them significances. Furthermore, it is revealed that religious sculptures were widely used not only amongst commoners but also in the royal family of the Ming dynasty and overseas. / The second part of the thesis examines religious beliefs that 26 extant niche sculptures represent. By comparing the dated sculptures, it is justified to conclude that the religious sculptures were all produced around the early Ming dynasty. Through an integrated analysis of literatures and images, the present thesis shows that the sculptures denote different religious beliefs, namely, the belief of Heavenly Worthy of Universal Transformation of the Sound of the Thunder of Responding Origin in the Nine Heavens, Avalokiteśvara of the South Sea, as well as the association of Avalokiteśvara and the Dark Warrior. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 黃煒均. / "2012年9月". / "2012 nian 9 yue". / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-94). / Abstract in Chinese and English. / Huang Weijun. / 內容摘要 --- p.i / 謝辭 --- p.iv / 前言 --- p.1 / Chapter 一、 --- 研究回顧、 方法與目的 --- p.1 / Chapter 二、 --- 論文結構 --- p.3 / Chapter 第一章 --- 宗教塑像的生產與使用情況 --- p.5 / Chapter 一、 --- 考古及傳世塑像的整理 --- p.5 / Chapter 二、 --- 生產與使用情況的總結 --- p.12 / Chapter 第二章 --- 傳世龕像的年代 --- p.15 / Chapter 一、 --- 神龕造型的分類與辨識 --- p.15 / Chapter 二、 --- 龕像年代的斷定 --- p.17 / Chapter 第三章 --- 九天應元雷聲普化天尊龕像 --- p.24 / Chapter 一、 --- 洪武龕神祗身份的辨識 --- p.24 / Chapter 二、 --- 永樂龕神祗身份的辨識 --- p.32 / Chapter 三、 --- 神祗形象、 組合與神龕造型所表現的信仰 --- p.38 / Chapter 四、 --- 銘文與供奉的目的 --- p.44 / Chapter 第四章 --- 觀音龕像 --- p.49 / Chapter 一、 --- 觀音龕像神祗身份的辨識 --- p.49 / Chapter 二、 --- 神祗組合與神龕造型所表現的信仰 --- p.55 / Chapter 二、 --- 觀音與真武合龕神祗身份的辨識 --- p.58 / Chapter 四、 --- 神祗組合與神龕造型所表現的信仰 --- p.59 / 總結 --- p.72 / 參考書目 --- p.74 / 圖版 --- p.95

The thesis examines the contemporary Bengali practice of worshipping clay images. By clay is understood 'unbaked' clay. The thesis makes a distinction between 'baked clay' (terracotta) images and 'unbaked' clay (terracruda) images and examines the preference for worshipping terracruda images. The worship of clay images is examined within the context of image worship in general in India, referring to the classical iconographical canons and other texts in which clay is mentioned as a suitable medium for the making of religious icons. The study is restricted to the Hindu religion. The thesis does not restrict itself to a purely iconographical approach. The thesis discusses the artistic tradition that gave rise to the clay images of Bengal,as well as attempting to understand the religious significance of the images. In tracing the tradition, the author has used vernacular sources as well as early records of travellers. In describing the contemporary technique of clay image making, the author has relied on recorded interviews and photo-documentation taken during a three month period of fieldwork in West Bengal. The thesis establishes that there has been a tradition of worshipping clay images in Bengal that is at least two centuries old and suggests that there are earlier precedents for the tradition. It also concludes that it is a strongly regional tradition that developed in Bengal and influenced the neighbouring states of Bihar, Assam and Orissa. The worship of terracruda images in Bengal is a regional practice that is the product of both classical and 'folk' influences.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 391-421). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Calgary, 1999. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. Includes bibliographical references.