In the Heian period (794-1185), the advance of Buddhism in Japan inspired the creation of ever more splendid temples and works of art for their adornment, particularly the Byodo-in at Uji, near Kyoto, and the Chuson-ji in the northern province now known as Iwate Prefecture. The union of religion and art produced masterpieces of architecture, sculpture and painting that epitomised the refinement of the Heian age. In the absorbing and informative text in this volume, the author traces the course of this distinctive development in Japanese art history.