Conceptual Foundation
Arhat (Sanskrit: अर्हत्, Arhat; Pali: Arahant) – Enlightened disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha entrusted to preserve the Dharma beyond Nirvana, as recorded in Xuanzang’s 7th-century translation of The Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Abiding of the Dharma (法住记). This Ming Dynasty masterpiece visualizes the canonical sixteen:
- Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja
- Kanakavatsa
- Kanaka Bhāradvāja
- Subinda
- Nakula
- Bhadra
- Kālika
- Vajraputra
- Jīvaka
- Panthaka
- Rāhula
- Nāgasena
- Aṅgaja
- Vanavāsi
- Ajita
- Cūḍapanthaka
Artistic Context
Painted by Wu Bin (1550-1643), a revolutionary figure in Ming Buddhist art, this handscroll reimagines traditional iconography. Known by his sobriquet Zhi’an Faseng (“Monk of the Branch Hut”), the Fujian-born artist served as a court painter under Emperor Wanli, later rising to Ministry of Works official.
Stylistic Innovation:
- Rejection of archaic compositions
- Distorted, otherworldly physiognomy
- Dynamic interplay of ink washes and mineral pigments
- Psychologically charged expressions transcending conventional arhat depictions

Scroll Composition
Prefatory Text: “Manifestations of the Perfected Ones” (應真變現) by calligrapher Mi Wanzhong
Colophon: Heart Sutra inscription by Tang Binjun
Cultural Synthesis:
While rooted in Indian Buddhism, the arhat concept underwent Sinicization:
- 9th-century evolution into Eighteen Arhats via Chinese folk additions
- Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) artistic proliferation
- Ming reinterpretations blending Chan philosophy with literati aesthetics
Iconographic Significance
Wu’s grotesque yet profound portrayal reflects:
- Late Ming religious syncretism
- Commercialization of Buddhist art in Jiangnan
- Literati’s existential response to dynastic decline
The Metropolitan Museum’s acquisition (Accession No. 1989.141.1) preserves this pivotal work where:
- Esoteric mudras merge with landscape painting conventions
- Gold-leaf haloes contrast with ink-splashed rocks
- Each arhat embodies a Mahayana paramita (perfection)
Scholarly Note: The “Eighteen Arhat” adaptation—incorporating Chinese folk deities like the Taming Dragon and Subduing Tiger Arhats—demonstrates Buddhism’s localization, paralleling Guanyin’s feminization in East Asia. Wu Bin’s visionary distortion prefigured 17th-century individualist painting movements.