Kyoto Temple Sanjusangendo

7/25/2019 Kyoto Temple Sanjusangendo

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4/30

A

History of

This Building

This

holr

bLrilding

.'

Rengco-in.

'

poplrlari),

crllcd

"Srnjusangcn-da."

iras litrnclccl

iu ll64

A.D. nl

tirc

derran

ofthc

Enrpc|or'(ioshiIlrkaua. \\ho \\,as ]lot

on11,

a

pious

dc\otee to Kanr]on Bodhisatl\a. bLrl also ar earne

sovcrcign

in hi\

attcnrft

to bring about

pcacc

by sprcading Buddhistic failh thloughout thc countl).

The colrrnror rurre

'Sanjlisangcn-cl5"

nrcans'A

Hall ofthirty thrcc

ba)s."

Thc uuubcr

"ll'ts

dcrived

ft-o

the lreliet

thal

Krnnon

Boclhisattva

savcs all

nrankind by clisguising

hirusclf

as 33

cliflcrcnl llgurcs.

So

lhc

a

chitectLrral

plan

ol this

hall is

L.rased on arrangini:1.001

l(annon statucs on thc vxst altrr u ith 33 bays

(onc

b

t\reen

pillars).

I

he

hrll

itselfconsists

of35

bays orr

thc cast

siclc

and

5

bays on thc north sir1c.

Ho*erer. th..

hall

uas

burnt

clo\\,n

in

l2rl9.

ancl

thcn Ernpcnx

Gosa-ga issllcd rn

ordct 1o lcconslrllct anoth

ln

the

verv

sanre str

le

as

thc

oliginal building

iincl tlrc arrrr'rgcr1'rcut

of

l.(X)l

Kannons.

I

hc neu, buildirrg rnci

1.01

statues as seen

io(la) \\crc corlrplctcd in l2(16 A.D.

The

bLriltling

is

it)0

1i. long and 54 li. iviclc. Thc

gradually

cu['ed tilcd roofpcculiar

toJaparese tenrples

grand

inclccd.

At thc south boundary

of

thc

prcnriscs

is thc

grand galc

and thc Tail(o carthen

wall.

They we

built

in

about

1590 A.D.

ancl

rrc ol'thc Muuroyanra s1ylc.

In

addition

to thcnr. rnothcr

plustcrcd

rvall

aucl

somc rcd

gatcs

wcrc coustrllctccl

lcccntlv

ou thc cast

sicic. an

arc

of I(amakura

sty1c.

Thc

n holc

i:r'oLurcls including thc holy hall in

thc

ccntcr arc

in

goocl

orclcr'.


5/30

,l

,n

,,lhl:


6/30

Gtr'

n

rl

l

itttttt

iilliii;,t

li,'i.

lllll{

'lllXr

iiiiiiiitir


7/30

"

Keshou-yaneu

ra" Construction

-'Kesliou-r

a neuLa is a construction

slyle

includilg

the bcams.

raftcrs and undet-spacc

of

temple

roofs.

The

cciling

is not

flat.

b angled and is supported

by a special structule

of

exposed, white-

painted

wooden beams.

This

gives

the

space

under the rool the appearance

of an attic

(Ya-

neura) when viewed from

thc floor. "Keshou-

yaneula" is

a

traditional

constrLrction style

which

has

been

prevalently

uscd since

the

Nara

Pcriod

(710-794),

and nowlrcrc

is it more

exquisitely

represcnted than

at

Sanjusangerl

do.

The Richly Colored

Hall

'

At the

time

of

consfluction.

the interior of

this

hall was beautifully

decorated with a sea

of

colors.

When the

hall was dismantled dur.

ing

the early

part

ofthe Showa

Pe od

(i.e.,

the

early

20th

cerrturll.

richll

colored pairtting:

of clouds and

flower

petals

were discovered

under

the

wooden

disks

attached to thc

lower

cnds

ol the beams. Thc

rafters ald

pillars

also

revealed similar Buddhist

paltems.

(One

por-

tion

of

these was restored sonre

years

ago by

the

Agency for

Cultulal

Affair

s.)

Coloration left under the wooden disks


8/30

The

principal

lmage of Kannon Bodhisattva

(National

Treasure)

ln the centcr

of

thc hall sits

solemnly

the

pr-incipal

irrage,

".lu-ichinen-Senju-Kannon

(Eka-

dasanukhasahasrabhuja-Ar alokite-svala),

or

Kannon with elcven taces

and one thousand arms.

He

has

ll

srrall faccs or

his

hcad and 20

pairs

ofarms.

This

sl,mbolizes

1.000

arms because each

saves

25 u,ollds. The height ofthe irrage is

131

inchcs. This most

gracefirl

and

refined in.rage was

carved

by Tankei. one

ofthe

l'r'lost distinguished sculptors in the Kamakura

periocl

u,hen he was

at

the

ad-

r

anced agc

ofE2.

In fornring

thc

staruc. a tcchniqLrc callcd

"Yosegi-zukuri"

*as

applied. The method is

as

fol-

lor.r,s:

first.

a

prc-constllrctcd

body is

composed

of rrany partly

hollolu blocks

of

wood, carved only

rough11,:

second.

thc

surfacc

ofthe

body

is

carved,

third;

the statue is

colored orjapanned

(a

type of

laqucr).

and linalll

plated

*

ith

gold

leaves.

On

both

sidcs

of

the

central

image

stand

in regular

order

olte thousand irrages

of

Kannol Bodhi-

satt\ a.

The)

are

\ooclen and also fashioned in the

yoscgi-zukuri

nrlnncr. The1, ale

smaller

(Height:

65inches- 66inches)

and

simpler

in appearancc than that

ofthe

principal

inragc in the center. Thesc

1.000 iruages

are

joint

works

by

70

or

more

sculptors

under tl're cor'r'ir'rilnd of tllc

gleat

masters,

Tankei: the construction-period extended over

l5

years.

It

is believed that KanroD

Bodhisattva

can transform

himself into

ll dittirent

ligures.

Therefore,

one

might look

uporl

the

total

1.001 irnages

as the appearance

of ii.0il Kannons. It

is the

very beatL-

ty

ofthe numerous

Kannon inrages that

stlikes the

toulists

as

a

charactelistic ofthis hall.

The

'1,000

Standing lmages

of Kannon

(lmportant

cultural

property

)


9/30


10/30

The 1,000

Standing

lmages

of

Thousand-Armed Kannon

The splendor

of

the

Sanjusangen-do

lies

in the beauty of

this

group

of one

thousand images.

It is recorded in

one

of

the documents

that

one

hundrcd and

fifty-six of these

images were

rescued

from the

great

fire of

the

first

year

of

the Kencho period(

1249).

ln the fiISt

stage

of construction of the

Sanjlsangen-do,

the

sculptor

Kojyo,

a

disciplc in the foufih

generation

of the

line

of the famous sculptor Jocho. his

hcir

Kocho,

Kocho's

younger

brother

Koke

i and his real son Unkei. all

worked

on

the creation of the Kannon

images.

In

the second stage. after the

great

fire,

ovcr

seventy

sculptors

under

the leadership of Unkei's son Tankei,

padicipated

ir

the

project.

Among

these

we find

the names

Koen,

Ryuen, Shoen,

Eien,

Inkei,

lnsho, llga and Gyokai.

All

the images were:nade by three

schools called Keiha, Inpa and Enpa-

:chool. ln

Showa

32(1057)

tlre basic

repairs to

the

images

were

finally fin-

ished and the restoration was now con-

sidered complete. When one considers

both

Kannon

s ability to

change into

thifty-three different fomrs in response

to

the individual's needs, and his deep

compassion

for all

sentient beings,

one

can

see the embodiment of33.033

manifestations of lhe Bodhirall\a

in

rhese

l00lsta(ues. Ir is

populrr

srnce

the end of

the Heian

period,

to worship

great

numbers ofimages, to

nrake Bud-

dhists come over and over again, and

to

create

numeroLls

images and

pagodas.

More

than that, the

multiple

images of

the Sanjiisangen-do

causcs one to feel

a deep

sense

of

intimacy

with

Kamon,

such that there

is the common

beliefthat

one

can

find

thc

face

of

a

loved

one

amongst

the many images.


11/30


12/30

Senju-Kannon

figure

No.40

This

wooden

figurc

rvas nradc

by

Tankci,

the

grcat

chicf

sculptor. al thc linrc of thc recon-

struction

ef

this hall. Jusl ninc

of

his works re-

rnain among

thc

thousand statues hcrc. Each of

thcrn is sinrilar in stylc to thc stat[c No.40

.

Senju-Kannon

figure

No.50

This

wooden

figurc

u,as

made

by

Koen.

the

sLrcccssol to chiefsculptor Tankci. His signalure

is car\'ed LLnder lhc sfahrc s lool


13/30

No.140:

made

by lncla No.330 : made by Ryuen

No.160 : rnade ln Heian

pe

Open-mouthed

laughing

face

behind his head

No

530

Mcaning:

To rLsc laughlcr

to

lcarl

I,.ulrla

\\

lru rrt'e trl

.utttrd

trtitr,l urr.r1

l'ronr doing

cr'il

things.

One

thousand eyes

:

in his

palm

llte

S.rt.irr Klrtlttorr

lt.rri

r'ttl

ere

irr i.relr

,'f

llrcir lnltr

lrtrlrrr..

caulr

,,t

irlri;lr.arr 5c( irrL,:5 *.rrl.ls. llrcr.-

li)rc. leprcscnt

1.000 cycs.


14/30


15/30


16/30

Nijuhachi-bushu/The

28

guardian

deities

of

kannon

(National Treasure

:

Kamakura period)

Thcsc arc

gods

or

spir.its of bcauly,

rvisdom,

prospetity.

charitv.

stletrgth and so on.

Thcy

atteld

to Kannon

and

protect

believers

fiorr many.obstacles. or sare lhem from all dangers.

Each

statue

is carved out of

u,ood and colored.

Thcy ale

presunrably

regarded

as

rvorks by the school of

Tankei.

In

creating tllese

figules

the sculptors aimed at surpassing

the

vi\id

dyramic

reality

ofthc

human

body.

Daibenkudoku-ten

(Sir -devT)

This figure

is

heavcnly

rraid

clothed in bluish-purple robc

wavirg

softly

about.

You

might

take

considerable ilterest

in

thc

f'act that thc vcry samc altist

\\'ho

succecded in cxpressing this mood of

elegance

and refinement coulcl also

magnificently

producc

all other sculpttLrcs of

wild

alrd sturdy

ap-

pearance.

Height:65

inchcs.


17/30

Konpira

(Kumbhlra)

Originally

it rvas a

crocodilc

in the Ganges

River.

rvhich was deified

in the

form of the water

god

in

the

Indian

folk beliel

Later on.

i1

was adoptcd

in

Bud-

dhism

as

a

gualdian deity

of

Shaka

(Sakya-muni

or

Buddha). Height:61

inchcs.

Kinnara

(Kimnara)

In

ancient

Indian mythology,

this deity

was

in

duceci

as a half-god and

half-bird, which

lives on

Hirrarala

Nlountains and

sings in a beautiful

voice

ln

Buddhisrl.

it

is

a

dcity

of rnusic

and

an atten

of

Taishaku-ten

(lndra)

or Bisharron-tcn

(lhisrava

Height:64

inches.


18/30

Birubakusha

Another bravc

god rvho

plesided

ovcr

the Paradise

in

thc

West

Thc

right half

of

(Vir[pakta)

the

brcast-platc

on

]ris chest battcred

by

his outthrusting right

ann

llei3ht:63 inL''t...


19/30

Karura

In

ancicnt India it was

belicvcd

to

bc

a

gigantic

bird lvhich

was

ate cobras and carricd

(Garuda)

the Ilindu dejty

Vishru

on its back. Later on,

it rvas

adopted in Buddhism

as

a deity and

was included

in

the Eight Guardians. This statuc

reprcsents

a bird-headed ligure with

wings,

playirrg

the

11ute.

Height:

64.5 inches.


20/30

Basu-sennin

Vasu is

a

hermit.

He

goes

continuously

on

a

pilgrimage

through

the

wilderness,

tak-

(Vasu)

ing with him,9,200

million sinful

men and

u'omen rvhom he has saved

out olHades.

Hc is

indeed

lonely

and unworldly

man in

appearance owing to

his stricl religious

practices

in

pursuit

ofBuddhistic

truth

and

charity. Height:

6linches.


21/30


22/30

Missha-kongo This

figure in

the shape of wrestler

is made

of wood. He was a

patron

deity of

the

(Vajra-Pani)

people

who were

converted

to

Buddhisnr.

Height:

66 inches.


23/30

Naraen-kengo

The deity

god

of

great physical

strength,

defelding be]ievers

against evils.

(Nareyana)

Heighr

:

oo

inches.


24/30

,s,#s

Original Site of Ho-juji Palace

(Restoration)

This is the

original

site

ofthe

Lrperial

Palace

built by Ex-Emperol Goshiraka-

wa

in

1161. He and his wife

lived

herc lor about 20

years.

Sanjusangen-d6 was

in the

central

part

ofthe

site.

h

1183.

the entirc

palacc

was

burnt

down

during

the rebellion, except Saniusangen-do.

When

to

Visit

There is no best season for

visiting

Sanjrlsangen-do; it's

marvelous at any time

ol

the

year.

However,

try visiting

in the morning, soon after

the

hall

opens, on

a

day

with

clear

skies.

You can catch

the sight

of

the

sun

glinting

off of the burnished

gold

of

the

images of

Kannon,

the

Buddhist

Goddesses of

Mer-

cy, and inside the temple it is

a veritable forest of Buddhist

icons-


25/30

Portrait

of

Ex-Emperor

Goshirakawa

The

retired En.rpcror

Goshirakawa

en-

tered

the Buddhist

priesthood

and

held

Insei

(rule

by

ex-emperors).

He

was

pious erough

in

Kannon

to

erect the

original

temple

of Sanjlsangen-do

in

I164. He

rvas

also a cultured

man who

compiled an

anthology of

batlads. His

tomb is to the

east

of

Sanjusangen-do.

Honen's Stone

Monument

(Kamakura

period)

This

stone

monument

was built

by

Priest

Honen.

founder

ol the Jodo sect

of Buddhism,

to conmemorate

the

l3th

anniversary

of

Ex-Emperor

Goshiraka-

wa's

death.

Portrait

(lmportant

cultural

property

: Kamakura

period)


26/30

'frf

,a

fl&'

Toh-shiya

(Japan

print:

Edo

period)

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fr

tii+fi[r[+

I

Kyoto Temple Sanjusangendo

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Transcript of Kyoto Temple Sanjusangendo