197. Todai-ji

 

Gold and jade crown 
Three Kingdoms Period, Silla Kingdom, Korea. Fifth to sixth century C.E. Metalwork

The general structure and imagery of this set echo the regalia used by rulers of the many nomadic confederations that roamed the Eurasian steppes for millennia, and, to a lesser extent, pieces found in China. However, Silla tombs such as Hwangnam Daechong have yielded larger quantities and more spectacular gold adornments.

Form

• Todai-ji = “Great Eastern Temple”
• Refers to its location on the eastern edge of the city of Nara (Japan’s capital)
• Kokubun-ji = national system of monasteries in Japan
• Todai-ji - the chief temple of the Kokubun-ji

Function

• Commissioned by emperor shomu as a way to...
• Promote spiritual unity among the Japanese provinces to unite them under his rule
• Display his the power, prestige, and piety of the Japanese imperial court

Content

• A massive hall (“hondo”) is located at its center
• Or the Daibutsuden = Great Buddha Hall
• supported by 84 cypress pillars
• Two nine-story pagodas (multi-tiered tower; an evolution of the stupa), a lecture hall & quarters were added later by the monks
• The Guardian Kings; Nio Guardian figures
• One on either side of the gate
• Two massive (+25 feet tall) wooden sculptures
• Intricate swirling drapery
• Fierce forbidding looks & gestures; powerful / dynamic bodies
• Masculine, frightening figures that protect the Buddha
• Dramatic contrapposto
• Joint block technique (yosegi zukuri)
• Layered wooden planks & blocks
• Initially painted
• Cross-ion of the tion  cultural comparison to greco-roman sculpture
• Great Buddha (the Daibutsu)
• Massive bronze statue
• Sits atop a bronze lotus petal pedestal
• reflective of the elegant naturalism style of the Nara era
• Engraved with images of the shaka & bodhisattvas
• Shaka = the historical Buddha
• Bodhisattva = a deity who refrains from entering nirvana to help others
• Recreation of the original (which was destroyed by a 12th century fire)
• The Great South Gate
• 2 stories are same size; unusual in Japanese architecture (usually upper story is smaller)
• Roof supported by huge pillars
• Unusual in that it has no ceiling; roof is exposed from below
• Overall effect is of proportion & stateliness

Great Buddha

• Cross cultural comparisons: images of Buddha across Asia
• Bamiyan Buddha
• Jowo Rinpoche
• Longmen Caves
• Influenced by these monumental Chinese sculptures
• The inspiration for the Great Buddha statu

Great South Gate

• Cross-cultural comparisons: entrances
• Great Portal, Chartres
• North Gate of the Great Stupa
• Front Gate of the Forbidden City