Hōryū-ji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hōryū-ji法隆寺 |
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Kondo (left), and Pagoda (right)
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shōtoku |
| Deity | Shaka Nyorai (Śākyamuni) |
| Location | |
| Location | 1-1 Hōryū-ji Sannai, Ikaruga-chō, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture |
| Country | Japan |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Empress Suiko, Prince Shōtoku |
| Completed | 607 |
Hōryū-ji (Japanese: 法隆寺, Hepburn: Temple of the Flourishing Dharma) is a famous Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji (法隆学問寺), which means "Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law." It was a place for monks to study and live.
Prince Shōtoku founded the temple in 607. However, old records say that all its buildings burned down in 670 due to a lightning strike. Even so, the Kondō (main hall) was rebuilt. It is now known as the world's oldest wooden building, standing for over 1,300 years.
On January 26, 1949, a fire broke out during repairs to the Kondō. It destroyed a very old mural from the Asuka period, which was a national treasure. This event shocked Japan. Because of this fire, January 26 is now a special day for fire prevention for cultural treasures.
In 1993, Hōryū-ji Temple became Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was listed along with Hokki-ji under the name Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area.
Scientists studied the wood from the five-story pagoda in 2001. They found that the main pillar was cut in 594. This was before the fire in 670.
Contents
History of Hōryū-ji Temple
Prince Shōtoku first ordered the temple to be built. At that time, it was called Wakakusadera. This first temple was likely finished by 607. Hōryū-ji was built to honor the prince's father. It was dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing.
In 1939, digs showed that Prince Shōtoku's palace was where the Tō-in (eastern part) of the temple is today. They also found ruins of the first temple. This original temple, called Wakakusa-garan, was probably destroyed by lightning in 670. The temple was rebuilt, but in a slightly different spot. The new temple was likely finished around 711. It was also repaired many times over the centuries.
Prince Shōtoku's Importance
During the Kamakura period, people in Japan started to admire Prince Shōtoku even more. Hōryū-ji became a very important place to honor the prince. Special ceremonies for him, like the Shōryō-e, began in the early 12th century. This ceremony is still held today.
New buildings were added to Hōryū-ji during the Kamakura and early Heian period. These halls were built to honor the prince. People believed he was a bodhisattva (a wise being). The growing respect for Prince Shōtoku helped Hōryū-ji become a well-known temple. By the 1800s, the temple received a lot of money from the government.
Changes in the Meiji Period
In the early Meiji period, big political changes happened in Japan. Shinto became the official state religion in 1868. This meant the government took over many Buddhist lands. Buddhist temples also lost financial support. Hōryū-ji faced new challenges.
Because of fewer resources, the monks at Hōryū-ji decided to give many of the temple's treasures to museums. They received money for these items, which helped the temple financially. Major restoration work on the temple began in 1934. This work stopped during Second World War. Large parts of the temple were taken apart and hidden to protect them. Luckily, the temple was saved from bombings during the war.
The restoration project started again after the war and finished in 1985. Many parts of the temple were fixed from damage over hundreds of years. Today, Hōryū-ji is the main temple of the Shōtoku sect. It is a popular place for pilgrims and tourists. The temple website says it has over 180 National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. It was also the first building in Japan to become a World Heritage Site.
Amazing Architecture
Temple Layout
The temple today has two main parts: the Sai-in (western area) and the Tō-in (eastern area). The western part has the Kondō (main hall) and the five-story pagoda. The Tō-in area has the octagonal Yumedono Hall (Hall of Dreams). This hall is about 122 meters east of the Sai-in area. The temple also has living areas for monks, lecture halls, and dining halls.
Building Style
The rebuilt buildings show strong influences from other cultures. You can see styles from the Three Kingdoms of Korea, especially Baekje. There are also influences from ancient China and even ancient Greek architecture, especially in the columns.
Hōryū-ji's reconstruction created a special mix of early Asuka period styles. It also has unique features not seen in later buildings. For example, the fifth story of the pagoda is very small. The temple is also home to special early Japanese architecture, like the Tamamushi Shrine. Some experts say Hōryū-ji's style is more "traditional" than other buildings from the same time.
The Pagoda
The five-story pagoda is in the Sai-in area. It stands about 32.45 meters (122 feet) tall. It is one of the oldest wooden buildings still standing in the world. The main pillar of the pagoda was cut in 594. This pillar goes three meters into the ground below a large foundation stone.
At the base of the pillar, there is a relic believed to be a piece of the Buddha's bones. Around it, four carved scenes show parts of the Buddha's life. They face the four main directions. The pagoda has five stories, but you cannot go inside, which is common for pagodas.
The Kondō (Main Hall)
The Kondō is next to the pagoda in the Sai-in area. It is another one of the world's oldest wooden buildings. The hall is about 18.5 meters long and 15.2 meters wide. It has two stories with curved roofs. Only the first story has a double roof. This second roof was added later to support the original roof, which stuck out more than four meters.
A fire on January 26, 1949, badly damaged the building, especially its first floor and the murals. After repairs finished in 1954, about 15 to 20 percent of the original 7th-century wood was left. The burned pieces were carefully removed and stored for future study.
Recent studies of the wood from the 1950s repairs show that some pieces were cut before 670. This suggests that the current Kondō might have been under construction when the "fire in 670" happened. This fire was recorded in the Nihon Shoki as burning down the old Wakakusa-garan.
The hall holds the famous Shaka Triad, along with bronze Yakushi and Amida Nyorai statues. These are all national treasures. The wall paintings you see in the Kondō today are copies made in 1967.
Yumedono (Hall of Dreams)
Yumedono is a main building in the Tō-in area. It stands where Prince Shōtoku's private palace once was. This hall was built in 739 to comfort the prince's spirit. It got its common name, "Hall of Dreams," later. A legend says a Buddha appeared as Prince Shōtoku and meditated in a hall here. The hall also holds the famous Yumedono Kannon statue, which is only shown at certain times of the year.
Temple Treasures
The treasures at Hōryū-ji are like a time capsule of Buddhist art from the 6th and 7th centuries. Many of the paintings, statues, and other artworks, as well as the temple buildings themselves, show strong influences from China, Korea, and India. They also show how Buddhism was practiced in Japan.
The Tokyo National Museum has over 300 objects that Hōryū-ji gave to the Imperial family in 1878. Some of these items are on display. All of them can be studied as part of the museum's digital collection.
Kudara Kannon Statue
The Kudara Kannon is one of the best Buddhist sculptures from the Asuka period. It was probably made in the early to mid-7th century. It is 209 cm (about 6 feet 10 inches) tall and has a very slim shape. Most of it is made of camphor wood. Some parts were once covered in lacquer and brightly colored, but the lacquer has worn away.
The statue's exact origin is a mystery. Old lists of Hōryū-ji's treasures don't mention it. The first record of it is from 1698. It suggests the statue was moved from somewhere else. This record called it Kokūzō Bosatsu, not Kannon Bosatsu. It also said it "came from Baekje, but was made in India."
Today, it is called the Kudara Kannon. In 1911, a crown for the statue was found. It had a small Amitabha figure, which is typical for Kannon statues. Since then, it has been known as a Kannon. The name Kudara Kannon first appeared in a book in 1917.
Some modern studies suggest the statue was made in Japan during the Asuka period. It is carved from camphor wood, which was common for Japanese Buddhist sculptures in the 7th century. The base and the water bottle it holds are made of Japanese hinoki cypress, a tree found only in Japan. Also, the flower designs on the crown look like those on other Kannon statues in the Kondō.
Kondō Murals
The murals in the Kondō cover fifty walls. There are four large walls, eight medium-sized walls, and thirty-eight small wall areas inside. The original murals were taken out after the 1949 fire. They are now kept in a special treasure house. Twenty small wall paintings were not harmed by the fire and are still in their original places. Copies replaced the damaged parts.
It is believed that the paintings on the large walls show the Pure Land (浄土 jōdo). They feature Shaka, Amida, Miroku, and Yakushi Nyorai Buddhas. Some artistic styles, like how the robes are painted, are similar to murals in Ajanta Caves (India) or Dunhuang (China).
Experts think these paintings were made at the end of the 7th century. This means they were not created by earlier artists like Tori or Donchō. The true artist is unknown.
Shaka Triad
Tori Busshi is believed to have created this huge Buddhist statue. It is a triad, meaning it has three figures. Sakyamuni, the main Buddha, is in the center. He is joined by Bhaisajyaguru on his right and Amitābha on his left. The statues were made in 623. Their style comes from Northern Wei art. This style is also called Tori style. It is known for the figures looking flat and the cloth having repeating patterns. At each corner of the triad stand four wooden Shitennō statues. They are the oldest examples of Shitennō statues in Japan.
Tamamushi Shrine
The Tamamushi Shrine is a small wooden Buddhist shrine. It is kept in Hōryū-ji's Great Treasure Repository. The shrine is named after the shiny wings of the tamamushi beetle that once decorated it. These wings have since worn away. The shrine was probably made before 693, possibly even before Hōryū-ji was built. It is special because it is very small (only 226 centimeters tall) and is the oldest surviving shrine of its kind in East Asia.
The shrine is covered with paintings of Jataka tales (stories about Buddha's past lives), bodhisattvas, the Four Heavenly Kings, and other Buddhist images. The front panels show the Four Guardian Kings in armor. The side doors have bodhisattvas holding lotus blossoms. The back shows a sacred landscape with pagodas. The base shows relics, monks, and apsara (heavenly beings). The back of the base shows Mount Sumeru. The right side shows a scene from the Nirvana Sutra, where the Buddha offers his life for teachings. The left side shows a scene from the Golden Light Sutra of a bodhisattva feeding a hungry tigress and her cubs.
Yakushi Nyorai Statue
The statue of Yakushi from the original temple was saved during the fire of 670. The Shaka Triad was ordered or already made while the temple was being rebuilt.
Yumedono (Guze) Kannon Statue
This Kannon statue is thought to be a representation of Prince Shōtoku. It is about 197 centimeters (six feet one inch) tall. Some believe Prince Shōtoku was this height. The Kannon is made of gilded wood. It is thought the statue was made to comfort the dead prince's spirit. This is because the halo was attached to the statue by a nail driven through its head. The statue looks very much like old pictures of the prince.
The Kannon still has most of its gold plating. It is in excellent condition because it was kept in the Dream Hall. It was wrapped in 500 meters of cloth and never seen in sunlight. The statue was considered very sacred. It was not seen until Ernest Fenollosa asked for it to be unwrapped. He was asked by the Japanese government to list the country's art. Art historians think this statue is based on the Tori Busshi style.
Architectural Research
The Nihon Shoki (an old Japanese record) says that a carpenter and a Buddhist sculptor came to Japan from Baekje in 577. They came with monks to build temples. These experts worked in Naniwa, which is now Osaka, where the Shitennō-ji was built.
However, there are no records about who built Hōryū-ji. The Nihon Shoki does say that there were 46 temples in 624. The way the brackets are made at Hōryū-ji looks like those on a small bronze pagoda from Baekje.
Images for kids
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Kudarakan'nondō
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Kondō and pagoda
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Bronze lantern
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Yumedono roof decoration
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Guardian statue
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Reidō and the Cloister of Toin
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Onigawara roof tile
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Dragon ornaments on the roof
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The Horyu-ji complex
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Panoramic view
See also
In Spanish: Hōryū-ji para niños
- Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area
- Buddhist temples in Japan
- Hokki-ji
- Japanese architecture
- List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
- World Heritage Sites in Japan
- Prince Shōtoku
