Tōdai-ji

Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Todaiji temple, "Eastern Great Temple") is a

Origins

Role in early Japanese Buddhism

Tōdai-ji
"Tōdai-ji" in kanji
Japanese name
Kanji	東大寺
Transcriptions Romanization Tōdai-ji

According to legend, the monk Gyōki went to Ise Grand Shrine to reconcile Shinto with Buddhism. He spent seven days and nights reciting sutras until the oracle declared Vairocana Buddha compatible with worship of the sun goddess Amaterasu.^[9]

Under the

As the center of power in Japanese Buddhism shifted away from Nara to Mount Hiei and the Tendai sect, and when the centre of political power in Japan moved from the emperor's capital to the

Architecture

Initial construction

In 743,

The original complex contained two 100 m pagodas, making them some of the tallest structures at the time. They were located on either side of the complex, one on the western (西塔) and one on the eastern side (東塔).^[22] The pagodas themselves were surrounded by a walled courtyard with four gates.^[23] These were destroyed by an earthquake. One of the sōrin finials survived and is standing at the spot where one of the pagodas used to stand.

The Shōsōin was its storehouse, and now contains many artifacts from the Tenpyō period of Japanese history.

Reconstructions post-Nara Period

The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) has been rebuilt twice after fire. The current building was finished in 1709, and although immense—57 metres (187 ft) long, 50 metres (160 ft) wide and 49 metres (161 ft) high—it is actually 30% smaller than its predecessor, being reduced from 11 to 7 bays wide due to lack of funds. Until 1998, it was the world's largest wooden building.

The temple gives the following dimensions for the statue:[27]

• Height: 14.98 m (49 ft 2 in)
• Face: 5.33 m (17 ft 6 in)
• Eyes: 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in)
• Nose: 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in)
• Ears: 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)

The statue's shoulders are 28 meters across and there are 960 six curls atop its head.^[28] The Birushana Buddha's golden halo is 27 m (87 ft) in diameter with 16 images each 2.4 m (8 ft) tall.^[29]

Recently, using x-rays, a human tooth, along with pearls, mirrors, swords, and jewels were discovered inside of the knee of the Great Buddha; these are believed to be the relics of

The Tōdai-ji Culture Center opened on October 10, 2011, comprising a museum to exhibit the many sculptures and other treasures enshrined in the various temple halls, along with a library and research centre, storage facility, and auditorium.^[31][32][33]

Japanese national treasures

The architectural master-works are classified as:

Major historical events

• 728: Kinshōsen-ji, the forerunner of Tōdai-ji, is established as a gesture of appeasement for the troubled spirit of Prince Motoi.
• 741: Emperor Shōmu calls for nationwide establishment of provincial temples,^[34] and Kinshōsen-ji appointed as the head provincial temple of Yamato.
• 743: The Emperor commands that a very large Buddha image statue shall be built—the
  Shigaraki-no-miya.^[35]
• 745: The capital returns to
  Heijō-kyō, construction of the Great Buddha resumes in Nara. Usage of the name Tōdai-ji appears on record.^[36]
• 752: The Eye-opening Ceremony celebrating the completion of the Great Buddha held.[37]
• 855: The head of the great statue of the Buddha Vairocana suddenly fell to the ground; and gifts from the pious throughout the empire were collected to create another, more well-seated head for the restored Daibutsu.^[38]

In popular culture

Matsuo Bashō refers to the Great Buddha statue in a haiku (1689–1670): 初雪や / いつ大仏 / の柱立.
"First snow!/ When Buddha's great statue/ pillar-erection"^[39]
And,
"First snow and / there stands the great Buddha / a pillar of strength"^[40]

Tōdai-ji has been used as a location in several Japanese films and television dramas. It was also used in the 1950s John Wayne movie The Barbarian and the Geisha when Nandaimon, the Great South Gate, doubled as a city's gates.

On May 20, 1994, the international music festival

Tony Hollingsworth

, was simultaneously broadcast in 55 countries on May 22 and 23, 1994.

The 2007 animation series Mononoke (モノノ怪), which is a spin-off of the 2006 horror anthology series Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, references the Tōdai-ji, particularly the treasure room Shōsōin, in Episodes 8 and 9.

The Tōdai-ji is used as the Japanese wonder in Age of Empires II.

The Tōdai-ji is the subject of the 2003 novella "A Mountain to the North, A Lake to the South, Paths to the West, A River to the East" ("Északról hegy, Délről tó, Nyugatról utak, Keletről folyó") by László Krasznahorkai.

International outreach

Following the catastrophic

Kegon

sect of Buddhism, was soliciting funds in this way. The English version declared, "Todai-ji temple has been reconstructed every time it burned down by big fires thanks to the significant effort of many people.  We sincerely express our deepest sympathy for the tragedy that hit the Notre-Dame de Paris. Going beyond the creed, we would like to ask everyone for your support to reconstruct the cathedral."

Gallery

• 
  Guardian figure, Tōdai-ji.
• 
  The Tengai-mon is also a National Treasure (8th century).
• 
  Hokke-dō is also a National Treasure (8th century).
• 
  Nigatsu-dō is also a National Treasure (17th century).
• 
  Daibutsu; Note caretaker standing at base for scale.
• 
  Stone Jizō from grounds of Tōdai-ji.
• 
  Komokuten, one of the pair of guardians in the Daibutsuden
• 
  Bishamonten watching over Tōdai-ji and its precincts.
• 
  Bronze bell
• 
  Shuni-e held March 1 to 14 in Nigatsu-dō.
• 
  Onigawara roof tiles
• 
  Bodhisattvas

  incised on Lotus Petal of the throne of the main Buddha, 8th century.
• 
  Incised image on Lotus Petal of the throne of the main Buddha, 8th century.
• 
  Relief of a Bodhisattva playing a flute on the temple's 8th century Octagonal Lantern.
• 
  Sōrin
• 
  Agyo, one of two great gate guardians within Nandaimon, was created by Unkei, Kaikei, and other sculptors in 1203
• 
  The main hall, with festival decorations
• 
  A supporting post in the Daibutsuden has a hole said to be the same size as one of the Daibutsu's nostrils. Legend has it that those who pass through it will be blessed with enlightenment in their next life.
• 
  Shaka at Birth (National Treasure)
• 
  Gakko Bosatsu
• 
  TAMONTEN
• 
  Vajirapani Shukongoshin
• 
  Fukukensaku Kwannon of Hokkedo
• 
  Kokūzō Bosatsu
• 
  Nyoirin-kannon
• 
  Wooden Binzuru (healer) sculpture at Todai-ji temple

See also

• For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism.
• Kanjin#Kanjinshoku of Todai-ji
• Kōtoku-in, location of the Kamakura Great Buddha
• List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
• List of tallest structures built before the 20th century
• Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples of Nanto
• Old Government Buildings (Wellington)
  , New Zealand – second-largest wooden building in the world
• Ostankino Palace, third-largest wooden building in the world^[42]
• Shōhō-ji, location of the Gifu Great Buddha
• Siege of Nara
• Tamukeyama Hachiman Shrine
  , Shinto shrine near the temple precincts
• Tourism in Japan
• Tōdai-ji Hachiman

Notes

1. ^ "Todaiji". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
2. ISBN 0-674-69005-2
   .
3. ISBN 0-8047-1510-6
   .
4. ^
   ISBN 0-8160-5622-6
   .
5. ISBN 0-8160-5622-6
   .
6. OCLC 5145872.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link
   )
7. ISBN 978-0816048939
   .
8. ^ Hall, John W., et al., eds. (1988). The Cambridge history of Japan, pp. 398–400.
9. ^ Mino, Yutaka (1986). The Great Eastern Temple: Treasures of Japanese Buddhist Art From Tōdai-Ji. Garland Publishing Inc. p. 22.
10. ^
    ISBN 0-231-11286-6
    .
11. ISBN 0-231-05933-7
    .
12. ISBN 0-231-11286-6
    .
13. ^ NARA Prefecture. "1300年前に海を渡ってきた文化は奈良から日本各地へと広まった" [The culture that crossed the sea 1300 years ago spread to Japan]. The general Supervisor of the Giant Buddha is a craftsman from Baekje, In the construction of Todai-ji Temple, a craftsman from Silla was in charge of the general supervision. And The stone lion making was of the craftsman from Southern Song. like this Many Chinese and Korean and those descendants contributed to the construction of Todai-ji Temple and the construction of the Giant Buddha.
14. ^ ^{a b} "Official Tōdai-ji Homepage" (in Japanese). Retrieved March 11, 2007.
15. ^ Huffman, James L. (2010). Japan in World History. New York: Oxford University Press.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
16. ^ The same record keeps track of some prominent persons, among many others, being involved in the construction. E.g. Kuninaka-no-muraji Kimimaro, whose grandfather was an immigrant from the Baekje Kingdom on the Korean peninsula, is believed to have directed the construction of the Great Buddha and the Hall. Takechi-no-sanekuni is believed to have directed the sculpture part.
17. ^ The height of the original Buddha.
18. ^ Brown, Delmer et al. (1979). Gukanshō, p. 286.
19. ISBN 0-253-20390-2
    .
20. ^ Dresser, Christopher (1882). Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufactures. New York and London. p. 89.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
21. ISBN 0-253-20390-2
    .
22. ^ お探しのページは移動もしくは削除されてしまった可能性があります
23. ^ お探しのページは移動もしくは削除されてしまった可能性があります
24. ^ "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara – UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
25. ^ Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System (JAANUS), "Niou" (仁王); "A un" (阿吽), 2001, retrieved 2011-04-14.
26. ^ Sterngold, James. "Japan Restores Old Temple Gods". The New York Times. December 28, 1991, retrieved 2011-04-14; excerpt, "The Nio are known as Ungyo, which by tradition has a closed mouth, and Agyo, which has an open mouth. The figures, which appear in some form in many Buddhist temples, are powerful bare-chested gods, wielding heavy cudgels to ward off evil spirits. Ungyo was restored first. The more delicate parts were removed, including the long ribbon streaming from its top knot. Then the statue was swathed in thick layers of cotton, laid on its back and rolled slowly to a large metal shed built for the conservation. Ungyo was replaced this year and then Agyo was removed to the shed for restoration, a process that is likely to take two years."
27. ^ "大仏さまの大きさ". Archived from the original on February 19, 2012.
28. ^ Dresser, Christopher (1882). Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufactures. New York and London. p. 94.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
29. ^ Dresser, Christopher (1882). Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufactures. New York and London. p. 89.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
30. ISBN 0-674-00245-8
    .
31. ^ "Todaiji unveils museum to show ancient treasures". The Japan Times. October 12, 2011. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2012. Alt URL
32. ^ 東大寺総合文化センター [Tōdaiji Culture Center] (in Japanese). Tōdai-ji. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
33. ^ "Nara's Todaiji Cultural Center Completed". Nagata Acoustics. February 25, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
34. ^ Varley, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, pp. 141–142.
35. ^ Titsingh, Isaac. (134). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 72; Brown, p. 273.
36. ^ Titsingh, pp. 72–73.
37. ^ Titsingh, p. 74; Varley, p. 142 n59.
38. ^ Titsingh, p. 114; Brown, p. 286.
39. ISBN 9780791484654
    .
40. ^ "WordPress.com". WordPress.com.
41. ^ Nippon.com (April 22, 2019). "Notre Dame Fire Heightens Vigilance at Historic Sites in Japan". Nippon.com. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
42. ^ "В столице остается все меньше деревянных зданий". Newstube.ru. Retrieved August 15, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tōdai-ji.

• The official Tōdai-ji homepage (Japanese) (English)
• Tōdai-ji Guide GoJapanGo
• Photos of Tōdai-ji Temple, its Lotus Hall and Ordination Hall
• Photos of Tōdai-ji Temple and sika deer
• Todaiji Temple, from The Official Nara Travel Guide
• 251381458 Tōdai-ji on OpenStreetMap