Monograph No. 8
SYMPOSIUM of CULTURAL HISTORY NO. 2.
‐ CONTENTS ‐
Page
On the Five Buddhist statues of Kondo 金堂 (Main Hall) of the Muroji Temple 室生寺
Dr. T. Kobayashi 4
A Statue of Crown Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子 of the Domyoji Temple 道明寺
Dr. T. Kobayashi
J. Sugiyama 5
A Serial Portrait of the Eight High Priests of the Shinshu Sect in the Ryujoji Temple 滝上寺 and Zonkaku Sode-Nikki 存覚袖日記, a Pocket Diary of High Priest Zonkaku ‐ an approach to the new tendency of Buddhist paintings in Kamakura period
T. Hamada 6
A study of Fukusa 袱紗 Satin Wrappers, of the Konbuin Temple 興福院, Nara
K. Morita 8
On the Five Buddhist Statues of the Kondo 金堂 (Main Hall) of the Muroji Temple 室生寺
by Dr. T. Kobayashi
It is widely admitted that the five Buddhist statues of the Kondo 金堂 (Main Hall) of the Muroji Temple are the masterpieces belonging to early Heian period, 9th century. However, the essential problems as to the statues, that is to say, their names and the dates of their erection, has not been fully studied. Here the author takes up these problems and concludes, as follows: these statues are the expression of the so-called “Yakushi Mandara,” a Buddhist conception of the world according to the Yakushi cult, and they were erected at 9th year of Jogan （貞観） 367 A. D.
List of Plates
1. Stupa of the Muroji Temple 室生寺.
2. Kondo 金堂 (Main Hall) of the Muroji Temple.
3. Old map of the Muroji Temple.
4. Request letter of Nenbun-dosha 年分度者. (Annual Scholars, of the Temple)
5. Five Buddhist statues of Kondo.
6. Yakushi-Nyorai 薬師如来, Bhaisajya- guru.
7. ditto, a detail.
8. Monju-Bosatsu 文殊菩薩, Manjusri.
9. ditto, a detail.
10. Miroku-Bosatsu 弥勒菩薩, Maitreya.
11. ditto, a detail.
12. Juichimen-Kannon 十一面観音, Avalokitesvara-ekadasamukha.
13. ditto, a detail.
14. ditto, a detail.
15. Kudatsu-Bosatsu 救脱菩薩.
16. ditto, a detail.
17. Lotus pedestal of Yakushi-Nyorai 薬師如来.
18. Lotus pedestal of Monju-Bosatsu 文殊菩薩.
19. Lotus pedestal of Juichimen-Kannon 十一面観音.
20. Halo behind of Kudatsu-Bosatsu 救脱菩薩.
A Statue of Crown Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子
of the Domyoji Temple 道明寺
by Dr. T. Kobayashi and J. Sugiyama
The Domyoji Temple is an old nunnery situated in the town of Domyoji-cho, Osaka Prefecture. In this temple there is a portrait statue of Crown Prince Shotoku which is said to be an image of the prince when he was sixteen years old. From a historical point of view, the author treats in this paper upon its sculptor, the intention of the erection and its financial background. The study was mainly carried out on the materials which were found from the inside of the body of the statue, and he has made out that the statue was erected at 19th year of Koan (1286 A, D), and about ninty nuns and female followers, most whom belonged to those nunneries of the Domyoji, Hokkeji and kyosyoin Temples, etc., colaborated in the erection. They were the pupils of High Priest Eison of the Saidaiji Temple, the reviver of the Ritsu (Vinaya) Sect in Kamakura period. The person in charge of the work, Lady Nun Ryosho was a noble. These facts may lead to the assumption that main sculptors engaged therein belonged to the Inpa (Sculptors of In （院）-school) school of Impertal appointment. The plastic disposition and surface composition will verify this assumption. This is the result of a joint-study.
List of Plates
1~4. Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子 of the Domyoji Temple 道明寺.
5. The Shoman-kyo Sutra 勝鬘経 one of the including manuscripts of this statue.
6. The Daihannya-kyo Sutra 大般若経 ditto.
7. Mondo 問答 (Dialogue) between Zenkoji-Nyorai 善光寺如来 and Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子, ditto.
8. Koshiki 講式 of Prince Shotoku of the Saidaiji Temple 西大寺.
9. Engi 縁起 of the Hokkeji Temple 法華寺.
10. Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子 of the Toshodaiji Temple 唐招提寺.
A Serial Portrait of the Eight High Priests of the Shinshu Sect in the Ryujoji temple 滝上寺 and Zonkaku Sode-Nikki 存覚袖日記 a Pocket Diary of High Priest Zonkaku ‐ an approach to the new tendency of Buddhist paintings in Kamakura period
by T. Hamada
Late in Kamakura period in 14th century A. D., the religious association of the Shinshu Sect 真宗 was still formative stage and it experienced many confusions caused from the conflict with the Honganji Temple 本願寺, which still held large territory of its own, and the problem of local mission was no less serious. The leading figure of the time was Zonkaku 存覚 (1290-1373), who was born to the High Priest Kakunyo 覚如 (1270-1351), a grandson of Shinran 親鸞 (1173-1262), the founder of the sect. Zonkaku, famed for his erudition, left many achievements and writings, but he was in opposition to his father Kakunyo on the doctrinal problem and they never conciliated their life time.
This set of portraits is rather to be called “E-keizu” 絵系図, a picture map of genealogy, which was exclusive to the Zonkaku association, depicting eight priests, i. e., the three priests who founded the Jodo Sect 浄土宗 and the five priests of the Kinshokuji Temple 錦織寺, Shiga prefecture, and the Ryujoji Temple 滝上寺, Nara Prefecture. To the former group belong Shen-tao （善導）, a Chinese priest (631-681), Honen 法然 (1133-1212) and Shinran 親鸞 (1173-1262), and to the latter belong Shoshin 性信 ( -1275), Gansho 願性 ( -1268), Zenmyo 善明 ( -?), Gutotsu 愚咄 ( -1352) and Shoku 性空 ( -1356).
The picture was presumably completed within a few years after the death of Shoku in 1356. Perhaps this is one of the oldest and the best qualified work among the history of picture relating to the Shinshu Sect.
Concerning this work, we are lucky enough to find two descriptions in Zonkaku Sode-Nikki 存覚袖日記 (Pocket Diary of Zonkaku), which justify its veritable relation to him, and this sort of painting is so rare that it is a very valuable material. As this E-keizu 絵系図 (portrait map of genealogy) is originally used for the missionary purpose by the Zonkaku’s association, it is rather natural that the lineage expressed, there is inconsistent with the orthodox Shinshu tradition, and we may say, here lies the real meaning of this painting as to the history of the Shinshu Sect.
Lastly, in order to explain the cultural and historical meaning of this work, the author presents the table of the passages pertaining to paintings in the pocket diary said above. Among these records, we find a few examples of the so-called Komyo-Honzon 光明本尊, a sort of popularized mandara exclusive to the Shinshu Sect; showing the founders and high priests of the Jodo 浄土 (“Land of Purity”) doctrines, arranging the portraits with the image of Amitabha in the centre. The comparative study of this Komyo-Honzon style with that of the present example is expected to throw more light on the religious side of the history of Kamakura paintings.
List of Plates
1. The Serial Portrait of Eight High Priests of the Shinshu sect of the Ryujoji Temple 滝上寺. (Coloured on Silk 124. 5×57.0cm)
2. High Priest Honen 法然上人a detail.
3. Priests Shoshin 性信 and Zenmyo 善明, a detail.
4. Priests Gansho 願性 and Gutotsu 愚咄, a detail.
5. Priests Zenmyo 善明 and Shoku 性空 a detail.
6. ditto, the first half.
7. Komyo-Honzon 光明本尊 of the Bukkoji Shozoin 仏光寺昌蔵院.
8. Komyo-Honzon 光明本尊 of the Bukkoji Korinan 仏光寺高林庵.
9. ditto, a detail.
10. E-Keizu 絵系図 of the Bukkoji 仏光寺.
A study of Fukusa 袱紗, Satin Wrappers, of the Konbuin Temple 興福院, Nara
by K. Morita
The Konbuin Temple, a nunnery, is situated at Horen-cho, Nara city, which is said to have been established in Nara period, 7th century, but it is not certain. It is since late in Momoyama period, 16th century, that it was definitely a nunnery, and in Edo period it prospered under the protection of Tokugawa Shogunate.
There in this nunnery are thirty-one sheets of satin wrappers, called Fukusa, which are the splendid works of masterpiece of dyeing, weaving and embroidery of Edo period, and we may say they are the oldest and invaluable artifact of the sort now remain in Japan.
These Satin wrappers are justly called ‘Kakefukusa’ and they were placed over the gifts and presented together with the gifts, according to classical custom. They may have their origin in China, but our knowledge is scanty as to when this custom became popular in Japan. It is assumed that this was practised already in Fujiwara or early Kamakura period, 12-13 century; however, there are no articles nor literatures particular to justify it. The Fukusa of the Konbuin Temple may be the oldest example in Japan.
All of there thirty-one sheets are the product of early Edo period, and were presented by Tsunayoshi, the fifth Shogun of the Tokugawa to Lady Zuishunin, his concubine, when he made her gifts such occasions as celeblation of the begining and the end of the year. He was at office of Shogun from 8th year of Enpo (1680) to 6th year of Hoei (1709), which covered th whole Genroku era, the golden age of the luxurious culture in modern Japan, and these Fukusa display the typical tendency of the time.
Each Fukusa is of 51.5cm square and is made from such textures as satin, (Shusu 繻子) , figured satin (Donsu 緞子) or damask silk (Rinzu 綸子) which were popular at that time. Each Fukusa is decorated with different patterns, skilfuly developed from the all kind of flower and grass, arrenging the lucky symbols and letters between them. These patterns are embroidered so elaborately with the eleven kinds of colored thread. The delicate arrengement of colored thread, the elaborate technique of embroidery and the refined composition of patterns are in complete harmony with each other and have made these Fukusa the splendid works of art of the highest standard.
Examining these works from the technique of the embroidery and the composition of the patterns, the author assumes that they are produced by the five groups of manufacturers.
The manufacturers of embroidery were lowly persons at that time, but they had the ardent will to produced the real works of art. They are mobilized by the absolute authority, the Shogun; however, they were engaged at their work with so high artistic consciences that we believe that the whole style of these works are rather to be appreciated as the expression of their conscience.
Now ‘Kakefukusa’ of remains very few in number, and we may say such Fukusa of excellent quality as the Konbuin’s are unique in this country. Their embroidery displays a real exhibition of all kinds of techniques known in Japan, showing the standard of the work to later periods.
We believe that the Konbuin examples are ought to be highly regarded as of the rare specimens of old Fukusa showing the splendid technique of embroidery art, and also as the valuable material for the study of the arts of Edo period.
List of Plates
1~23. Fukusas 袱紗 (Satin Drappers), the Konbuin Temple 興福院.
昭和三十五年二月十日発行
奈良国立文化財研究所学報 第八冊
文化史論叢
