Shin-Yakushi-ji
Encyclopedia
is a Buddhist temple
of the Kegon
sect in Nara
, Japan
. It was founded in 747 by Empress Kōmyō
. Initially a large complete Shichidō garan
temple, it suffered from fire damage and deteriorated during the Heian period
. The temple was revived during the Kamakura period
. Only one building, the present main hall or , has survived from the 8th century. All other structures date to the Kamakura period
.
Shin-Yakushi-ji owns several cultural assets. The Hon-dō, the principal image of Yakushi Nyorai and eleven statues of the Twelve Heavenly Generals
have been designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
of the government of Japan as National Treasures
.
Yakushi refers to the principal image of the healing Buddha Yakushi Nyorai. Besides the veneration of Yakushi Nyorai, there is no connection to the famous Yakushi-ji
which is also located in Nara.
, Shin-Yakushi-ji was founded in March 747 as by Empress Kōmyō
wishing for the recovery of her husband, Emperor Shōmu
, who suffered from an eye ailment. She had a large nine bay
temple hall (Kon-dō) built and statues of the enshrined in it. Such statues were thought to be efficacious against the evil spirits of dead political figures.
Together with the Yakushi Nyorai, statues of attendants Nikkō Bosatsu
and Gakkō Bosatsu, and groups of Twelve Heavenly Generals
were enshrined in the main hall or Kon-dō. Next to the Kon-dō an east and a west pagoda
were erected. In those early days more than 100 monks were studying at the temple. There were living quarters for the monks and many other structures. It was a complete seven-structured temple, a Shichidō garan
covering around 200,000 m2.
In 780, 33 years after the foundation, many buildings were destroyed by fire which was caused by a thunderbolt. When the Kon-dō was destroyed in the mid Heian period
, another building, today's Hon-dō became the main hall of the temple. It is thought that this building used to be the . The Twelve Heavenly Generals
surrounding the main image of Yakushi Nyorai were transferred to the hall from the ruined located not far from Shin-Yakushi-ji on the foot of Mount Kasuga.
In the Kamakura period the priests (posthumous name: Getatsu Shōnin) and Myōe
restored the temple after the general decline. Around that time today's East Gate, South Gate, belfry and Jizō Hall were built.
is the oldest extant structure at Shin-Yakushi-ji and one of the oldest wooden buildings in Japan. However it was not designed as the main hall of the temple. The Kon-dō from the time of founding differed from the present main hall in size and its position within the temple grounds. Until about the mid-Heian period
the two structures coexisted. During the Kengen
era (1302–1303) the Hon-dō was thoroughly restored.
The construction features a large hip-and-gable irimoya
style roof and white washed walls.
Inside thick pillars placed on the dirt floor carry the roof. The open ceiling which used to be painted red, leaves the sheathing beams and rafters visible. There is a stained glass window in the east wall of the hall. The Hon-dō has been designated as a National Treasure
and houses the main image of Yakushi Nyorai surrounded by a group of Twelve Heavenly Generals.
, is the oldest extant example of a . It was built during the Kamakura period
at the end of the 12th or the beginning of the 13th century. Gates in this style only appear in high ranking temples or Imperial Palace gates, thus indicating the former status of Shin-Yakushi-ji. The four posts of the gate have very wide chamfer
ed edges and are placed on a platform of unhewn rocks.
. The gate has been designated as Important Cultural Property.
. Currently an image of the Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy is enshrined in the building.
and a designated Important Cultural Property. The building features a flared, skirt-like lower portion, also known as style, which became popular in the late Heian period
and thereafter.
The bell, an Important Cultural Property, is reportedly the hanging bell of the at Gangō-ji
and dates to the Nara period
. It is famous through the story of an ogre
which is told in the Nihon Ryōiki
. According to this legend, in the Asuka period
there lived an Oni in the belfry at Gangō-ji who was tormenting the people. The Oni, known by the names or , was the spirit of a villainous manservant of the temple. One day, a child with superhuman strength who had joined the temple, decides to kill the ogre and lies in wait in the belfry. At early dawn the Oni appears; the child seizes the Oni by his hair and drags him around. At dawn, the Oni had lost all his hair and takes to flight.
The child chases after him but loses him at a crossroad. Later, the superhuman child enters priesthood and becomes the . After the belfry at Gangō-ji burns down, the bell is transferred to nearby Shin-Yakushi-ji. The scars on the bell are said to be the fingernail marks of the Oni. The area around the crossroad at which the Oni lost his pursuer has been named and the place he turns into hiding , literally: Oni hiding mountain.
seated Yakushi Nyorai is the principal image of Shin-Yakushi-ji. He is placed on a huge (9 m diameter, 90 cm high) circular platform (Dais
) which almost entirely fills the Hon-dō. Together with six small on its halo, the main statue forms a group of . Yakushi Nyorai is protected by Twelve Heavenly Generals
arranged in a circular fashion around it facing outward.
The present image is probably not one of those that had been installed in the original Kon-dō and were made in a technique. However there are conflicting theories concerning the origin of the present statue. It might have been carved in 793 together with the reconstruction of the temple after fire damage.
Generally it is considered to be a work of the end of the 8th century and a good representative example of early Heian period
wooden sculptures. It is cut from a single Hinoki tree and neither paint nor lacquer have been applied to the wood except for some colour to indicate facial features. Distinctive are the protuberant lips, well defined curls and large nose. The eyebrows painted in black are narrow and acute. His right arm is lifted showing the Mudra
of no fear (Abhayamudra
) while his left arm rests on his leg with the palm of his hand turned up holding a medicine pot.
During an investigation in 1975, eight scrolls of the Lotus Sutra
from the early Heian period
were discovered inside the body of the sculpture. The scrolls have been designated as National Treasure.
, roughly life-size standing group of Twelve Heavenly Generals
from 729–749 is the oldest extant in Japan. It was made of unbaked clay and originally colored. The skin was salmon color. Beards were drawn with ink, cloths and armour painted in bright colors and gold foil applied in places. Not much of the original decoration remains. The statue of Haira was damaged in an earthquake at the end of the Edo period
and replaced by a wooden statue in 1931. As protective deities of Yakushi all twelve generals are placed in a circle surrounding the main image of Yakushi Nyorai. Eleven of the twelve statues have been designated as National Treasure. The image of Haira from the 20th century is excluded from the nomination. There are two different mappings of names to individual statues in place. In the following the first name is the one used by the temple. The second name, in parentheses, is as assigned in the National Treasure nomination.
The twelve statues in counter-clockwise order starting at the front right (south east) are:
, the whole group of Twelve Heavenly Generals was scanned
in three dimensions in 2001 and 2002.
Buddhist temples in Japan
Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In...
of the Kegon
Kegon
Kegon is the name of the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.Huayan studies were founded in Japan when, in 736, the scholar-priest Rōben originally a monk of the Hossō tradition invited Shinshō to give lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra at...
sect in Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was founded in 747 by Empress Kōmyō
Empress Komyo
was the Nara period consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu .A member of the Fujiwara clan, her father was Fujiwara no Fuhito and her mother was Agata Inukai no Michiyo . During her life she was also known as Asukabehime 安宿媛, Kōmyōshi 光明子, and Tōsanjō 藤三娘...
. Initially a large complete Shichidō garan
Shichidō garan
is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed by the word , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened to just garan. To which seven halls the term refers to varies, and...
temple, it suffered from fire damage and deteriorated during the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. The temple was revived during the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
. Only one building, the present main hall or , has survived from the 8th century. All other structures date to the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
.
Shin-Yakushi-ji owns several cultural assets. The Hon-dō, the principal image of Yakushi Nyorai and eleven statues of the Twelve Heavenly Generals
Twelve Heavenly Generals
In some Buddhist denominations, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing...
have been designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
The , also known as MEXT or Monkashō, is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871....
of the government of Japan as National Treasures
National treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
.
Name
The in the name is usually translated as new. In the case of Shin-Yakushi-ji however it is said to have the meaning of .Yakushi refers to the principal image of the healing Buddha Yakushi Nyorai. Besides the veneration of Yakushi Nyorai, there is no connection to the famous Yakushi-ji
Yakushi-ji
is one of the most famous imperial and ancient Buddhist temples in Japan, located in Nara. The temple is the headquarters of the Hossō school of Japanese Buddhism...
which is also located in Nara.
History
According to records at Tōdai-jiTodai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
, Shin-Yakushi-ji was founded in March 747 as by Empress Kōmyō
Empress Komyo
was the Nara period consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu .A member of the Fujiwara clan, her father was Fujiwara no Fuhito and her mother was Agata Inukai no Michiyo . During her life she was also known as Asukabehime 安宿媛, Kōmyōshi 光明子, and Tōsanjō 藤三娘...
wishing for the recovery of her husband, Emperor Shōmu
Emperor Shomu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:...
, who suffered from an eye ailment. She had a large nine bay
Ken (architecture)
A is a measurement in Japanese architecture. It has two principal uses:* As a proportion for intervals between the pillars of traditional-style buildings. The word is translated in this case in English as "bay". Traditional buildings usually measure an odd number of bays, for example 3×3 or 5×5...
temple hall (Kon-dō) built and statues of the enshrined in it. Such statues were thought to be efficacious against the evil spirits of dead political figures.
Together with the Yakushi Nyorai, statues of attendants Nikkō Bosatsu
Nikko bosatsu
Suryaprabha Bodhisattva, or Nikkō Bosatsu in Japanese, is a bodhisattva whose specialty is sunlight and good health. Nikkō is often seen with Gakkō Bosatsu , as the two siblings serve Yakushi or the Medicine Buddha...
and Gakkō Bosatsu, and groups of Twelve Heavenly Generals
Twelve Heavenly Generals
In some Buddhist denominations, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing...
were enshrined in the main hall or Kon-dō. Next to the Kon-dō an east and a west pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
were erected. In those early days more than 100 monks were studying at the temple. There were living quarters for the monks and many other structures. It was a complete seven-structured temple, a Shichidō garan
Shichidō garan
is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed by the word , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened to just garan. To which seven halls the term refers to varies, and...
covering around 200,000 m2.
In 780, 33 years after the foundation, many buildings were destroyed by fire which was caused by a thunderbolt. When the Kon-dō was destroyed in the mid Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, another building, today's Hon-dō became the main hall of the temple. It is thought that this building used to be the . The Twelve Heavenly Generals
Twelve Heavenly Generals
In some Buddhist denominations, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing...
surrounding the main image of Yakushi Nyorai were transferred to the hall from the ruined located not far from Shin-Yakushi-ji on the foot of Mount Kasuga.
In the Kamakura period the priests (posthumous name: Getatsu Shōnin) and Myōe
Myoe
Myōe was a Japanese Buddhist monk active during the Kamakura period who also went by the name Kōben , and contemporary of Jōkei and Honen. Born into the Yuasa family , allegedly descended from a branch of the Fujiwara clan, he came to be ordained in both the Shingon school of Buddhism and the...
restored the temple after the general decline. Around that time today's East Gate, South Gate, belfry and Jizō Hall were built.
Hon-dō
The main hall, or , from the 8th century, Nara periodNara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
is the oldest extant structure at Shin-Yakushi-ji and one of the oldest wooden buildings in Japan. However it was not designed as the main hall of the temple. The Kon-dō from the time of founding differed from the present main hall in size and its position within the temple grounds. Until about the mid-Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
the two structures coexisted. During the Kengen
Kengen
was a after Shōan and before Kagen. This period spanned the years from November 1302 through August 1303. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1302 : The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events...
era (1302–1303) the Hon-dō was thoroughly restored.
The construction features a large hip-and-gable irimoya
Irimoya
A xieshan style or roof in Japanese architecture is a hip roof integrated on two opposing sides with a gable. It can be also described in English as a hip-and-gable, gablet, or Dutch gable roof...
style roof and white washed walls.
Inside thick pillars placed on the dirt floor carry the roof. The open ceiling which used to be painted red, leaves the sheathing beams and rafters visible. There is a stained glass window in the east wall of the hall. The Hon-dō has been designated as a National Treasure
National treasures of Japan
National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...
and houses the main image of Yakushi Nyorai surrounded by a group of Twelve Heavenly Generals.
South Gate
The , an Important Cultural PropertyImportant Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
, is the oldest extant example of a . It was built during the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
at the end of the 12th or the beginning of the 13th century. Gates in this style only appear in high ranking temples or Imperial Palace gates, thus indicating the former status of Shin-Yakushi-ji. The four posts of the gate have very wide chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed edges and are placed on a platform of unhewn rocks.
East Gate
The upper parts of the main pillars in the are split in two, held by . This unusual style points to a construction date in the early Kamakura periodKamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
. The gate has been designated as Important Cultural Property.
Jizō Hall
The , an Important Cultural Property, takes its name from the image of the deity Jizō that would have been enshrined in this building. It is a small 3.05 by construction in from the Kamakura periodKamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
. Currently an image of the Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy is enshrined in the building.
Belfry
Built in 1279, the is another structure from the Kamakura periodKamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
and a designated Important Cultural Property. The building features a flared, skirt-like lower portion, also known as style, which became popular in the late Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
and thereafter.
The bell, an Important Cultural Property, is reportedly the hanging bell of the at Gangō-ji
Gango-ji
is an ancient Buddhist temple, that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, in Nara, Japan.-History:The original foundation of the temple was by Soga no Umako in Asuka, as Asuka-dera...
and dates to the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
. It is famous through the story of an ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
which is told in the Nihon Ryōiki
Nihon Ryoiki
is an early Heian period setsuwa collection. Written by Kyōkai between 787 and 824, it is Japan's oldest collection of Buddhist setsuwa. It is three volumes in length.-Title:...
. According to this legend, in the Asuka period
Asuka period
The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
there lived an Oni in the belfry at Gangō-ji who was tormenting the people. The Oni, known by the names or , was the spirit of a villainous manservant of the temple. One day, a child with superhuman strength who had joined the temple, decides to kill the ogre and lies in wait in the belfry. At early dawn the Oni appears; the child seizes the Oni by his hair and drags him around. At dawn, the Oni had lost all his hair and takes to flight.
The child chases after him but loses him at a crossroad. Later, the superhuman child enters priesthood and becomes the . After the belfry at Gangō-ji burns down, the bell is transferred to nearby Shin-Yakushi-ji. The scars on the bell are said to be the fingernail marks of the Oni. The area around the crossroad at which the Oni lost his pursuer has been named and the place he turns into hiding , literally: Oni hiding mountain.
Yakushi Nyorai
The 191.5 cm, Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
seated Yakushi Nyorai is the principal image of Shin-Yakushi-ji. He is placed on a huge (9 m diameter, 90 cm high) circular platform (Dais
Dais
Dais is any raised platform located either in or outside of a room or enclosure, often for dignified occupancy, as at the front of a lecture hall or sanctuary....
) which almost entirely fills the Hon-dō. Together with six small on its halo, the main statue forms a group of . Yakushi Nyorai is protected by Twelve Heavenly Generals
Twelve Heavenly Generals
In some Buddhist denominations, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing...
arranged in a circular fashion around it facing outward.
The present image is probably not one of those that had been installed in the original Kon-dō and were made in a technique. However there are conflicting theories concerning the origin of the present statue. It might have been carved in 793 together with the reconstruction of the temple after fire damage.
Generally it is considered to be a work of the end of the 8th century and a good representative example of early Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
wooden sculptures. It is cut from a single Hinoki tree and neither paint nor lacquer have been applied to the wood except for some colour to indicate facial features. Distinctive are the protuberant lips, well defined curls and large nose. The eyebrows painted in black are narrow and acute. His right arm is lifted showing the Mudra
Mudra
A mudrā is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers...
of no fear (Abhayamudra
Abhayamudra
In the context of Hinduism, Abhayamudra, that is, the gesture of reassurance and safety, is a hand pose, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss to the devotee. In Abhayamudra, the right hand is held upright, and the palm is facing outwards...
) while his left arm rests on his leg with the palm of his hand turned up holding a medicine pot.
During an investigation in 1975, eight scrolls of the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
from the early Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
were discovered inside the body of the sculpture. The scrolls have been designated as National Treasure.
Twelve Heavenly Generals
The Nara periodNara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
, roughly life-size standing group of Twelve Heavenly Generals
Twelve Heavenly Generals
In some Buddhist denominations, the Twelve Heavenly Generals or Twelve Divine Generals are the protective deities, or yaksha, of Bhaisajyaguru, the buddha of healing...
from 729–749 is the oldest extant in Japan. It was made of unbaked clay and originally colored. The skin was salmon color. Beards were drawn with ink, cloths and armour painted in bright colors and gold foil applied in places. Not much of the original decoration remains. The statue of Haira was damaged in an earthquake at the end of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
and replaced by a wooden statue in 1931. As protective deities of Yakushi all twelve generals are placed in a circle surrounding the main image of Yakushi Nyorai. Eleven of the twelve statues have been designated as National Treasure. The image of Haira from the 20th century is excluded from the nomination. There are two different mappings of names to individual statues in place. In the following the first name is the one used by the temple. The second name, in parentheses, is as assigned in the National Treasure nomination.
The twelve statues in counter-clockwise order starting at the front right (south east) are:
- Bazara (Meikira): 162.9 cm, with hair standing on ends and an open mouth as if crying out. He holds a sword in his right hand.
- Anira (Anira): 154.2 cm, wearing a helmet and holding an arrow with both hands. He scrutinizes the nock of the arrow. As a whole he appears rather plump compared to other statues like the one of Meikira.
- Haira (Kubira): 159.5 cm. The original clay statue was damaged in an earthquake at the end of the Edo periodEdo periodThe , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. The present statue is wooden and dates to 1931. It is not a National Treasure. Haira is depicted wearing a helmet, holding a bow and arrow. - Bigyara (Bigyara): 162.1 cm, brandishing a , a type of vajraVajraVajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
, in his raised right arm. His left hand rests on his waist. Some color is visible on the back of his armour. - Makora (Makora): 170.1 cm, carries an axe in his right hand. His left hand rests on his waist. The hakamaHakamaare a type of traditional Japanese clothing. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both sexes. Hakama are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles. Hakama are worn over a kimono ....
falls below the knees, covering his shin armour. The area around his neck is covered by a cloth. - Kubira (Shōtora): 165.1 cm, has his right elbow raised to shoulder height, carrying a sword in his right hand. The tip of the sword is pointing at his left hand which is formed to a fist. Remains of a flower pattern are found on the , and the gold ground on the armour shows a pattern of small plates.
- Shōtora (Santera): 167.6 cm, his right hand with spread fingers resting on his waist and a sword in his left hand pointing down. His wild hair standing up is bound together in a topknot. One of his eyes is dark blue the other dark brown.
- Shintara (Shintara): 165.5 cm, holds a sacred gem in his right hand and a staff in his left hand. He is standing on a . The shin armour features a flame pattern painted with ink on gold ground.
- Santera (Antera): 161.8 cm, is leaning on a tridentTridentA trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
with his right arm. His head is slightly turned to the left and his left hand rests on his waist. There is a ornament of a biting lion on his shoulder armour. The posture is similar to that of Indara. - Meikira (Indara): 159.5 cm, with his right hand resting on his waist and the left arm raised high with the palm turned outward. His left leg is bend. He is standing on a .
- Antera (Bazara): 153.6 cm, wears a helmet with small curved panels on the left and right sides of the rim. He is carrying a fly swatter (hossuHossuA is a short staff of wood or bamboo with bundled hair or hemp wielded by a Zen Buddhist priest. Often described as a "fly swatter" or "fly shooer", the stick is believed to protect the wielder from desire and also works as a way of ridding areas of flies without killing them...
) in both hands in front of his left shoulder. His facial expression is peaceful. - Indara (Haira): 155.2 cm, wears a helmet with two curved panels on the left and right sides of the rim and a visor. He carries a trident in his right hand while the left hand rests on his waist. The posture is similar to that of Santera.
Trivia
Bazara of the group of Twelve Heavenly Generals was featured on a 500 yen postage stamp. In a collaboration between Shin-Yakushi-ji and the Department of Buddhism at Minobusan UniversityMinobusan University
is a private university in Minobu, Yamanashi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1556, and it was chartered as a university in 1994.-External links:*...
, the whole group of Twelve Heavenly Generals was scanned
3D scanner
A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance . The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models....
in three dimensions in 2001 and 2002.
See also
- List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
- For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese BuddhismGlossary of Japanese BuddhismThis is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
.