Sōrin
Encyclopedia
The is the vertical shaft (finial
) which tops a Japanese pagoda
, whether made of stone or wood.Pagodas can be made of wood or stone, and the two types are very different. Stone pagodas like the hōkyōintō
are always small compared to wooden ones (usually below three meters), and offer little or no usable space inside. For details, see the article Tō
The sōrin of a wooden pagoda is usually made of bronze and can be over 10 meters tall. That of a stone pagoda is also of stone and less than a meter long. The sōrin is divided in several sections possessing a symbolic meaning and, as a whole, in turn itself represents a pagoda.
Although quintessentially Buddhist, in Japan pagodas and their sōrin can be found both at Buddhist temples
and Shinto shrines. This is because until the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act
of 1868 a Shinto shrine was normally also a Buddhist temple and viceversa. Itsukushima Shrine
for example has one.
which, penetrating a mortise
in a , prevents it from oscillating. This structure was adopted not as a measure against earthquakes but because, with aging, the wood of the pagoda, whose grain is mostly horizontal, tends to shrink more than that of the vertical shaft, causing the opening of a gap between the two at the roof. From the gap rain would enter, causing rot.
In other cases, this was done to allow the opening of a room at the ground floor and therefore create some usable space. (Early wooden pagodas had no usable space.)
. Usually made in stone and occasionally metal or wood, hōkyōintō started to be made in their present form during the Kamakura period
. Like a gorintō
, they are divided in five main sections, of which the sōrin is the uppermost. Its components are, from the top down.:
The sōrin sits on the or , a stepped pyramid with four wings at the corners called or .
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
) which tops a Japanese pagoda
Tō
The , sometimes also called or is the Japanese version of the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian stupa. Pagodas are quintessentially Buddhist and an important component of Japanese Buddhist temple compounds but, because until the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act of 1868 a...
, whether made of stone or wood.Pagodas can be made of wood or stone, and the two types are very different. Stone pagodas like the hōkyōintō
Hokyointo
A is a Japanese pagoda, so called because it originally contained the sūtra. A Chinese varianto of the Indian stūpa, it was originally conceived as a cenotaph of the King of Wuyue - Qian Liu.- Structure and function :...
are always small compared to wooden ones (usually below three meters), and offer little or no usable space inside. For details, see the article Tō
Tō
The , sometimes also called or is the Japanese version of the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian stupa. Pagodas are quintessentially Buddhist and an important component of Japanese Buddhist temple compounds but, because until the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act of 1868 a...
The sōrin of a wooden pagoda is usually made of bronze and can be over 10 meters tall. That of a stone pagoda is also of stone and less than a meter long. The sōrin is divided in several sections possessing a symbolic meaning and, as a whole, in turn itself represents a pagoda.
Although quintessentially Buddhist, in Japan pagodas and their sōrin can be found both at Buddhist temples
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...
and Shinto shrines. This is because until the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act
Shinbutsu Bunri
The term in Japanese indicates the forbidding by law of the amalgamation of kami and buddhas made during the Meiji Restoration. It also indicates the effort made by the Japanese government to create a clear division between native kami beliefs and Buddhism on one side, and Buddhist temples and...
of 1868 a Shinto shrine was normally also a Buddhist temple and viceversa. Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan...
for example has one.
Support system
The sōrin is supported by a long shaft, often obtained joining two or even three shorter ones, that runs to the base of the edifice. Although it is often believed that the pillar at the core of a Japanese pagoda is a device to strengthen it against earthquakes, its sole purpose is to support the long and heavy bronze sōrin. In many cases the central shaft doesn't reach the ground, but has its base somewhere above it within the pagoda, where it is supported by beam or other means. At Nikkō Tōshōgū (1818), for example, it is suspended with chains from the fourth floor. From its base exits a long tenonMortise and tenon
The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon...
which, penetrating a mortise
Mortise and tenon
The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon...
in a , prevents it from oscillating. This structure was adopted not as a measure against earthquakes but because, with aging, the wood of the pagoda, whose grain is mostly horizontal, tends to shrink more than that of the vertical shaft, causing the opening of a gap between the two at the roof. From the gap rain would enter, causing rot.
In other cases, this was done to allow the opening of a room at the ground floor and therefore create some usable space. (Early wooden pagodas had no usable space.)
Wooden pagodas
The sōrin of a wooden pagoda is usually made of bronze and is divided in several segments called (from top to bottom):- The , a spherical or tear-shaped object, shapes sacred to Buddhism. Believed to repel evil and fulfill wishes, it can be also found on top of pyramidal temple roofs, of stone lanternsTōrōA "灯篭" is just a simplified form of "灯籠". is a Japanese lantern made of stone, wood, or metal traditional in the Far East. In China extant specimen are very rare, and in Korea too they are not as common as in Japan. In Japan, tōrō were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and...
or of tall poles. It can have flames, in which case it is called . Those made before the Momoyama period tend to be rounder. - The , the piece immediately below the hōju
- The , consisting of four decorative sheets of metal set at 90° to each other and installed over the top of the main pillar of a pagoda.
- The , small bells attached to the edges of a sōrin's rings or of the suien.
- The , the largest component of the sōrin. In spite of their name, there can sometimes be only eight or even seven of them.
- The , a circle of upturned lotus petals, usually eight in number. There can also be another circle of petals facing down.
- The , which sits between the ukebana and the rōban.
- The , on which rests the entire finial. Because it covers the top of the roof in order to prevent leaks, it normally has as many sides as the roof itself (four, six or eight).
Stone pagodas
The most important stone pagoda having a finial is the hōkyōintōHokyointo
A is a Japanese pagoda, so called because it originally contained the sūtra. A Chinese varianto of the Indian stūpa, it was originally conceived as a cenotaph of the King of Wuyue - Qian Liu.- Structure and function :...
. Usually made in stone and occasionally metal or wood, hōkyōintō started to be made in their present form 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....
. Like a gorintō
Gorinto
is the name of a Japanese type of Buddhist pagoda believed to have been first adopted by the Shingon and Tendai sects during the mid Heian period. It is used for memorial or funerary purposes and is therefore common in Buddhist temples and cemeteries. It is also called or , where the term sotoba...
, they are divided in five main sections, of which the sōrin is the uppermost. Its components are, from the top down.:
- Hōju
- Ukebana
- Kurin
- Ukebana
- Rōban.
The sōrin sits on the or , a stepped pyramid with four wings at the corners called or .
