๐ Some Random Thoughts on Nara's Horyu-ji Temple
The book "Horyu-ji" by Nishioka and Miyagami is the perfect read for a three-hour flight. ๐ฟ๐ After finishing it, I walked through the parallel vertical beams and cloud-patterned brackets of the temple, feeling as if I were meeting old friends. ๐๐ข The asymmetrical layout of Horyu-ji's temple complex is highly praised by Japanese architectural historians, but such a design is not uncommon in ancient Chinese architecture. For example, the Kaiyuan Temple in Zhengding and the Pujiu Temple in Yuncheng both have similar structures. ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ #Horyu-ji Whether it is the oldest existing wooden structure is still debatable. ๐๐ขThe "Shikinen Sengu" system is common in Japanese architecture, such as the Ise Grand Shrine, which is rebuilt every twenty years to keep it looking new. Horyu-ji's Golden Hall also has clear records of 15 major renovations. ๐ฟ๐ Some scholars use the "Ship of Theseus" theory to understand the "Shikinen Sengu" system. ๐๐ขIn fact, although you can recognize the architectural features of the Northern and Southern Dynasties when you visit Horyu-ji, there isn't the overwhelming sense of antiquity that you might expect. The same applies to Todai-ji Temple. ๐ฟ๐ Even though the Golden Hall is said to have a Tang Dynasty structure almost identical to the East Hall of Foguang Temple, the 2-meter elevation during the Meiji period's renovation disrupted the roof's proportions, which is quite regrettable. ๐ #Nara #Horyuji #Architecture ๐ฟ๐
