| [official name] Asahi-yama Byodo-in [religious sect] independent [location] 116 Renge, Uji-cho, Uji-shi, Kyoto-fu [Kaiki] Fujiwara no Yorimichi |
 |
Byodo-in
| [official name] Asahi-yama Byodo-in [religious sect] independent [location] 116 Renge, Uji-cho, Uji-shi, Kyoto-fu [Kaiki] Fujiwara no Yorimichi |
|
Brief Explanation The garden History Ougi no Shiba Minamoto no Yorimasa The View of Byodo-in
Brief Explanation
Byodo-in was constructed in order to create a Land of Happiness, in a scenic spot along the river facing the Asahi-yama mountain. Everything inside the Byodo-in is the best among the mid Heian era's architecture and art, and graceful as a Zuicho (bird of luck). Byodo-in must have been a palace of paradise which all the Heian nobles dreamed of. Originally, this land called Uji, had been a place where Heian nobles built their villas and went, to rest and study. In 998, Fujiwara no Michinaga also bought a villa which the Minister of the Left, Fujiwara no Toru had built in 889, and was enjoying himself by putting on music or poetry shows. Becoming a bonze in 1019, he started to do Buddhist service there too. After Michinaga's death in 1027, Yorimichi, who had succeeded this villa from his father made this into a temple, built the main temple, and named it Byodo-in. The next year, the "Houo-do (Pheonix Hall)", officially called the Amida-do was built, which consists of the Chu-do (where the image of Amitabha Tathagata made by a sculptor Jyocho is enshrined), the Yokuros on the right and left sides, and the Biro in the back side. On the roof is a Chinese phoenix, and the inside of the building is decorated with gorgeous Hosoge designs and brilliant-colored frontispieces. The image of the Amitabha Tathagata is a masterpiece of the sculptor Jyocho in his later years. In those days, there were many other buildings other than the Phoenix Hall, taking up most of the old Uji-cho city. After Yorimichi died, however, the whole temple gradually declined. Also, in 1336, most of the buildings burned down in the Kusunoki Hatakeyama war, leaving only the Pheonix Hall, and the Kannon-do and bell tower which was rebuilt in the Kamakura era. The Pheonix Hall is the only building in which the vestige of when the Byodo-in was found still remains. The garden is a grand Heian era garden, and is designated as a garden of scenic beauty. "If you pray hard to Amitabha Tathagata, you will be able to go to the Land of Happiness." What beautiful dreams did those people dream of, who searched for an ideal world in the other world? The answer is perhaps, the Byodo-in.
The garden
Byodo-in's garden of Uji, Kyoto is the typical kind of Jyodo style garden. The Jyodo style garden is known very well, perhaps because of the ten yen coin; the Byodo-in is carved on the back side of the coin. The Byodo-in is famous for being the representative architecture with vestige, still remaining of the Shinden-zukuri (palace style). It represents the palace style, although the building and garden are against the rules of the style. First, the pond of the Byodo-in is in the East: not the South. Probably, Fujiwara no Yorimichi purposely broke the rules to be able to go to the Houo-do by crossing the Uji river where the Naka-jima island floats, by boat. Still, what an epochal and courageous thing to do, such as breaking the rules, in the society an age ago. Another example is the Houo-do which stands on the Naka-jima island and not beyond the island. Therefore, from the Uji-jinjya shrine on the other side of the river, people were able to see the Houo-do reflecting on the water. There were many other reforms carried out , however, we must understand that the structure is still built in the palace style.
In the later Heian era, it is said that the Jyodo style garden first appeared. This period of time was when the Jyodo sect of a simple teaching, "If you pray "Namuamidabutsu", your life will be renewed in the Land of Happiness", became popular. If you would see the drawings of the Land of Happiness at that time, always, there would be a Amida in the middle of the palace style house and a pond in the front. The Jyodo style garden was made on the basis of these drawings. The nobles had all the money and power in their hands, that they had no impossible dreams. Though, nothing could be done for after they die. "I don't want to go to hell." Their strong wish made them create a Land of Happiness in this world, though nobody knows what truly happened after they died. At any rate, nobles carved the Buddhist images, built the palace style house, and made the ponds. This is the beginning of the Jyodo style garden. Please look at the map for a more detailed Jyodo style garden. The Amida image of Byodo-in in those days was shining brilliantly with gold. There is no doubt that the Byodo-in looked like the Land of Happiness. Both the building and garden must have been popular among the nobles.
History
In Nara era, because Buddhism was popular under the country's heavy protection, there were priests who interfered with politics or who even tried to become the Emperor. Emperor Kanmu who became the Emperor in such a society, tried to reorganize the administration system, and moreover, left Nara where temples had great power and tried to straighten the government in the new land. This new government was the Heian-kyo, which is where Kyoto is today. From this time forward until the Emperor moved to Tokyo in the Meiji era 1100 years later, the Imperial Palace was placed here. Also, the 400 years until the government moved to Kamakura is called the Heian era.
In the Heian era, the nobles were governing the country. Emperor Kanmu carried out many reforms, for example tightening up the law called Handen Shyuju no ho, which gives land to people under the government's management. However, because nobles began to own their own land called Shoen, the government began to lose its power to manage the land and collect taxes from them. This happened because Shoens received rights, not to pay taxes and to be able to refuse officials to come into their land. The development of Shoens allowed nobles, temples and shrines to extend their power, and became great financial resources to them.
The most influential nobles among the many, were Fujiwara no Michinaga and his son, Fujiwara no Yorimichi who were descendants of Nakatomi no Kamatari. Their relatives had great trust from the Emperors for many generations; by the Heian era, their daughters became the Empress, their daughters' childs became the next Emperors, and they received the position as the maternal grandfathers. In this way, the Fujiwara family prospered more and more. Also, they positioned as the Sessho which governed the country when the Emperor was still young or was sick, and the Kanpaku which supported the Emperor after the Emperor had come to age, which turned out to be that they always had access to power. This kind of administration was called Sekkan Seiji. There is one tanka by Fujiwara no Michinaga, which shows his tremendous power. "This world is my world. There is no chance for the full moon to wane."
The early Heian culture was greatly influenced by China, but after the Kentoshi system ended, Japan's original culture formed. This culture is called the Kokufu culture, which suits the Japanese climate and livings. The characteristic of this culture is not powerful, but beautiful and gentle. Another characteristic is the development of literature, with the invention of kana script. Famous literary works of this time are, "Kokin Waka shu", compiled by Ki no Tsurayuki, "Tosa nikki", Murasaki Shikibu's "Genji monogatari", Seisho Nagon's "Makura no Soshi", and so on. Yamatoes, which are Japanese landscapes, and Emakimonos, drawings connected with stories were also made. For clothing, Sokutai for men and Jyunihitoe for women, both made of silk were made. Also, the teaching of Jyodo sect, saying that if you pray the Buddhist invocation, you will be able to go to the Land of Happiness, became popular among the populace and nobles.
Ougi no Shiba
The place where Minamoto no Yorimasa killed himself. This is placed on the left side, right before we go into the Houo-do. It is quite a large space.
Minamoto no Yorimasa
Yorimasa is called "Gensanmi Yorimasa", for surviving through the Hogen Heiji civil war and rising to the third highest position, in a period where "If you are not born in the Hei-ke family, you are not human." was said. In the Heiji civil war, Taira no Kiyomori won because he betrayed Minamoto no Yoshitomo. One reason why he betrayed Yoshitomo, probably was that Yoshimasa and Yoshitomo were not related.
Yorimasa was a master in the arts of pen and sword. One day, he received a sword as a reward from the Minister of the Left. There, he promptly respond to a haiku, the Minister of the Left composed, and added some words to make it into a tanka. This story is performed in noh called "Nue".
However, during the golden age of the Hei-ke family, with the order to subjugate the Hei-ke given by monk-Emperor Goshirakawa's son, Yorimasa raised an army with him. Although they were winning in the beginning, the odds gradually turned against them. After all, Yorimasa committed suicide on the lawn of Byodo-in, spreading his folding fan (Ogi) underneath him, while he composed a tanka. Yorimasa was over seventy years old. Still today, the place where Yorimasa killed himself remains as the "Ogi no Shiba".
The View of Byodo-in
Byodo-in's wisteria
