The oldest completely preserved temple complex in Japan, the Horyuji Temple, is a magnificent example of the architecture of the Asuka period (552-645) with masterly works of art covering the whole range of Japanese history.
Yomei-tenno, the first Buddhist Emperor of Japan, was overtaken in 586 by a serious illness and ordered a statue of the Healing Buddha (Yakushi-Nyorai) to be made, but died before it was completed. In order to fulfil his wish Shotoku-taishi, the Emperor's son, caused the Horyuji Temple to be built in 607. As one of the "Seven Great Temples of Nara" this became the great center of Buddhism in Japan, from which the new faith was carried to all parts of the country. In those days the road from the Imperial Court
to the coast passed the site of the temple.
The Horyuji, principal temple of the Shotoku sect, comprises 45 buildings, erected between the Asuka and Momoyama periods, 17 of which are classified as "major national treasures". The temple complex is divided into two parts - the To-in or Higashi-no-in (the eastern part), with 14 buildings, and the Sai-in or Nishi-no-in (the western part), with 31 buildings.
The main entrance to the Sai-in and to the whole temple precinct is the Nandaimon (Great South Gate), which has been rebuilt several times, most recently in the Muromachi period, in1438. From here a path leads past the temple offices to the Chumon (Middle Gate), which dates from the foundation of the temple. The gate, with roofed corridors (kairo) on either side, differs from other gates in its use of columns to support the structure. Flanking the entrance, which is divided by columns, are two guardian figures (Nio), the right-hand one red as a symbol of light, the left-hand one black as a symbol of darkness. The two figures date from 711, and were thoroughly restored in 1964. The corridors opening off the Middle Gate enclose the inner courtyard of the temple, on the right-hand side of which is the Kondo (Main Hall), a two-story wooden structure measuring 30ft/ 9.1m by 24ft/7.3m and 58ft/ 17.8m high. Dating from the Asuka period, this is claimed to be the oldest surviving wooden building in the world.
The inner walls of the hall were decorated with famous frescoes, comparable in style and execution with those in the Ajanta caves (India); but these were unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1949; there are photographs of the frescoes in the Great Treasury. In the hall are a number of 7th C statues, the best known of which is the bronze Shaka Trinity, cast by Tori-busshi in 623. In this group the principal figure, Shakyamuni, is flanked by Yakuo-bosatsu. To the right of the Trinity is bronze statue of Yakushi-nyorai, cast in 607 for Yomei-tenno, to the left of a bronze statue of Amida-nyorai (1232) and wood statues of the goddess Kichijo-ten and the war god Bishamonten, both dating from 1078. There are also wood statues of the four Celestial Guardians of the Late Asuka period, the oldest surviving figures of this kind.
On the left-hand side of the courtyard is a five-story pagoda (105ft/ 32m high) dating from the foundation of the temple. At the corners of the roofs are talismans intended to ward off fires; in the lower part is an additional intermediate roof (mokoshi). On the ground floor are four terracottas depicting scenes from the life of Buddha - on the east side "Conversation between Yumia and Monju"; on the south side "Paradise of Miroku"; on the west side "Cremation of Buddha"; and on the north side "Buddha's Entry into Nirvana".
On the north side of the courtyard is the Daikodo (Lecture Hall), the original structure of which was destroyed by lightning in 925 and rebuilt in 990. It contains a gilded wooden Yakushi Trinity (the central figure being flanked by Mikko-bosatsu and Sakko-bosatsu) and statues of the four Celestial Guardians.
To the west of the Lecture Hall is the Kyozo (Sutra Hall), of the Tempyo period, with a wooden statue of the Korean priest Kanroku, who came to Nara in 607. The belltower, Shoro, was rebuilt in the Heian period; the bell is believed to date from the 8th C.
Immediately east of the courtyard stands the Shoryoin (rebuilt 1121), dedicated to the soul of Shotoku-taishi, formerly the priests' quarters. In this hall is a statue of Shotoku-taishi, clad in the sumptuous ceremonial garments of the T'ang period and flanked by statues of various dignitaries, including the priest Eji.
Beyond the immediately adjoining building, the Tsumashitsu, we reach the small Treasury, the Kofuzo, which contains some pieces of Buddhist sculpture, followed by the two buildings of the Great Treasury, the Diahozoden, built in 1941 on the 1320th anniversary of Shotoku-taishi's death. This contains outstanding works of art of different periods. Particularly notable are the figure of Kudara-Kannon, a Korean work whose smooth lines contrast with the rigid forms of Japanese sculpture of the same period; a wooden figure of the Nine-Headed Kannon; and a figure of Yumetagai-Kannon, who turns bad dreams into good ones (dating, like the Nine-Headed Kannon, from the Hakuho period). In the southern building of the Great Treasury are items from the Main Hall, including the Tamamushi-no-zushi, a miniature shrine (8ft/ 2.4m high) which belonged to the Empress Suiko. The shrine owes its name to the tamamushi, a species of insect whose multi-colored wings were originally used to decorate certain parts of the shrine (no longer visible). The shrine has openwork bronze mounts and is decorated on all sides by Buddhist paintings on a black background (on the front doors Celestial Guardians, on the side doors Bosatsus, on the back pagodas, stars and a phoenix). The shrine is a good example of the painting and decorative art of the Asuka period, as is another miniature shrine which belonged to Tachibana, Komyo's mother, and which contains an Amida Trinity of gilt-bronze.
Southeast of the Great Treasury is the Todaimon (Great East Gate), the entrance to the other section of the temple precinct, the To-in, on a site occupied until 622 by Shotoku-taishi's Ikaruga Palace. After Shotoku's death the palace fell into ruin, and in 739, on the Emperor's orders, was replaced by the East Temple dedicated to Shotoku's family. After passing along the corridor (kairo) the visitor comes to the Yume-dono (Hall of Dreams), the oldest building in Japan on an octagonal plan, with a handsome bronze roof ornament. Shotoku-taishi is said to have mediated here when he met a difficult passage during study of the sutras; then, so the legend goes, a wise man from the East would appear to him and explain the passage, which was troubling him. The most notable work of art in this hall is the gilded wooden figure of Guze-Kannon (or Nyoirin-Kannon), resembling Shotoku and said to have been carved by him (although all that can be said with certainty is this it is a work of the Tori-busshi school). The hall also contains a statue of the priest Gyoshin Sozu (dry lacquer, Tempyo period) and a pottery figure of the priest Dosen (Heian period).
On the north side of the courtyard stands the E-den (Picture Hall), with scenes from the Shotoku's life. Adjoining this on the right is the Shariden (Hall of the Ashes of Buddha), which like the belltower to the left, dates from the Kamakura period.
Immediately north of the Picture Hall we reach the Dempodo (Prayer Hall), formerly the residence of Dowager Empress Tachibana, which came into the possession of the temple in 739. The hall contains sculpture of the Late Nara period - in the center of an Amida Trinity (dry lacquer), flanked by two other wood Amida groups. There is also some wood sculpture of the Heian period.
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