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*''Printed: [[770]]''
*''Japanese'': 百万塔陀羅尼 ''(Hyaku-man-tou darani)''
The ''Hyakumantô darani'' are a series of one million miniature wooden pagodas and the one million copper-plate printed ''dhâranî'' (Buddhist charms) slips of paper contained within. They represent the oldest extant printed matter anywhere in the world.
The one million miniature pagodas and corresponding charms were commissioned by [[Empress Koken|Empress Kôken]] in the year [[764]]; production was completed in 770. The pagodas are each three stories tall in design; roughly 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) in height. They each contain a rolled-up strip of paper, copper-plate printed with one of four ''dhâranî'' charms in classical Chinese.
The pagodas were distributed to the top ten Buddhist temples of the time, namely [[Daianji]], [[Genkoji|Genkôji]], [[Kofukuji|Kôfukuji]], [[Yakushiji]], [[Todaiji|Tôdaiji]], [[Sadaiji|Sadaiji]], [[Horyuji|Hôryuji]], [[Kofukuji (Yamashiro)|Kôfukuji (Yamashiro province)]], [[Shitennoji|Shitennôji]], and [[Sufukuji|Sûfukuji]]. Today, only Hôryuji still holds its collection of pagodas, all the others at other temples having been lost or destroyed; a number of these can be found today in libraries, museums, and other collections around the world.
==References==
*Kawase, Kazuma. "An Introduction to the History of Pre-Meiji Publishing: History of Wood-block Printing in Japan." Tokyo: Yushodo Booksellers, 1973.
*"[http://www.wdl.org/en/item/2927/ One Million Small Wooden Pagodas and Dharani Prayers]." World Digital Library. 7 May 2009. Accessed 2 February 2010.
*"[http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/asia/s/st%C5%ABpas_known_as_the_hyakuman.aspx Stupas known as the Hyakuman To]." British Museum. Accessed 2 February 2010.
[[Category:Nara Period]]
[[Category:Historical Documents]]
*''Japanese'': 百万塔陀羅尼 ''(Hyaku-man-tou darani)''
The ''Hyakumantô darani'' are a series of one million miniature wooden pagodas and the one million copper-plate printed ''dhâranî'' (Buddhist charms) slips of paper contained within. They represent the oldest extant printed matter anywhere in the world.
The one million miniature pagodas and corresponding charms were commissioned by [[Empress Koken|Empress Kôken]] in the year [[764]]; production was completed in 770. The pagodas are each three stories tall in design; roughly 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) in height. They each contain a rolled-up strip of paper, copper-plate printed with one of four ''dhâranî'' charms in classical Chinese.
The pagodas were distributed to the top ten Buddhist temples of the time, namely [[Daianji]], [[Genkoji|Genkôji]], [[Kofukuji|Kôfukuji]], [[Yakushiji]], [[Todaiji|Tôdaiji]], [[Sadaiji|Sadaiji]], [[Horyuji|Hôryuji]], [[Kofukuji (Yamashiro)|Kôfukuji (Yamashiro province)]], [[Shitennoji|Shitennôji]], and [[Sufukuji|Sûfukuji]]. Today, only Hôryuji still holds its collection of pagodas, all the others at other temples having been lost or destroyed; a number of these can be found today in libraries, museums, and other collections around the world.
==References==
*Kawase, Kazuma. "An Introduction to the History of Pre-Meiji Publishing: History of Wood-block Printing in Japan." Tokyo: Yushodo Booksellers, 1973.
*"[http://www.wdl.org/en/item/2927/ One Million Small Wooden Pagodas and Dharani Prayers]." World Digital Library. 7 May 2009. Accessed 2 February 2010.
*"[http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/asia/s/st%C5%ABpas_known_as_the_hyakuman.aspx Stupas known as the Hyakuman To]." British Museum. Accessed 2 February 2010.
[[Category:Nara Period]]
[[Category:Historical Documents]]
