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*''Japanese'': 東大寺 ''(Toudai-ji)''
Tôdai-ji, located in [[Nara]], is one of the earliest and most significant Buddhist temples in Japan. Its ''Daibutsuden'', or "Great Buddha Hall," is considered the largest wooden building in the world, and houses the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. Tôdai-ji is also home to the [[Shosoin|Shôsôin]] Imperial Storehouse, which contains numerous [[National Treasures]] - objects from the [[Nara period]] (8th century) of immense historical importance.
==History==
The Great Buddha was completed in [[752]].
The temple wielded great political influence at various times in its history, particularly in the Nara and [[Heian periods]], and became embroiled in armed conflict at times as well. Tôdai-ji, along with nearby [[Kofuku-ji|Kôfuku-ji]], came under attack from the forces of the [[Taira clan|Taira samurai clan]] in [[1181]] for this reason; the temple had opposed the Taira both politically, and militarily, fielding forces of warrior monks. The 1181 [[siege of Nara]] saw the destruction of Tôdai-ji, Kôfuku-ji, and [[Gango-ji|Gangô-ji]], and the deaths of roughly 35,000 people.
The Daibutsuden that stands today dates back to [[1707]], when the hall was destroyed and rebuilt at roughly 70% of its previous size. Yet, even reduced in size, it remains the largest wooden building in the world.
==Daibutsu==
The Daibutsu at Tôdai-ji is the largest bronze Buddha sculpture in Japan. It weighs 250 tons, and is 18.03 meters tall (including the platform; 14.98m tall without the platform). Its face is 5.33m long, and each eye is 1.02m long. The statue's ears are each 2.54m long, and its mouth is 1.33m wide. The ''[[urna]]'' is 30cm in diameter, and each of its 966 whorls of hair is 21cm high and 22cm in diameter.<ref name=kotoku>"[http://www.kotoku-in.jp/characteristic.html Kamakura daibutsu no tokuchô]." Official website of Kôtoku-in. 2010.</ref>
==Other Sculptures==
Many of the other sculptures at Tôdai-ji are also of great art historical significance. These include:
*A pair of [[Nio|Niô]] guardian figures housed inside the Nandaimon ("Great South Gate") of the temple, the tallest freestanding wooden sculptures in Japan. They were fashioned by [[Unkei]] and [[Kaikei]], along with 18 assistants, over the course of 72 days in [[1203]], using [[yosegi-zukuri|multiple block construction]].<ref>Mason. pp187-188.</ref> A number of other sculptures made by Unkei for Tôdai-ji, including one of the [[bodhisattva]] [[Kokuzo|Kokuzô]] and one of [[Jikoku-ten]], do not survive today.<ref>Môri Hisashi. "Unkei: The Man and His Art." in ''Sculpture of the Kamakura Period''. New York: Weatherhill, 1974. p45.</ref>
{{stub}}
==References==
*Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
<references/>
[[Category:Nara Period]]
[[Category:Temples]]
Tôdai-ji, located in [[Nara]], is one of the earliest and most significant Buddhist temples in Japan. Its ''Daibutsuden'', or "Great Buddha Hall," is considered the largest wooden building in the world, and houses the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. Tôdai-ji is also home to the [[Shosoin|Shôsôin]] Imperial Storehouse, which contains numerous [[National Treasures]] - objects from the [[Nara period]] (8th century) of immense historical importance.
==History==
The Great Buddha was completed in [[752]].
The temple wielded great political influence at various times in its history, particularly in the Nara and [[Heian periods]], and became embroiled in armed conflict at times as well. Tôdai-ji, along with nearby [[Kofuku-ji|Kôfuku-ji]], came under attack from the forces of the [[Taira clan|Taira samurai clan]] in [[1181]] for this reason; the temple had opposed the Taira both politically, and militarily, fielding forces of warrior monks. The 1181 [[siege of Nara]] saw the destruction of Tôdai-ji, Kôfuku-ji, and [[Gango-ji|Gangô-ji]], and the deaths of roughly 35,000 people.
The Daibutsuden that stands today dates back to [[1707]], when the hall was destroyed and rebuilt at roughly 70% of its previous size. Yet, even reduced in size, it remains the largest wooden building in the world.
==Daibutsu==
The Daibutsu at Tôdai-ji is the largest bronze Buddha sculpture in Japan. It weighs 250 tons, and is 18.03 meters tall (including the platform; 14.98m tall without the platform). Its face is 5.33m long, and each eye is 1.02m long. The statue's ears are each 2.54m long, and its mouth is 1.33m wide. The ''[[urna]]'' is 30cm in diameter, and each of its 966 whorls of hair is 21cm high and 22cm in diameter.<ref name=kotoku>"[http://www.kotoku-in.jp/characteristic.html Kamakura daibutsu no tokuchô]." Official website of Kôtoku-in. 2010.</ref>
==Other Sculptures==
Many of the other sculptures at Tôdai-ji are also of great art historical significance. These include:
*A pair of [[Nio|Niô]] guardian figures housed inside the Nandaimon ("Great South Gate") of the temple, the tallest freestanding wooden sculptures in Japan. They were fashioned by [[Unkei]] and [[Kaikei]], along with 18 assistants, over the course of 72 days in [[1203]], using [[yosegi-zukuri|multiple block construction]].<ref>Mason. pp187-188.</ref> A number of other sculptures made by Unkei for Tôdai-ji, including one of the [[bodhisattva]] [[Kokuzo|Kokuzô]] and one of [[Jikoku-ten]], do not survive today.<ref>Môri Hisashi. "Unkei: The Man and His Art." in ''Sculpture of the Kamakura Period''. New York: Weatherhill, 1974. p45.</ref>
{{stub}}
==References==
*Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
<references/>
[[Category:Nara Period]]
[[Category:Temples]]
