Temple Of [todaydzi] and halls of great Buddha

The construction of the temple Of [todaydzi] relates to the middle ViII of the century, when Buddhism, by two centuries that previously penetrated in Japan, already had time to become established religion and to exert significant influence on the skill and architecture of this country. In that epoch the capital of Japanese state was the city bunk. Now bunk is among most respected holy places of the Country of the Rising Sun, where yearly arrive about three million pilgrims. Here, in the territory with an area of about 525 hectares, are arranged several huge Buddhist and Shintoist temples and [kumiren], which have centuries-old history.

The temple Of [todaydzi] occupies central place among the sanctuaries of bunk. Long time it was the main state sacred thing of the country, and name itself “[Todaydzi]” literally indicates “great eastern temple”. The temple Of [todaydzi] is widely known on the stored in it bronze sculpture of Buddha To [dayniti] (To [daybutsu]), that is been the largest sculpture of Buddha in Japan and one of the large in the world. It sculptured in 749 the Korean sculptor, whom the Japanese call [Kimimaro]. For preparing the gigantic statue was required 437 tons of bronze, 150 kilograms of gold, 7 tons of wax, 70 kilograms of mercury and several thousand tons of charcoal. On the legend, for casting of statue were spent all reserves of bronze in Japan. Work on the creation of statue continued two years and it was technologically extremely complex, moreover not only very casting process, but also installation and the installation of statue to the pedestal (taking into account the then-occuring technological level!). Indeed this phenomenal ancient construction weighs two times more than the statue of freedom in New York, which was prepared eleven centuries later. How for master it was possible to overcome all technical obstacles? This remains riddle, and the secret of the production of this unique monument of the foundry skill of antiquity is not opened, until now.

It is known from the ancient Japanese sources that the work on the production of great Buddha's statue was completed only after seven unsuccessful attempts. Head and neck of Buddha were poured in one mold box, and trunk and throne- lotus were prepared in the separate forms, it is and then soldered together and they were plate with goldd.

Great Buddha's statue in [Todaydzi] personifies by itself “blessings, omnipotence and omnipresence”. Buddha sits in glory, after gathering under himself feet, in the pacified pose on the throne in the form of the colossal flower of the dissolved lotus with 56 lobes. Lotus comes out here as the symbol of sincere chastity, chastity and cleanliness, necessary for the sinking into the nirvana, the finding of bliss, reached as a result overcoming “passion and thirst of life”. The right hand of Buddha with the opened palm is elongated forward in the blessing gesture. The hair of Buddha of dark-blue color - this symbolizes its stay in the beyond the clouds celestial peace. Hair are divided into 966 locks. On the forehead - enormous lump: the symbol of sublimity and inaccesibility.

Great Buddha enters into the number of most known sights of Japan. The height of statue with the pedestal is 22 meters. The height of the most sitting figure of Buddha - is 16 meters. Face has a length of 5 meters, width - 3 meters. The man freely can climb through through the eye sockets - their length is 1 meter. The diameter of throne- lotus - is more than 20 meters, the height of each lobe - 3 meters.

Huge statue is inside hollow. In its depths the complex system of the wooden constructions, which solidly support entire figure, is created. Once per year great Buddha clean, in this case removing from it several buckets of dust.

Entire surface of throne- lotus is covered with the countless images of religious and mythological nature, by thousands of hieroglyphic inscriptions. Beyond the back of gigantic statue is located the wooden gold-plated halo, on which are established the 16 additional figures of Buddha, by size approximately in the growth of man, that depict his previous embodiment. Two sculptural figures of the saints, are located next to the statue. Japanese tradition identifies them with the [tysyacherukoy] goddess of mercy Of [kannon] and the goddess of happiness. Their size is two times lower than great Buddha's statue. To the right wooden column with the small opening is located beyond Buddha's figure. There is a popular belief, that to person, [sumeyushchemu] to climb through through it, say goodbye all sins. Of [todaydzi] - acting temple, and before great Buddha's statue daily is accomplished service, fire ignites and fragrancies are smoked, monks and pilgrims read Buddhist prayers -[sutry].

The hall of the temple Of [todaydzi], in which is located Buddha's sculpture, bears the name Of [daybutsuden] - great Buddha's halls. There is no time [Todaydzi] it was the main temple of the Buddhist sect Of [kegon], whose study in ViII century penetrated in Japan from China. The building of the temple Of [todaydzi] began on the boundary 20-30- X of the years of ViII of century and continued twenty years. It was declared by the general national matter, that required of the mobilization of all resources of the country. Temple was blessed in 752 in the presence of emperor and empress, court, clergymen and representatives of all provinces of Japan, and also embassies from China and Korea. IN THE XII century during the Civil War enormous temple burnt. Buddha's head suffered during the fire, it was necessary to replace it with new. Today it is possible to note that the head of Buddha of darker color than trunk. On other information, entire sculpture of Buddha strongly suffered from the fire, and in the 18th Century in it were substituted many elements, so that it is not possible to count wholly authentic.

In 1567 temple again burnt, and great Buddha stood under the open sky more than hundred years. Reducing works only in 1699 began, but in three years, after elevating temple only half, building they again threw. In this form it stood about two hundred years and as a result completely it was pulled down. Building was renewed only in 1903 and [prodol] pressed close ten years. By 1913 temple was restored in the initial form. Its height is 50 meters, length - about 57 meters, width - is more than 50 meters. This largest wooden building in the world, and for its time it was simply miraculously construction skill.

Into the temple protected by wall it is possible to enter through the great southern gates - [Nandaymon], with the two-level roof and five flights, which were anew built in 1199 and they are supported by eighteen wooden columns. As the columns one-piece trunks of the gigantic trees with a height were used of 21 meters. Along both sides winch are raised the colossal statues of fantastic guard- monsters not. The massive entrance doors of the temple Of [todaydzi] are executed in the ancient manner of Japanese temple architecture. The monumental arch above the entrance under the tent roof with the bends characteristic for the Japanese architecture gives solemnity and majesty to construction. The walls of temple decorate splendid wooden carved reliefs, varnish painting, enamel, completed with the truly Japanese taste and the perfection of forms.

In the temple treasure-house many ancient objects are stored: ancient Buddhist and traditional Japanese garments, the sacred vessels, jewelry articles, treasure, the objects of traditional Japanese skill made of the paper and the silk.