Calligraphy and Textiles

Obi Fragment with Glass Beads and Pearls (detail)
Nara period, 8th century (Important Cultural Property)

The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures Room 6
May 8, 2024 (Wed) - June 2, 2024 (Sun)

The works of calligraphy held in the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures primarily consist of records donated to the temple by Empress Kōken (713–770), works imported from China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), and Horyuji Temple’s records of daily events as well as legends concerning Prince Shōtoku.

The textiles held in the collection date from the mid-7th to 8th century and consist mainly of Buddhist ritual banners (ban), table mats (joku), and robes or other clothing worn by monks. The textiles also include fragments whose original uses are unknown, including rare ancient textiles, such as warp-faced compound weaves, tapestries, warp ikat fragments, complex gauze (ra), and plain- and twill- weave silks.

Dyed fabrics include examples of all three major dyeing techniques form the 8th century: tie-dyeing in a dot pattern (kōkechi), wax-resist dyeing (rōkechi), and clamp-resist dyeing (kyōkechi). The collection also features examples of early embroidery, braiding, and rugs.

Commentary Sheet (PDF)

Major Work(s) on Exhibit 16 results

Calligraphy

	Designation	Name	Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance	Period	Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number	CMT
Highlight	National Treasure	Record of the Imperial Bequest to Hōryūji ("Hōryūji Kenmotsuchō")		Nara period, dated 756	N-5
	Important Cultural Property	Record of Hōryūji and Biography of Prince Shōtoku ("Kokon Mokurokushō")	By Kenshin	Kamakura period, 13th century	N-18-1
		Transcription of Record of Hōryūji and Biography of Prince Shōtoku ("Kokon Mokurokushō")		Nanbokucho-Muromachi period, 14th-15th century	N-19

	Designation	Name	Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance	Period	Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number	CMT
Highlight	Important Cultural Property	Obi Fragment with Glass Beads and Pearls		Nara period, 8th century	N-49
Highlight	Important Cultural Property	Fragment of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban") with Arrowheads		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-50-1
		Cloth with Butterflies, Inscribed “Tōin”		Nara period, 8th century	I-336-3a
		"Ra" Gauze with Small Flower Roundels		Nara period, 8th century	I-336-4
		Embroidery with Dragons		Asuka period, 7th century	I-336-93
		Embroidered Buddhist Image		Asuka period, 7th century	I-336-102
		Rug with Flowers		Nara period, 8th century	I-336-108
		Fragments of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban"): “Banner Leg”		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-319-14
		Fragments of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban")		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-319-34
		Fragment of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban"): "Banner Leg" with Arrowheads		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-319-47-2
		Fragment of Cloth with Dotted Squares		Nara period, 8th century	N-319-123
		Fragment of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban"): "Banner Leg"		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-319-52-2
		Fragment of Buddhist Ritual Banner ("Ban"): "Banner Leg" with Checkered Pattern		Asuka–Nara period, 7th–8th century	N-319-117-1

Exhibitions