Mandala of Two Realm of Esoteric Buddhism known as "Blood Mandala" (details)
Kongobuji
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
April 6, 2004 (Tue) - May 16, 2004 (Sun)
Celebrating 1200 years of Esoteric Buddhism in Japan, this special exhibition brings together Buddhist arts of the highest quality under the theme of Kukai and Mount Koya, the sacred place for the esoteric Buddhist teachings of the Shingon sect
 General Information |
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| Period | Tuesday, April 6 - Sunday, March 16, 2004 | ||||||||
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| Venue | Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park) | ||||||||
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| Hours | 9:30-17:00; open until 20:00 on Fridays during the exhibition; open until 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank holidays (Last entry is 30 minutes before the closing time.) | ||||||||
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| Closed | Every Monday (except for May 3) and May 6 | ||||||||
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| Admissions | Adults: 1300(1100/950)yen University Students: 900(800/510)yen High School Students: 800(700/450)yen Jr. High & Elementary School Students: Free
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| Access | 10 minutes walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station 15 minutes walk from Keisei Ueno Station and Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Ueno Station. |
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| General Inquiries | Tokyo National Museum | ||||||||
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| TEL. | +81-3-3822-1111 | ||||||||
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| Exhibition Web site (in Japanese) |
http://www.nhk-p.co.jp/kukai/ The website has closed with the end of the exhibition. |
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| Organizers | Tokyo National Museum, Kongôbuji Headquarters of the Shingon Sect on Mount Kôya, Foundation for the Preservation of Cultural Properties on Mount Kôya, NHK, NHK Promotions Co., Ltd. | ||||||||
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| Additional support provided by |
Agency for Cultural Affairs | ||||||||
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| Special sponsorship provided by |
Nankai Electric Railway | ||||||||
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| Additional sponsorship from | Nissha Printing Co., Ltd., Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd., and Artéfactory Inc. | ||||||||
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| Cooperated by | Nippon Express, JR West, and Celartem Technology Inc. | ||||||||
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| Planning Assistance proviede by |
NHK Kinki Media Plan | ||||||||
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| Next venue |
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| Wakayama * This exhibition will travel to the Wakayama Prefectual Museum from October 9 to November 23, 2004 |
| About the Exhibition and Major Works on display |
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| 1200 years have passed since Priest Kûkai, also known by the name of “Kôbô-daishi," went to Tang, China. Upon his return to Japan, he established the Shingon school of esoteric Buddhism and founded the headquarter on Mount Kôya.Since then Mount Kôya has been in the limelight in Japan's history. The temple had its ups and downs, but thanks to the secluded location on the mountain, an excellent Buddhist culture was cultivated without the influence of worldly conflicts and problems. In the first section of this exhibition, Priest Kûkai's mementos and cultural properties related to the history of Kongôbuji on Mount Kôya are exhibited. |
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National Treasure Rôkoshiiki, a Comparative Study of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism By Kôbô-daishi (Priest Kûkai) Kongôbuji (The part of the image is exhibited April 6 – April 25 only) |
 Major Works in this section |
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| Priest Kûkai had realized the innovativeness of esoteric Buddhism even before he went to the Tang dynasty China to study under Priest Keika (Ch. Huiguo). Esoteric Buddhism is an integrated religion, based on the unique idea that all beings and existence including Buddha and Buddhist deities such as Boddhisattvas are under Dainichi-nyorai (Skt. Vairocana). Another characteristic aspect of esoteric Buddhism is its emphasis on the importance of icons, Mandala, and ritual implements. Symbolizing Buddhist deities with Sanskrit letters or with their belongings is also one of the characteristics of esoteric Buddhism. Based on these characteristics, a wide variety of art works of esoteric Buddhism has developed. In this section, objects which show Priest Kûkai's ideas and his religious practices, Mandala as a representative art form of esoteric Buddhism, as well as ritual tools of the earlier days are all displayed. |
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Important Cultural Property Mandala of Two Realms of Esoteric Buddhism (Known as "Blood Mandala") Muromachi period, 15th century
Kongôbuji |
| Major Works in this section |
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| Even after Priest Kûkai's death, the doctrine of Shingon esoteric Buddhism was handed down from generation to generation in Kongôbuji on Mount Kôya. After the temple recovered from its first decline, several annual events were introduced during the late Heian period (11th-12th century), and in the following centuries, more and more events were added. Meanwhile, the belief considering Mount Kôya as a kind of Buddhist Paradise (the Jôdo Pure Land) began to prevail until it became an established belief in the 11th century. Gradually, the faith in Amida's (another Buddhist deity, called Amitabha in Sanskrit) Pure Land was included in the religion on Mount Kôya, and several temple structures relating to that belief were constructed. In this section, art works of this integrated Buddhism with the multiple aspects developed on Mount Kôya are displayed. |
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Important Cultural Property Kujaku-myô'ô (Skt. Mahamayuri) By Kaikei, Kongôbuji |
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| During the long course of temple’s history, a large amount of cultural properties were brought to Kongôbuji complex on Mount Kôya and have been preserved there until today. Partly because of its secluded location, those cultural properties have not been exposed to wars and battles, and have been able to survive radical changes in politics. Some of them were brought to Mount Kôya for the purpose of preservation, and the holy mountain functioned as a shelter of cultural properties in the war-torn eras. Mount Kôya is often compared to the Shôsô-in repository attached to the Tôdai-ji temple in Nara, which has been housing excellent Japanese artifacts as well as rare treasures from China and West. In this section significant art works and old documents, which have been preserved on Mount Kôya, are displayed in order to show that the temple had an excellent function of preserving cultural assets. |
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Important Cultural Property Amida-nyorai (Skt. Amitabha) and Attendants Descending from Heaven YûshihachimankôJûhachikain |
| Major Works in this section |
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| During the Momoyama period in the 16th century, Kongôbuji suffered attacks by a war-lord Oda Nobunaga and then by Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, the temple managed to sustain and received support of Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Thus, damaged temple structures were renovated and the prosperity of the temple was promised. In the Edo period (17th-19th century), Kongôbuji was placed under the jurisdiction of the government, and according to the government's policy, hierarchical system between the head temple (Kongôbuji) and subordinate temples was established, and lodging monasteries were prepared to offer accommodations. The relationship between lodging monasteries and feudal lords became firmer, and strong ties were observed between Kongôbuji and lodging monasteries. Accordingly, more and more artists started to visit Mount Kôya. Most of the interior paintings on walls and screen doors in the lodging monasteries were produced in those days. In this section Buddhist sutra scrolls donated by warriors in the Pre-Modern period and selected masterpieces of warriors' portraits and interior paintings (wall and door-panel paintings) are exhibited. |
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Important Cultural Property Landscape and Human Figures by Ike Taiga Henshôkôin |
| Major Works in this section |
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