●Chikatsu Asuka Museum
The 2001 Chikatsu Asuka Special Spring Exhibition
"SHOGON" Solemn Decoration
The New Culture had shown up with Buddhism
in Ancient Japan
The word "shogon" means "to decorate Buddha with magnificence." From the time Buddhism was first brought to this country, or around the middle of the 6th century, Buddhist images were decorated in increasingly different ways.
Images that were enshrined in the main halls of Buddhist temples gleamed with the color of gold. Around them there were decorations such as lotus blossom ornaments, brilliant colored cloth and reliefs on tiles painted with green enamel called "sen."There were also brilliantly colored frescos to round off the magnificent decorations.
Towering Stupa were built where relics of the Buddha were preserved in containers and where gold and silver colored ear ornaments and neck ornaments made with blue and yellow colored beads and other glistening objects were kept.
All these things of the Buddhist world that were written in sutras are not usually displayed in present times. Through these splendid conceptual writings, people aspired to the world of Buddha.
Let us try and contemplate the Asuka-Hakuho culture that went through this period of "Shogon" of the first days of Buddhism and the beginnings of international influence were established.
＊Event Information＊
April 17 to June 17, 2001
Special Admission : ￥600 / 400
Hours : 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
1st HISTORY TALK
Sun. May 20 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (free) "The Buddhist Culture in Sui or T'ang Dynasty"
Masumi Fujiyoshi (Professor, Kwansai University)
2st HISTORY TALK
Sun. June 3 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (free) "The Silk Road and The Buddhism"
Meiji Yamada (Professor, Ryukoku University)
3st HISTORY TALK
Sun. June 17 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (free) "The Solemn Decoration for relics of the Buddha"
Mahito Uehara (Professor, Kyoto University)
