Byodo-in
A thousand years ago, Uji was a popular location for the Kyoto aristocracy to build sumptuous country villas. Between 1052 and 1053, the powerful statesman Fujiwara no-Yorimichi set about converting the villa retreat, built by his father here, into an extravagant Buddhist temple. The newly revamped complex – the Byodo-in – would be used for the practice of Pure Land Buddhism. Popularised by the upper classes, this new-fangled religion was centred upon the worship of Amida Buddha – the Buddha of endless light and infinite life, a prescient being who presided over the Western Paradise. The original garden was a masterpiece of the Heian Period, and was to become a blueprint for future “Pure Land” garden creations throughout the country. Amida’s Western Paradise was a domain of purity and beauty. Here amongst a landscape of gem-filled trees and surrounded by golden sands, the Buddha resides in his celestial hall on the edge of a lake filled with lilies. The centrepiece of Byodo-in is the graceful central hall, the Hoo-do, or “Phoenix Hall”. It is unquestionably one of Japan’s most visually stunning buildings, and one of the glories of Heian Period architecture! Deep within his dusky sanctuary, the statue of Amida Buddha looks out, patiently waiting to welcome his faithful followers into his divine paradise.
Date of Construction: Re-styled as a Buddhist temple between 1052 and 1053 by Fujiwara no-Yorimichi; the estate, with the exception of the Phoenix Hall, was destroyed in the Nambokuchou War of 1336; accorded UNESCO “World Heritage Site” status in 1994.
Highlights: Hoo-do (“Phoenix Hall”); Jocho’s statue of Amida Buddha; Frieze of the 52 “Apsaras in Flight” (“Bodhisattvas on Clouds”)
- Background to the Byodo-in - 2:14
- The Fan Lawn - 0:54
- The Treasure Pond - 2:19
- The Exterior of the Byodo-in - 3:06
- The Central Hall and the Statue of Amida Buddha - 5:02
- The Rear Corridor and the Decline of the Estate - 1:38
