Five-Story Pagoda First Story Mural (Painted on Wooden Panels)

Basic Information

• Catalog ID: 201
• Item ID: 159
• Category: Paintings
• Country: Japan
• Period: Heian Period
• Date designated: June 5, 1976
• Prefecture: Kyoto
• Location: Kyoto Prefecture
• Owner: Daigo-ji Temple

Source: Excerpted from the National Designated Cultural Properties Database (https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index)

Overview

The Five-Story Pagoda First Story Mural (Painted on Wooden Panels) is a valuable Buddhist painting from the Heian Period, painted on the walls, wooden doors, and pillars of the pagoda’s first story at Daigo-ji Temple in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City. Created around 951 CE—contemporary with the construction of the Five-Story Pagoda, which is one of the oldest wooden structures remaining in Kyoto Prefecture—it holds immense historical value. It serves as a rare surviving example of esoteric Buddhist painting from the Heian Period and preserves traces of its original polychromy.

Historical Context

The Five-Story Pagoda at Daigo-ji was commissioned by Emperor Suzaku to mourn Prince Daigo, beginning construction in 936 CE (Shōhei 6). It was completed in 951 CE during the reign of Emperor Murakami. This mural was painted concurrently with the pagoda’s erection and has preserved its original appearance over more than a thousand years. The survival of such a cohesive set of mid-Heian Period paintings, integrated directly with their architecture, is unparalleled. It stands as a symbolic remnant reflecting the fusion of esoteric Buddhist belief (Mikkyō) and court culture during that era.

Features and Appeal

This mural visually expresses the cosmology of esoteric Buddhism, possessing unique artistic and religious characteristics:

• Composition of the Two Realms Mandala: The internal walls and doors depict both the Taizōkai Mandala (Womb Realm) and the Kongōkai Mandala (Diamond Realm). This transforms the entire interior of the pagoda into a three-dimensional space embodying esoteric Buddhist cosmology.
• Eight Patriarchs of Shingon: On the four pillars in the center, eight high monks (the Eight Patriarchs of Shingon) are depicted, two figures per pillar. This is known as one of Japan’s oldest examples of Kūkai’s portraiture and serves as a critical indicator of Heian painting, showing the process of Japanese adaptation (Nihon-ka) within Buddhist art.
• Delicate Technique and Color: The murals display the graceful lines and refined sense of color characteristic of the mid-Heian Period, demonstrating the high technical skill of the time. Notably important is the evidence of Wayo-ka (Japanese painting style) development so early in the 10th century.
• Integration with Architecture: The artwork is not merely decoration; it plays a crucial role in elevating the physical structure of the Five-Story Pagoda into a sacred mandala space, making it an indispensable masterpiece in Japanese art history.