Horyuji Five-Story Pagoda

Horyuji Five-Story Pagoda (593-709) Asuka Period Horyuji is composed of the Western Precinct with the Golden Hall and Five-Story Pagoda at its core, the Eastern Precinct centered around the Dream Hall, and numerous sub-temples along the temple area's roads, encapsulating the essence of historical Buddhist architecture. The Western Precinct's garan is famous for having the world's oldest surviving wooden structures, the Golden Hall and Five-Story Pagoda. According to records, in the ninth year of Emperor Tenji (670), the Ikaruga Temple caught fire and was reduced to ashes. Around this record, debates over the reconstruction or non-reconstruction of Horyuji unfolded, leaving behind many important research materials. The Golden Hall and Five-Story Pagoda were rebuilt on the northern part of the burned Ikaruga Temple ruins (Wakakusa Garan), led by Horyuji monks and the Soga family, who were related to Prince Shotoku. The main builders were descendants of craftsmen who had crossed the sea from Baekje and Goguryeo. Today, Horyuji's Five-Story Pagoda, Golden Hall, and Central Gate are important remnants of the Asuka style, with cloud-shaped brackets and shuttle columns as its unique features. The construction of the Five-Story Pagoda was slightly later than the Golden Hall, with each successive floor decreasing in size, the topmost floor being only half the side length of the first, to match the Golden Hall in form and also to add eaves, making the internal structure of the actual pagoda more rational. The bracket arms penetrate the interior of the building to provide support, whereas in the Golden Hall, to avoid disrupting the space for worshiping Buddha, the bracket arms do not penetrate the inner array. The reconstructed Five-Story Pagoda is smaller in scale compared to the Wakakusa Garan Pagoda, with only the first floor being used. The foundation combines the styles of pillar holes and stone bases, with the relics sealed beneath the central pillar. Another Asuka period wooden pagoda: Hokki-ji Three-Story Pagoda The ancient architectural complex of Horyuji and Hokki-ji were jointly inscribed on the World Heritage List as 'Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area' in 1993.