The Power of Concealment
Tōdaiji Objects and the Effects of Their Burial in an Early Japanese Devotional Context
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22139447 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Akiko Walley (University of Oregon, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Pages | 23-46 |
| Publication date | 2022-03-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Asian Humanities at Kyushu University (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2433-4391 • E-ISSN: 2433-4855 |
| Publisher | Kyushu University (PUBLISHER • JP) |
| DOI | 10.5109/4843127 |
| OpenAlex | W4312328628 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 3 |
This study is the first comprehensive reconsideration of the “Tōdaiji objects,” the set of eighth-century offerings buried in cavities beneath the edge of the bronze pedestal of the centrally seated Vairocana Buddha in the temple’s Great Buddha Hall. Presently, the Tōdaiji objects are designated collectively as chindangu (platform pacifying objects). Despite significant scholarly attention, the debate over the original function of the Tōdaiji objects is at a standstill. Insufficient records from the time of their discovery make analysis challenging. This article first reassesses the foundational evidence and establishes that the diagrams produced during the 1907–1908 restoration can be used to recreate the initial arrangement of at least some of the Tōdaiji objects. It then argues that contrary to the present designation that was made following their discovery in 1907-1908, the Tōdaiji objects intimately interact with the Vairocana statue but not the platform in a way comparable to later tainai nōnyūhin (caches within the “womb” of a statue). The article demonstrates the mechanism by which the act of concealment, which effectively strips the objects of any utilitarian potential, allows donors to harness the symbolic potency inherent in the offering for the expression of their prayers and wishes
Archaeology · Physics · History · Japanese History and Culture
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |