intou　印塔

KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures

A representation of a pagoda that has been printed or rubbed onto paper or cloth. The paper or cloth was laid on a carved block and rubbed with ink, leaving the raised portion with the markings of the carved block on the covering. Printing could also be done by preparing a surface in the same way that a seal was made. The prepared surface was pressed onto ink and then stamped on paper. Wooden blocks were the norm, but tile was also sometimes used. Commonly represented pagodas included: three and five storied pagodas; circular pagodas with pyramidal roofs, those made of five stones set one on top of the other and memorial pagodas. Some included images of various Buddhas *inbutsu 印仏. Sometimes a single intou was stamped on one sheet of paper, and sometimes many pagodas were stamped on one sheet, often the case when stamping many Buddha figures, inbutsu kuyou 印仏供養. Some intou had parts of sutras copied on the shaft. Intou with circular pagodas and a pyramidal roofs *houtou 宝塔, are the most common among those extant. The oldest extant has a printed image of Buddha *Shaka 釈迦. It belongs to Joururiji 浄瑠璃寺 in Kyoto, and was created sometime from the early to mid-Heian period. Late Heian period, an intou is found at Togakushi Jinja 戸隠神社 (12c) in Nagano prefecture. It has a sutra written with one large character over the faint outline of a houtou and is called kyouintou 経印塔. It is covered with mica to enhance its beauty. Another intou is in the possession of Daizouji 大蔵寺 (Kamakura period) in Kanagawa prefecture. It is printed on the reverse side of the sutra, DAIHANNYAKYOU 大般若経. An image of a five-storied pagoda *gojuu-no-tou 五重塔, was created by pressing a tile block, kawaraban natsu-in 瓦版捺印, onto paper is owned by Houshouji 法勝寺 (Kamakura period) in Kyoto. The Uzumasa Houkyoutou 太奏宝経塔 owned by Kouryuuji 広隆寺 (Kamakura period) in Kyoto, is made with gold characters on a deep blue background.

REFERENCES:

*sanjuu-no-tou 三重塔, *tahoutou 多宝塔, *houkyouintou 宝篋印塔

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NOTES:

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