tanben rengemon　単弁蓮華文

KEY WORD :　architecture / roofing tiles

A stylized lotus flower motif with eight petals. Although it is a relatively simple arrangement, unlike the *soben rengemon 素弁蓮華文, each large petal is embellished with an additional, smaller raised leaf sprout, shiyou 子葉, radiating from the center motif, a seed pod containing round dots in relief to represent seeds. Seed dots raised from flat circular centers are slightly above the level of the petals. The seeds vary in number and size. Much more rarely, there are seeds with rings around them, as in the example found at the ruins of Zenshouji 善正寺 in Osaka. This type is called fish eye, gyogan renji 魚眼蓮子. Each leaf sprout is centered against the background of a large petal which, in most examples, tapers to a point at the top. In some cases, the petals curl slightly inward. One example has a reconstructed diameter of 16cm. It was unearthed at the Yamadadera 山田寺 site in Nara and is dated from the mid-7c. The rim of many of the tiles was made with a pattern of concentric circles. The proportions of the central seed pod, seed leaves and petals vary from temple to temple. An unusual example also excavated from Yamadadera has finely incised lines, like narrow tongues of flame, Kaenmontsuki tanben rengemon 火焔文付単弁蓮華文 around the seed leaves. During the 7c, roof tile tanben rengemon patterns were not only influenced by the Paekche kingdom (Jp: *Kudara 百済) but also by the Koguryou (Jp: *Koukuri 高句麗) in Korea.

REFERENCES:

*kawara 瓦, *fukuben regemon 複弁蓮華文

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