Konjikidou　金色堂

KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures

Also called Hikaridou 光堂 or Konjiki-in 金色院. Lit. Gold colored hall. A small Buddhist edifice at Chuusonji 中尊寺 (1124) in Iwate prefecture. It is 3×3 (5.48m ) bays with a pyramidal roof *hougyou-zukuri 宝形造, covered with roofing made of wood in the shapes of conventional tiles *hongawarabuki 本瓦葺. The Konjikidou was built as a mausoleum kidou 墓堂, for Fujiwara Kiyohira 藤原清衡 (1056-1128). However, his son, Motohira 基衡 (?-1157) and his grandson, Hidehira 秀衡 (1122-1187) were also entombed there. Structurally, it is a simple hall. The interior has a 1×1 bay core *moya 母屋, with a raised ceiling that is coved, coffered and finely latticed *oriage kogumi goutenjou 折上小組格天井. The moya is surrounded by 1-bay wide aisles *hisashi 廂. Altars containing the remains of the three Fujiwaras are placed in the core toward the back in the left and right corners. Above them are a number of figures; *Amida sanson 阿弥陀三尊; Rokujizou 六地蔵; and *Niten 二天. Double doors fill the three front bays and also the first bay on either side extending from the front corner pillars. All bracket complexes are of the 3-on-1, non-projecting type *hiramitsuto 平三斗, parallel to the wall plane. The interstices *nakazonae 中備, between the bracket complexes have frog-leg struts typical of the latter Heian period, i.e., the delicate, open-work type following the shape of frog-leg struts but without embellishment placed in the open work. These struts are called honkaerumata 本蟇股 (see *kaerumata 蟇股). The entire hall, inside and outside, is covered with black lacquer with gold leaf attached. The four pillars *shitenbashira 四天柱, defining the moya, the altars and all structural members are elaborately decorated with gold dust *maki-e 蒔絵, mother of pearl *raden 螺鈿, metal ornamentation, Buddhist images with decorative beading, and painted arabesque patterns housougemon 宝相華文. The entire effect is brilliant. Because of the *Amida figures and the fact of its being a small hall for private use of the northern branch of the Fujiwaras devoted to the Pure Land, Joudo 浄土 sect, it is sometimes classified as an Amida hall *Amidadou 阿弥陀堂. The elaborate ornamentation suggests the paradisiacal nether world gokuraku joudo 極楽浄土. Beginning in 1288 the Konjikidou was protected by a 5×5 bay cover building called *Sayadou 鞘堂. The present Sayadou has a pyramidal roof covered with copper sheeting. Therefore the Konjikidou has been very well preserved. Only the veranda and podium have deteriorated.

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