dotou　土塔

KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures

Also called tsuchi-no-tou 土の塔 or dantou 段塔. Lit. earthen pagoda. Dantou means stepped pagoda. A pagoda-like form made by piling up soil in steps. Those still extant look like small hills surrounded by a thick stand of trees, like ancient tombs, for which they are easily mistaken. Several mounds exist but even the zutou 頭塔 (head pagoda) another type of earthen pagoda, is not in its original condition. The name zutou is derived from the legend of a Buddhist priest, Genbou 玄�ﾑ (?-746) from Kanzeonji 観世音寺 in Fukuoka prefecture who lost his head falling to the earth where the Nara Dotou now exists. As stated in the TOUDAIJI YOUROKU 東大寺要録, a dotou was built by the high priest Jitchuu 実忠 at Toudaiji Nigatsudou 東大寺二月堂 (767) in Nara. The dotou is 24�u and has seven stone Buddhas positioned around it. The second step is reconstructed to 18�u with three stone Buddhas, the third layer measures 12�u with one stone Buddha, the fourth measures 6�u and has two Buddhas arranged on it, and the top layer has a five-storied pagoda *gorintou 五輪塔, made of five stones: a square base stone, a round or bottle shaped stone, a square stone with a pyramidal roof *hougyou-zukuri 宝形造, and an onion-shaped, teardrop stone *houju 宝珠, at the top. It appears that walkways once surrounded each layer. Further examples of remains include: Oonoji Dotou 大野寺土塔 (Heian period) in Osaka; Katsuodera Hatten Ishigura 勝尾寺八天石蔵 (Heian period) in Osaka; Kumayama Kaidan 熊山戒壇 (Nara period) in Okayama prefecture, and Musashi Kokubun niji Dotou 武蔵国分尼寺土塔 (Nara period) in Tokyo.

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