yugitou　瑜祇塔

KEY WORD :　architecture / buildings & structures

Lit. jewel, prayer, pagoda. Also called gohou hatchuu 五峯八柱, lit. five peaks, eight pillars. A circular pagoda with a pyramidal roof *hougyou-zukuri 宝形造. It is very similar to an ordinary pagoda called *houtou 宝塔, but the number of finials *sourin 相輪, differs. The yugitou has one placed on each corner of the roof in addition to the one at the apex of the roof. The origin of this type of pagoda is believed to be derived from the Yugi sutra, YUGIKYOU 瑜祇経, which refers to an individual who practices yoga 瑜伽. According to tradition, *Kuukai 空海 (774-835) of the Shingon 真言 sect, brought this pagoda to Japan from China. However, it wasn't until 870 that such a pagoda, based on a drawing by Kuukai, was built on the grounds of a temple called Ryuukouin 竜光院. It was destroyed again and again by fire, but one yugitou remains at Mt. Kouya 高野 in Wakayama prefecture. It has lost its circular form, because of the construction of an extra aisle in 1931 on the top story, giving it the appearance of a *tahoutou 多宝塔. The only exceptions are the sourin at each corner and the vertex of the roof. The sourin is in this case is placed on the peak of the roof and at the corners. The sourin at the peak of the roof has a ring of lotus petals added between its five rings with cup and ball at the very top. One other yugitou in miniature is held in the hand of *Tamonten 多聞天 (Sk; Vaisravana), one of the four Buddhist guardian statues in Houryuuji *Kondou 法隆寺金堂 (rebuilt 693), Nara. Some scholars believe this to be the original form of yugitou.

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