Mount Koya 高野山水屏風コウヤセンズイビョウブ

Description

This painting systematically illustrates the Esoteric Buddhist monasteries atop Mount K&ocirc;ya. The scenic aerial view from the south unfolds across a long horizontal surface, depicting the activities of the monks and lay people and a rich natural landscape. On the panels of the right-hand screen are arranged, from right to left, the large gate, the western stupa, the main hall, the large stupa, the academy, and the cluster of temples known as Daidenp&ocirc;-in (literally, the great halls of the Dharma transmission). On the left-hand screen, from right to left, are the temples known as Kong&ocirc;zanmai-in (literally, the temples of the Diamond Meditation (Skt., <i>vajra-samadhi</i>)), the training hall, and the inner zone (Oku-no-in). The large rendition of the Kong&ocirc;zanmai-in temples, where these screens have been preserved, is noteworthy.