Taimadera Temple Main Hall: Cabinet with Tapestry of Taima Mandala

JAPAN, Nara, Katsuragi; Nara to Heian period

The Taima Mandala is thought to have been based on a large-scale tapestry originally imported from Tang dynasty China. It is the oldest and largest of its kind. It was listed as a National Treasure in 1961.
The silk tapestry is a representation of the Pure Land. Highly revered, it has often been copied in various formats. However, the original has sustained serious damage and there have been a number of attempts to repair it during the Kamakura period. Only a third of the original remains.
This tapestry copy of the Taima Mandala is housed in a large black lacquered wooden display case. It is 504.8 cm high, with a base that is 495.7 cm wide and 189.4 cm deep. The display case stands on a narrow hexagonal base. Six slim pillars frame the structure and support the imitation eaves at the top, which has a similar shape to the base. According to inscriptions, six door panels were added in 1242 during the Kamakura period, all of which are decorated with lotuses in a pond. The inscription also records the names of painters and artisans. Other decorations include heavenly musicians underneath the eaves, hosoge flowers on the ceiling, and butterflies, ducks, wild geese, cranes, and pheasants inside the cabinet.