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- Title
Escaping from Confinement: Hell Imagery in the Shōjuraigōji Rokudō-e Scrolls.
- Authors
Zhou, Zhenru
- Abstract
This article explores the pictorial representation of the Buddhist hell in Kamakura (1185–1333) Japan, with a focus on a mid-thirteenth century rokudō-e, or Pictures of the Six Realms, preserved at Shōjuraigōji Temple. The examination revolves around how these scroll paintings convey messages of salvation by representing the symbolic architecture of the hell realm, the lowest level within the six realms. By scrutinizing the visual representation of hell landscapes in four hell scrolls in the Shōjuraigōji set, the study unveils the architectural symbolism of boundaries and pathways. A visual analysis of two hell-tearing narrative scrolls further reveals that the key iconography involves the destruction of the architectural symbols of hell. Through tracing the concurrent processes of constructing and destroying the imaginary space of hell, the study demonstrates that the conceptual and visual construction of hell is coupled with an equally pronounced intent for hell-tearing. Lastly, based on the visuality of the hell-escaping narratives, the medium of hanging scrolls, and the centrality of an Enma scroll within the Shōjuraigōji set, the author proposes a spatial arrangement of this set of fifteen scrolls that could systematically convey the visual massage of "escaping from suffering in the six courses".
- Subjects
JAPAN; SPATIAL arrangement; PICTURES; RELIGIOUS idols; SYMBOLISM; TEMPLES
- Publication
Arts (2076-0752), 2024, Vol 13, Issue 3, p94
- ISSN
2076-0752
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/arts13030094