Shumidan - Shumidan

A high platform set up in a Buddhist temple to house a Buddha statue or a Buddhist altar. It is synonymous with the Sumeru seat, which is one of the pedestals for Buddhist statues. It is modeled after Mount Sumeru, where Taishakuten is said to live, and placing Buddhist statues on a Sumeru-shaped platform was also a common practice in India in ancient times. It is a square, octagonal or circular platform with one or two levels, and most have a balustrade on the upper edge. Until the Nara period, Buddhist halls had dirt floors, so Sumeru platforms were often made of stone or plaster, and were low in many cases (such as the octagonal platform at Horyu-ji Yumedono, the circular plaster platform at Shin-Yakushi-ji, and the rectangular stone platforms at Yakushi-ji and Toshodai-ji Kondo). In the Heian period, Sumeru platforms were made of wood to match the wooden floors of Buddhist halls. Usually, a rafter is placed between the upper and lower frames, a board is inserted between each rafter, and a lattice gap is created, but in esoteric Buddhism architecture, the platform is high and a small altar is often placed on top. The Phoenix Hall of Byodoin Temple and the Golden Hall of Chusonji Temple are gorgeous relics, lacquered with makie and raden, and decorated with gilt bronze metal fittings. In the Kamakura period, a Zen style was born, which imitated the Song style and used a lot of cutouts, with fine steps stacked on top of each other to make the waist narrower. A representative example of this is the one at Kenchoji Temple, with lions and arabesque patterns carved into the risers at the waist and a balustrade unique to Zen Buddhism placed on the upper edge.

[Akio Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

仏殿内で仏像や仏龕(ぶつがん)を安置するため設けた高い壇。仏像の台座の一つである須弥座と同義である。帝釈天(たいしゃくてん)の住むという須弥山(しゅみせん)をかたどったもので、須弥山形の上に仏像を安置するのは、古くインドでも行われていた。四角、八角または円形の、一重か二重の壇で、多くは上縁には勾欄(こうらん)がある。奈良時代までは仏堂が土間であったため、須弥壇も石造や漆食(しっくい)造で、低いものが多い（法隆寺夢殿八角壇、新薬師寺の円形漆食壇、薬師寺や唐招提寺(とうしょうだいじ)金堂の石造矩形(くけい)壇）。平安時代になると仏堂の板敷にあわせて須弥壇も木造となった。普通は上下の框(かまち)の間に束(つか)を立て、束と束の間に板をはめ、格狭間(こうざま)が設けられるが、密教建築では壇が高く、上に厨子(ずし)が設けられることが多い。また平等院鳳凰堂(ほうおうどう)や中尊寺金色堂などは漆塗りに蒔絵(まきえ)・螺鈿(らでん)などを施し、金銅の飾り金具を使用した豪華な遺品である。鎌倉時代には、宋(そう)風に倣って繰形(くりがた)を多く使用し、細かい段を重ねて腰細にした禅宗様の形式が生まれた。その代表例は建長寺のもので、腰部の蹴込(けこ)みには獅子(しし)や唐草(からくさ)が彫り出され、上縁には禅宗様独特の勾欄が置かれている。

［佐藤昭夫］

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