Shosoin - Shosoin

Japanese: 正倉院 - しょうそういん

In the Nara period, the main storehouses were called Shosoin, and a group of several of them was called Shosoin. Shosoin were established in central and local government offices and temples to store rice, grains, and other valuables that were paid to the state as Shozei (taxes), but over time all of these Shosoin were destroyed. All that remains today is the Shosoin, which was attached to Todaiji Temple in Nara, which was originally a government temple, and today it is this that is referred to as Shosoin, and it has become a proper noun. Located northwest of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple, it now stands in a grove surrounded by white walls, along with the East and West New Treasure Houses, the Shogozo (storehouse for sacred words), and the Jibutsudo (Buddha Hall).

From the beginning, the management of the Shostoren and the many treasures stored there was done by Todaiji Temple under the supervision of the Imperial Court. In 1875 (Meiji 8), the government took over direct management of the storehouse, and it was passed on to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, and then to the Imperial Household Ministry. It is currently under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Agency and is located in Zoshicho, Nara City.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

Shosoin Treasure House

This storehouse is a famous and representative warehouse building of the Tenpyo period, but there are no direct written documents about the year of its construction. However, based on records of the transfer and removal of treasures from the storehouse, it is believed to have been completed in October 756 (Tenpyo Shoho 8) or at the latest before March 759 (Tenpyo Hoji 3).

The Shosoin Treasure House is a raised-floor storehouse made of cypress with a single-story hipped roof and covered with traditional Japanese tiles, facing east and stretching from north to south. The storehouse is supported by pillars standing on top of ten rows of natural stones lined up east to west and four rows lined up north to south. The storehouse is a huge building with a width of approximately 33 meters, a depth of approximately 9.4 meters, a floor height of approximately 2.7 meters, and a total height of approximately 14.2 meters.

The storehouse is divided into three rooms: the North Storehouse, the Central Storehouse, and the South Storehouse. The outer walls (all around) of the North Storehouse and South Storehouse are built in the Azekura style, with large triangular timbers arranged in a crisscross pattern, while the Central Storehouse is built in the Itagura style, with its front and back outer walls surrounded by thick boards. The left and right walls of the Central Storehouse (the partitions between the North Storehouse and South Storehouse) are shared with the outer walls of the North Storehouse and South Storehouse. Each storehouse has an entrance in the center on the east side, and the interior is two-story. Furthermore, each storehouse has a long ladder leading to the attic.

As described above, this treasure house has a unique structure that combines a storehouse and a wooden storehouse into one building, and experts have debated whether this is the original structure or whether the central storehouse was added later. However, the matter has not yet been resolved. In order to protect the treasures from various disasters, they are now stored in two new storehouses, the east and west, which are made of reinforced concrete and equipped with air conditioning systems.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

Shosoin Treasures

Origin

The approximately 9,000 treasures currently housed in Shosoin can be broadly divided into two categories: (1) the treasures donated to the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple by Empress Komyo between 756 and 758, and other similar items; and (2) the treasures moved from the twin storehouses of Todaiji Temple's Kensakuin in 950 (Tenryaku 4), about 200 years later.

The first set of treasures are those that Empress Dowager Komyo donated to Vairocana Buddha on June 21, 756, 49 days after the death of the former Emperor Shomu, in prayer for the repose of his soul. The donations consisted of some 600 items that were beloved by the Emperor as well as items that had been kept close by at the Imperial Court. The donations are accompanied by a loving prayer from the Empress Dowager and a book of offerings (Book of National Treasures) listing the items. Other items donated included 60 kinds of medicinal herbs that day, the Ouyang Xun Screen of Inscriptions on July 26th of the same year and approximately 80 other items, a volume of the father-son Inscriptions of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi on June 1st, 758, and two folding screens of Inscriptions of the Empress Dowager's father, Fujiwara no Fuhito, on October 1st of the same year. Like the aforementioned "National Treasure Book," each of these items is accompanied by an offering book that clearly states the purpose and items of the offering, and are the most prestigious items; they are sometimes called "imperial treasures within the book," and form the core of the Shosoin treasures. However, not all of them have been passed down to the present day; they were removed from the storehouse several times in the early Heian period, and for the Daisho-o Shinsekisho and Fujiwara no Kimi Shinseki Byobu, only the donation registers remain. In addition, it is true that a few of the other items removed from the storehouse were replaced with new ones. The above items were stored in the Kitakura shortly after their donation, and have remained there to this day.

The second group of treasures is a large number of Buddhist implements and utensils that were moved to the southern storehouse of the Shosoin Treasury in June 950 during the mid-Heian period due to the deterioration of the twin storehouses of the Todaiji Kōsakuin, which had been managed under the seal of the Sogo priest who oversaw the various temples. The number and variety of these treasures are far greater than the previous donated treasures, and many of the individual treasures have inscriptions or labels, so their origins and history are known. Among them, the main ones with date inscriptions include items related to the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony, items used for the first anniversary of the death of Emperor Shomu's mother, and items related to Todaiji's memorial services, such as those used at the emperor's death, funeral, and first anniversary of the death of the emperor. Most of the items, such as those donated by Emperor Shotoku when he visited Todaiji, date from the Nara period. Some of the items that do not have dating inscriptions but have inscriptions indicating their affiliation include Todaiji Temple, the Great Buddha Hall, the Knot Hall, the Kichijodo Hall, the Senjudo Hall, the Eastern Pagoda, and the Small Eastern Pagoda, and even those that do not have inscriptions can be seen to be closely related to the items mentioned above based on their quality and shape.

As such, most of the Shosoin treasures are relics from the 7th and 8th centuries, and the majority of them are of clear origin and age, with most of the other treasures existing in a symbiotic relationship with them. This is what makes them unique and why they are so highly regarded for their cultural and historical value.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

Treasure Management

The treasures stored in the Kitakura, which were dedicated to Empress Komyo, were kept under strict management from the beginning. In other words, the opening and closing of the Kitakura and the removal of treasures from it required the Emperor's imperial decree or permission, and initially the seals were issued by the Nakatsukasa Ministry's kenmotsu (subordinate officials who supervised the receipt and disbursement of goods), which was treated the same as the seals issued by the Shoso of the Ministry of Finance. However, during the Kamakura period, seals issued by imperial envoys were used, and from the Muromachi period onwards, the seals became even more solemn, with seals bearing the Emperor's signature or a personal seal, which continues to this day. This was the so-called system of imperial seals, and the Kitakura was traditionally called the "Imperial Seal Storehouse."

Next, in the mid-Heian period, the Southern Storehouse, which housed the treasures transferred from the Twin Storehouses of Kousakuin, inherited this format and became Sokofu (also called Kofu) as it had treasures that had been managed under the seal of a monk, and was called the "Koufu Storehouse" as it had been originally called. Later, at the end of the Heian period, the most important treasures from the Southern Storehouse were stored separately in the Central Storehouse, and eventually the Central Storehouse became an Imperially sealed storehouse like the Northern Storehouse. However, after the treasure houses were transferred to direct state control in the Meiji period, the Southern Storehouse was also changed to an Imperially sealed storehouse, and now all three storehouses are Imperially sealed storehouses, and when the treasure houses are opened and closed every autumn, a seal signed by the Emperor is removed or attached in the presence of an Imperial envoy (now a chamberlain). Currently, the Imperially sealed method of management is only used in the Shosoin Treasure House, and it has maintained this long tradition.

Another thing to consider in addition to the imperial seal in terms of managing treasures is "bakuryo" (airing out). This involves airing out the treasures to protect them from insects. In Japan, where humidity levels are high, the Engishiki states that Buddhist statues, scriptures, general books, and weapons and armor should be aired out every year, or at least once every six years, and examples of this can be found in the Nara period. The word "bakuryo" first appears in records of the Shosoin treasures in 787 (Enryaku 6), but actual bakuryo inspections of the treasures began some time after the treasures were donated. However, apart from a few times in the early Heian period, the treasures were opened whenever necessary, such as when the emperor or high-ranking officials viewed the treasures, when the treasure house was repaired, or when the treasures were inspected. It was only after 1883 (Meiji 16) that bakuryo inspections began to be carried out once a year. Although it was sometimes carried out in spring or summer, it was usually carried out in the cool autumn season. However, since 1963, the treasures have been stored in a new treasure house equipped with an air conditioning system, making ventilation unnecessary, and the name of the event was changed to "Regular Autumn Opening." During this period, the main events are inspections of the treasures, special investigations of the treasures, and the replacement of insect repellents. After the Second World War, a special exhibition called "Shosoin Exhibition" was held at the Nara National Museum around this time, from late October to early November, and has become one of the annual autumn events in the ancient capital.

Meanwhile, various measures to protect the treasury and its treasures have been taken since ancient times. The treasury has undergone numerous repairs, large and small, in the 1,200-plus years since its construction. Since the first recorded repair in 1031 (Chogen 4), it has been repaired more than a dozen times, with the main storehouse being dismantled in 1913 (Taisho 2). Repairs to some of the treasures began during the Genroku (1688-1704) and Tenpo (1830-1844) eras, and many more were repaired during the Meiji era, preserving the original beauty and splendor of the treasures and making a great contribution to conveying ancient culture to the present day.

Another important task, on par with repairs, is the sorting of the treasures. The sorting of ancient documents, which began in the Tenpo era, was completed with the "Shosoin Komonjo Seishu" by Hoida Tadatomo, followed by the "Zokushu Shosoin Komonjo" in the Meiji era, totaling over 660 volumes. During the same Meiji era, Kurokawa Mayori and others conducted comparative research between the treasures and the donation register, and in 1914 the sorting of the enormous amount of dyed and woven textiles began, which has continued to this day. It is said that the number of sorted pieces, including fragments, is about 180,000. Even now, more than half a century after this sorting began, some percentage of the amount remains unsorted, and it is said that it will take at least a dozen more years to complete the sorting of all of this.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

Treasure type

As mentioned above, the number of Shosoin treasures is approximately 9,000, but this is only one way of counting, and if another method of counting is used, the number could reach tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. For example, the ancient documents, including those from the Tonan-in Temple, total more than 780 volumes, containing more than 10,000 official and private documents, the number of glass beads alone reaches approximately 70,000 intact pieces, and the number of dyed and woven textiles is as mentioned above.

The Shosoin treasures are so numerous that their variety is also extremely rich and diverse. For example, if we classify them by purpose, we find that they cover all aspects of life connected to contemporary Buddhist culture, such as books and records, clothing and furnishings, musical instruments and toys, medicines, weapons and armor, and Buddhist altar implements. The materials and production techniques that make up these treasures also cover all fields of art and craft, from wood, bamboo, armor, and stoneware to lacquerware, metalwork, pottery, glass and jade and stoneware, dyeing and weaving, painting, sculpture, and calligraphy. Among these, some are made using unique techniques, and quite a few are of a high level that even modern technology cannot match. Let us take a brief look at the main items below.

First of all, woodworking techniques for wooden, bamboo, and armor products have developed to a level that rivals modern techniques, including joinery, turning, bending, and carving, and the craftsmanship is complex and meticulous. Materials include not only domestically produced cedar and cypress, but also precious imported materials such as rosewood, ebony, and white sandalwood, and are used to create intricate wood paintings and mother-of-pearl decorations. The mother-of-pearl rosewood five-stringed lute and the wood-painted rosewood oak tub are representative examples. Bamboo products include brush holders and decorative boxes, and the surface of this bamboo is given a pattern that imitates the natural pattern of spotted bamboo, but even this technique has not been passed down to this day.Hermitage products include deer antlers, shells, as well as imported ivory, rhinoceros horn, whale baleen, whalebone, and tortoiseshell, and the technique of dyeing ivory crimson or navy blue and carving patterns into it with a bachiru technique that has long since disappeared.

As for lacquerware, the techniques of kyushitsu (the process of applying the lacquer from the base to the finish) are the same as those used today. The methods of decoration also vary from simply applying patterns using gold and silver paint to the hei-datsu (hira-mon) technique, in which thin sheets of gold and silver are cut into the pattern, painted into the lacquer coating, and then polished or peeled off to create the pattern. These gold and silver sheets are decorated with superb hair engravings. There are also precious relics of makkinru, which is said to be the origin of later maki-e lacquerware. These include the gold and silver hei-mon koto, the lacquered kohei (hira-datsu), and the gold and silver inlaid Chinese sword (sue-kin-mon).

Metalwork products are shaped and decorated using a wide range of techniques, including casting, forging, engraving, inlay, plating, and potter's wheel, and are used for a wide range of purposes. They are made from a wide variety of materials, including gold, silver, copper, tin, iron, Sahari, cupronickel, and brass, with gilt bronze and Sahari products being particularly numerous. There are 1,126 plates and boards made from Sahari. In addition, numerous jeweled mirrors, silver vases, gold and silver flower boards, and silver incense burners are renowned as excellent items.

The pottery includes 11 pieces of sueki ware and 57 pieces of glazed pottery, making them the oldest pieces in the world to have been passed down on earth. The glazed pottery is commonly known as "Shosoin Sansai" or "Nara Sansai," and recent research has confirmed that all of it was made in Japan.

As for glass and jadeware, there are six glass vessels, including a white lapis lazuli bowl and a navy blue lapis lazuli bowl, as well as cloisonné mirrors, fish-shaped mirrors, small mirrors, axis ends, and countless other glass beads, some of which are thought to be from Sassanid Persia and others to be made in China, while the fish-shaped mirrors, small mirrors, and glass beads are presumed to have been made in Japan, and documents to support this have been handed down. There are also a great number of jadeware products, including musical instruments such as the jade shakuhachi and carved stone flutes, as well as countless gosu, bowls, juzu, axis ends, and bead decorations.

These dyed textiles are known as "Shosoin textiles" and offer a complete view of dyeing and weaving crafts in the Nara period. They are also invaluable in understanding dyeing and weaving crafts throughout Asia in the 7th and 8th centuries. The textiles include Nishiki, Aya, Ra, and Sha patterned textiles, as well as silk, Ashiginu, and plain weave cloth. There are three types of dyeing and processing: Rokkechi, Kyokkechi, and Kokkechi. Some are embroidered, decorated with surimon, and painted. There are also many braided cords and felt made from wool that has been shrunk.

As for sculptures and paintings, the most representative are 171 gigaku masks that were performed at temple memorial services. There are also 135 woodcarvings and 36 dry lacquer paintings. The paintings are also typified by the "Torigeritujo no byobu" (Tori-ge-tachi-jo folding screen), but there is also a wide variety of works, such as bodhisattva statues and landscapes painted on linen cloth, miniature paintings of biwa and ruan-xian instruments in brilliant colors, decorative paintings made with gold and silver mud and various pigments dissolved in glue, mitsudae (paintings made by mixing pigments with oil), and oil paintings made by pouring oil over glue colors, which speak to the high standard of painting in the Nara period.

Finally, in terms of calligraphy, there are scrolls such as Emperor Shomu's Miscellany and Empress Komyo's Rakugiron, as well as the Shosoin documents, which contain handwriting by many famous and unknown people such as Roben, Ganjin, and Dokyo, all of which are strongly influenced by the calligraphy of the Tang dynasty. There are also many documents, including Japan's oldest family register from 702 (Taiho 2), official documents exchanged between central government offices, and documents that vividly convey the daily life of sutra copyists.

Although different in nature from the fine arts and crafts, 60 types of medicines were donated to the Great Buddha along with the offering book (medicinal book of various kinds), stored in 21 ancient chests. The prayers stated that these should be shared with ordinary sick people as needed, and in fact, they were frequently stored and used until the middle of the Heian period. However, 39 types of these medicines still remain today. These medicines were valuable imported from China and other places, and are said to still have efficacy as herbal medicines.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

The significance of the treasure

As we have seen, the Shosoin treasures are characterized by their clear origins and ages, good preservation, wide variety, large quantity, and high quality. However, a major characteristic is that they are distributed worldwide. First, many of the treasures themselves were brought from Persia, China, Korea, and other places. Second, the materials used for the various vessels are from a wide range of regions, including Asia Minor, Persia, Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, and China. The designs and patterns are strongly influenced by foreign elements from mainland China, India, Persia, and Eastern Rome, and especially Western elements are often incorporated. This can also be said about the items produced in China, and is one of the characteristics of the prosperous Tang culture. This is because, on top of the traditions of their own culture that had been cultivated for thousands of years, they actively absorbed and fused various civilizations such as India, Persia, and Byzantium, creating a brilliant global culture in the 8th century. It was our Nara period and its culture that directly and indirectly accepted this.

The Shosoin treasures are not only the crystallization of this, but also a condensation of the Prosperous Tang culture that was their mother, as well as the various civilizations of Asia, which have been passed down to the present day. This demonstrates the great significance of the treasures in the history of world culture, and it is for this reason that the Shosoin is not simply the property of our country, but is widely known as a treasure trove of the world.

[Kimura Norimitsu]

"Hiroshi Doi, "Original Color Japanese Art 4: Shosoin" (1968, Shogakukan)" ▽ "Masataka Sekine, "Famous Treasures of Japanese Art 4: Shosoin" (1982, Shogakukan)" ▽ "Shosoin Office (ed.), "Shosoin Treasures," 5 volumes (1960-64, Asahi Shimbun)"

[References] | Shosoin Tattered ...

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

奈良時代においては主要な倉庫のことを正倉といい、その幾棟かが集まっている一郭を正倉院とよんだ。正倉は中央・地方の諸官庁や寺院に設置され、正税(しょうぜい)すなわち租税として国に納められた稲や穀物、その他の財物を収納していたが、時代が下るとそれらの正倉のすべてが滅んでしまった。現存するものは、もと官寺であった奈良の東大寺に付属していた正倉1棟のみで、今日、正倉院といえばこれをさし、固有名詞化している。東大寺大仏殿の北西に位置し、いまは白壁に囲まれた木立の中に東・西新宝庫、聖語蔵(しょうごぞう)、持仏堂などとともにある。

　なお、この正倉とそこに納められた多数の宝物の管理は、当初から朝廷の監督のもとに東大寺が行ってきたが、1875年（明治8）政府が直接行うことになり、内務省、農商務省を経て宮内省が管理し、現在は宮内庁の所管で、奈良市雑司(ぞうし)町にある。

［木村法光］

正倉院宝庫

この正倉は、天平(てんぴょう)時代の著名な代表的倉庫建築だが、その創建年時について直接書き伝えた資料はない。しかし宝物の移遷や蔵出しの記録などから756年（天平勝宝8）10月、遅くとも759年（天平宝字3）3月以前にできていたことは確実視されている。

　檜(ひのき)造り、屋根は単層、寄棟本瓦葺(よせむねほんかわらぶ)きで、高床式校倉(あぜくら)の正倉院宝庫は東面し、南北に長く建っている。東西に並ぶ10列、南北に4列の自然石の上に束柱を立て、宝庫を支えている。倉は間口約33メートル、奥行約9.4メートル、床下約2.7メートル、総高約14.2メートルの巨大な建物である。

　倉は北倉、中倉、南倉の3室に仕切られている。北倉、南倉の外壁（四周）は大きな三角材を井桁(いげた)に組んだ校倉造、中倉はその前後の外壁を厚い板で囲った板倉(いたぐら)である。なお中倉の左、右の壁（北倉、南倉との隔壁）は北倉、南倉の外壁を共有している。各倉とも東側中央に一つの出入口をもち、内部は2階造りとなっている。さらに各倉とも天井裏へ通じる長い梯子(はしご)がかけられている。

　以上のようにこの宝庫は、校倉と板倉とを1棟にまとめた特殊構造であることから、この姿が創建当初のままのものであるのか、あるいは中倉はのちに継ぎ足されたものであるのかが専門家の間で議論されてきた。しかしまだ決着をみていない。なお宝物は、種々の災害から守るため、いまは鉄筋コンクリート造りで、空気調和装置が完備した東西両新宝庫に分納してある。

［木村法光］

正倉院宝物

由来

現在正倉院に伝わる宝物群約9000点は、大別すると次の二つの系統に分類できる。(1)756年から758年に至る間に光明(こうみょう)皇太后が東大寺盧遮那仏(るしゃなぶつ)（大仏）に献納した宝物類と、これに準ずるいくつかの品々。(2)これより約200年後の950年（天暦4）、東大寺羂索院(けんさくいん)の双倉(そうそう)から移し納められた宝物類である。

　第一の宝物類とは、756年6月21日、先帝聖武(しょうむ)天皇の死去後四十九日の忌み日にあたり、光明皇太后が天皇の冥福(めいふく)を祈念して、その遺愛品ならびに宮廷で間近に置かれていた品々約六百数十点を盧遮那仏に献じたものであり、皇太后の愛情満ちあふれる願文と、献納品目を列記する献物帳(けんもつちょう)（国家珍宝帳(こっかちんぽうちょう)）が添えられている。ほかに同日献納された60種の薬物、同年7月26日欧陽詢真跡書屏風(おうようじゅんしんせきしょびょうぶ)以下約80点、758年6月1日王羲之(おうぎし)・王献之(おうけんし)父子の真跡書1巻、同年10月1日皇太后の父藤原不比等(ふひと)追善のため、その真跡書屏風2帖(ちょう)を献納。これらはそれぞれ先の「国家珍宝帳」と同様、献納趣旨と品目を明らかにした献物帳が添えられていて、もっとも由緒正しい品々で、これらは「帳内御物(ちょうないぎょぶつ)」とよぶこともあり、正倉院宝物の中心的存在をなしている。ただしそれらのすべてがいまに伝わったわけではなく、平安時代初期に幾度かの出蔵があり、大小王真跡書(だいしょうおうしんせきしょ)および藤原公真跡屏風については、その献物帳が残るのみである。また他に出蔵されたもののうち、少数のものは代替品が納められた事実もあった。以上のものはその献納後まもなく北倉に納められ今日に至ったものである。

　第二の宝物群は、平安中期の950年6月、諸寺を監督する僧綱(そうごう)の封によって管理されていた東大寺羂索院の双倉が朽損のため、正倉院宝庫の南倉に移された多数の仏具や什器(じゅうき)類である。これらの宝物群の数量や種類は前の献納宝物に比べてはるかに多く、また個々の宝物には銘文や付け札を有するものが多数みいだされるので、その由緒、来歴が知られる。そのうち年紀銘のあるおもなものをあげると、大仏開眼会(かいげんえ)関係の品々、聖武天皇の生母一周忌斎会、同天皇の死去時・葬儀・一周忌斎会の用物など東大寺の法要関係の品々。称徳(しょうとく)天皇が東大寺行幸に際して献入した品々など、ほとんどが奈良時代のものである。年紀銘はもたないが、その所属を示す銘を記したものについては、東大寺をはじめ、大仏殿、羂索堂、吉祥(きちじょう)堂、千手堂、東塔、東小塔などがあり、また銘記のないものも、その品質・形状などにより、先に記した品々と密接な関係にあることが裏づけられる。

　このように正倉院宝物はそのほとんどが7、8世紀の遺品であり、その由緒と年代が明白なものが中心をなし、他のほとんどがそれらと共存関係にあるところにその特質があり、文化史的価値が高く評価されるゆえんである。

［木村法光］

宝物の管理

北倉に納められた光明皇太后奉献の宝物の管理保管は、当初から厳重なものであった。つまり、北倉の開閉と宝物の出蔵とについては、天皇の勅旨または勅許を必要とし、最初のころは中務(なかつかさ)省の監物(けんもつ)（物品出納を監察する被官）の封であって、大蔵省の正倉の施封と同じ扱いであったが、鎌倉時代には、派遣せられた勅使の封にかわり、室町時代以降からは封の形式がさらに荘重になり、天皇花押(かおう)の封紙(ふうし)、あるいは親署のある封紙になり今日に及んでいる。これがいわゆる勅封(ちょくふう)の制度であって、北倉は古来「勅封倉(ちょくふうそう)」とよばれた。

　次に平安中期、羂索院双倉から移されてきた宝物を納める南倉は、もと僧綱の封により管理されていた宝物類があったため、この形式を受け継いで僧綱封（綱封(こうふう)ともいう）となり、元のごとく「綱封倉」とよんだ。このあと平安末期に南倉宝物中の重要なものが中倉に分納され、やがて中倉は北倉と同じく勅封倉とされた。ところが明治時代に宝庫が直接国家の管理下に移されたのち、南倉も同じく勅封倉に改められ、現在は3倉とも勅封倉として毎年秋季の宝庫開閉に勅使（現在は侍従）立会いのもと、天皇自署の封紙を解き、あるいは付される。現在勅封という管理方式は正倉院宝庫にのみ生き、長い伝統を保っているのである。

　次に宝物の管理上、勅封とあわせ考えねばならないものに「曝涼(ばくりょう)」（虫干し）がある。これは風通しをし虫干しをすることで、多湿のわが国では仏像、経典、一般図書、兵器武具の類を毎年、あるいは少なくとも6年に一度曝涼することが『延喜式(えんぎしき)』にみえ、その実例は奈良時代にあった。正倉院宝物について「曝涼」の語が初めて記録に出るのは787年（延暦6）のことであるが、宝物点検に伴う実質的曝涼は、宝物献納後しばらくたったころから行われている。しかし平安初期の数回以外は、法皇や高官の宝物拝観、宝庫の修理や宝物点検など必要のたびごとに開封され、曝涼点検を毎年1回行うようになるのは1883年（明治16）以降であり、これまで春や夏に行われたこともあったが、だいたいは秋冷の候に行われている。ただし、1963年（昭和38）以降は空気調和装置を施した新宝庫に収納され、曝涼の必要はなくなり、その名称も「秋期定例開封」と改められた。そしてこの期間中に宝物の点検をはじめ、宝物の特別調査や防虫剤の入れ替えなどがおもな行事として行われている。また、第二次世界大戦後には、この時期の10月下旬から11月上旬にかけて、奈良国立博物館で特別展「正倉院展」の開催が恒例となり、古都の秋の年中行事の一つになっている。

　一方、宝庫や宝物に対しての種々の保護対策も古くから行われてきた。宝庫に対しては、創建以来1200余年の間、大小幾多の修理が加えられてきた。記録に残る最初のものである1031年（長元4）の修理以後十数度を数えるが、1913年（大正2）には正倉を解体して大修理が行われた。宝物については、元禄(げんろく)（1688～1704）・天保(てんぽう)（1830～44）年間の一部の宝物修理に始まり、明治年間には数多くの宝物に修理の手が加えられ、宝物本来の美しさ、絢爛(けんらん)さを支え、古代の文化をいまに具体的に伝えることに大いに貢献した。

　修理と並ぶ重要な事業は宝物の整理である。まず天保期に始まる古文書の整理は、穂井田忠友(ほいだただとも)による『正倉院古文書正集(こもんじょせいしゅう)』、それに続いて明治期の『続修(ぞくしゅう)正倉院古文書』以下あわせて660巻余を完成した。同じ明治期には黒川真頼(くろかわまより)らによる宝物と献物帳との比較考証も行われ、1914年からは膨大な量の染織品の整理が始まり今日に至っているが、整理された裂(きれ)類は断片を含め約18万点を数えるといわれる。そしてこの整理が始まって半世紀を超えたいま、なおその量の何割かは未整理であり、これらの整理がひととおり終わるまでには、まだ少なくとも十数年の年月が必要であるといわれている。

［木村法光］

宝物の種類

先に正倉院宝物の点数は約9000点と記したが、これはあくまでも一つの数え方であって、別の数え方をもってすれば何万点、何十万点にもなりかねない。たとえば、古文書は、東南院文書を含めると780余巻になり、そこには一万数千点の官公私文書を含んでおり、またガラス玉類は完全なものだけで約7万個に達し、染織品に至っては先にも記したとおりである。

　正倉院宝物は数量が多いだけに、その種類もすこぶる豊富かつ多岐にわたっている。たとえば用途別に分類してみると、図書記録文書、服飾・調度、楽器・遊戯具、薬物、武器・武具、仏具など当代の仏教文化に結び付く生活全般にわたっている。そしてそれらを形づくっている素材や製作技法にしても、木竹甲角品から漆工、金工、陶器、ガラスと玉石器、染織、絵画、彫刻、書跡と、その範囲は美術工芸のすべての分野にわたっており、またこれらのなかには特異な技法もあり、現代の技術をもってしても及びえない高度な水準のものも少なからずある。以下その主要なものを簡単にみてみよう。

　まず、木竹甲角品のうち、木工技術については、指物、挽物(ひきもの)、曲物(まげもの)、刳物(くりもの)など現代のものに勝るとも劣らないまでに発達しており、その工作についても複雑入念な細工が行われている。その素材も杉、檜など国内産のものだけでなく、外国産の紫檀(したん)、黒檀(こくたん)、白檀(びゃくだん)などの貴重な素材を駆使して緻密(ちみつ)な木画や螺鈿(らでん)の装飾を施している。螺鈿紫檀五絃琵琶(らでんしたんのごげんびわ)、木画紫檀棊局(もくがしたんのききょく)などはその代表的作例である。竹工品には筆管や飾り箱があり、この竹の表面には天然の斑竹文(はんちくもん)に模して斑文がつけられた仮斑竹(げはんちく)があり、いまはその手法さえ伝わっていない。甲角品には鹿角(ろっかく)、貝殻をはじめ、外来の象牙(ぞうげ)、犀角(さいかく)、鯨鬚(げいしゅ)、鯨骨(げいこつ)、玳瑁(たいまい)（べっこう）などがあり、とくに象牙を紅・紺に染め、撥彫(はねぼ)りをして文様を表す撥鏤(ばちる)の手法は後代に絶えて久しい特殊な技法といえよう。

　漆工品について、その髹漆(きゅうしつ)（下地から塗りの工程）の技法は現代のそれとも変わらない。加飾の方法も、単に金銀泥によって文様をつけるものから、金・銀の薄板を文様に切り透かし、漆塗膜に塗り込め、研ぎ出しあるいは剥脱(はくだつ)して文様表現をする平脱(へいだつ)（平文(ひょうもん)）の手法がある。この金銀板にはすばらしい毛彫(けぼ)りが施されている。また後世の蒔絵(まきえ)の源流といわれる末金鏤(まっきんる)の貴重な遺品もある。金銀平文琴(きんぎんひょうもんきん)、漆胡瓶(ぬりのこへい)（平脱）、金銀鈿荘唐大刀(きんぎんでんかざりのからたち)（末金鏤）などがそれである。

　金工品は、鋳造、鍛造、彫金や象眼(ぞうがん)、鍍金(ときん)、ろくろなどあらゆる技術を駆使して成形加飾され、またその用途別範囲も多岐にわたるものである。その材料は金、銀、銅、錫(すず)、鉄、佐波理(さはり)、白銅(はくどう)、黄銅(おうどう)（真鍮(しんちゅう)）などと種類は多く、金銅や佐波理製品はとくに多い。佐波理製の皿や盤類は1126口を数える。また多数の宝飾鏡(ほうしょくきょう)や銀壺(ぎんこ)、金銀花盤(きんぎんかばん)や銀薫炉(ぎんのくんろ)などは優品として名高い。

　陶器は、須恵器(すえき)11点と彩釉(さいゆう)陶器の57点が伝えられ、地上に伝世した世界最古のものとして貴重な存在である。そして彩釉陶器は俗に「正倉院三彩(さんさい)」「奈良三彩」とよばれ、最近の調査の結果によってすべて国産品であることが確認されている。

　ガラスと玉石器については、ガラス器は白瑠璃碗(はくるりのわん)のほか紺瑠璃坏(こんるりのつき)など容器類6点と七宝鏡(しっぽうきょう)、魚形(うおがた)、小尺(しょうしゃく)、軸端(じくたん)、そのほか万をもって数えるガラス玉があり、そのあるものはササン朝ペルシアのもの、またあるものは中国製であろうとされるが、一方、魚形、小尺、ガラス玉などはわが国で製作されたと推定され、それを裏づける文書も伝わっている。また玉石製品もきわめて多く、楽器の玉尺八(ぎょくしゃくはち)や彫石横笛(ちょうせきおうてき)をはじめ、合子(ごうす)や坏(さかずき)、誦数(じゅず)、軸端、装玉類に至っては無数というほかない。

　染織品は、世に「正倉院裂(しょうそういんぎれ)」として知られ、奈良朝の染織工芸の全貌(ぜんぼう)が見渡せるものといえよう。同時にまた7、8世紀のアジア全域の染織工芸を知るうえでもかけがえのないものである。織物として錦(にしき)、綾(あや)、羅(ら)、紗(しゃ)の紋織物や、絹、絁(あしぎぬ)、布類の平織物がある。染色加工の種類には﨟纈(ろうけち)・きょう纈(きょうけち)・纐纈(こうけち)とよばれる三纈があり、また刺しゅう、摺文(すりもん)、彩絵などを施すものもある。ほかに組紐(くみひも)や羊毛を縮絨(しゅくじゅう)加工したフェルト類も多数伝えられている。

　彫刻、絵画については、彫刻は、寺院の供養会などに際して演じられた伎楽(ぎがく)の面171面がその代表としてあげられる。木彫が135面と乾漆(かんしつ)が36面ある。絵画作品は、やはり『鳥毛立女屏風(とりげりつじょのびょうぶ)』に代表されようが、麻布に描かれた菩薩(ぼさつ)像や山水図、琵琶(びわ)や阮咸(げんかん)などの撥面(ばちめん)に極彩色で描かれた細密画、金・銀泥や各種顔料を膠(にかわ)で溶き描かれた装飾画、顔料を油で練って描いた密陀絵(みつだえ)や、膠彩色の上に油のかけられた油色(ゆしょく)など多種多彩で、奈良時代の絵画水準の高さを物語っている。

　最後に書跡では、聖武天皇自筆の雑集(ざっしゅう)、光明皇后自筆の楽毅論(がっきろん)などの書巻類をはじめ、正倉院文書中には良弁(ろうべん)、鑑真(がんじん)、道鏡(どうきょう)以下の有名無名の多くの人々の筆跡が残されており、いずれも唐代書法の強い影響を受けている。また702年（大宝2）日本最古の戸籍や、中央官庁の間で授受された公文書、写経生の日常生活のようすを如実に伝える文書などが多数ある。

　なお、美術工芸品とは性格を異にするが、献物帳（種々薬帳）とともに大仏に献納された薬物は60種に及び、古櫃(こひつ)21合に納められていた。それらは必要に応じて一般の病人にも分かち与えるべきことがその願文に書かれてあり、事実、平安の中期まで頻繁に出蔵され使用に供された。しかしいまなおそのうちの39種が残されている。これらの薬物は中国その他の地から舶来した貴重なものであり、いまでも生薬(しょうやく)として効力をもっているといわれる。

［木村法光］

宝物の意義

以上にみてきたように、正倉院宝物の特質は、その由来や年代が明らかなこと、保存が良好であること、その種類が多岐多様であること、数量が多いこと、優品が多いことなど考えられるが、さらに大きな特質としてその広がりが世界的であることに注目しなければならない。まず宝物そのものがペルシア、中国、朝鮮などからもたらされたものが少なからずあること。次に各種器物に用いられている材質のなかには、小アジア、ペルシア、中央アジア、インド、東南アジア、中国など広範な地域に産するものが含まれている。意匠、文様においては、中国大陸をはじめインド、ペルシア、東ローマなど外来的要素が色濃く、とくに西方要素が多く取り入れられている。それは中国で製作されたものについてもいえることで、盛唐文化の一特色でもある。数千年来培ってきた自国文化の伝統のうえに、さらにインド、ペルシア、ビザンティンなどの諸文明を積極的に摂取融合し、8世紀における華々しい世界的文化をつくりあげていたからにほかならない。これを直接間接に受け入れていたのがわが奈良朝であり、その文化である。

　正倉院宝物はその結晶であるばかりでなく、その母胎となった盛唐文化ないしは全アジアの諸文明を凝集して今日に伝えるものであり、宝物の世界文化史上における重要な意義がここに認められるのであって、正倉院が単にわが国だけのものではなく、広く世界の宝庫とまで称される理由もここにある。

［木村法光］

『土井弘著『原色日本の美術4　正倉院』（1968・小学館）』▽『関根真隆著『名宝日本の美術4　正倉院』（1982・小学館）』▽『正倉院事務所編『正倉院宝物』全5巻（1960～64・朝日新聞社）』

[参照項目] | 正倉院裂 | 正倉院文書 | 正倉院薬物

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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