priestswhogaveitsplendourarescattered,andsixShintopriestsalternatelyattenduponitasmuchforthepurposeofsellingticketsofadmissionasforanypriestlyduties。
Allroads,bridges,andavenueshereleadtotheseshrines,butthegrandapproachisbytheRedBridge,andupabroadroadwithstepsatintervalsandstone-facedembankmentsateachside,onthetopofwhicharebeltsofcryptomeria。Atthesummitofthisascentisafinegranitetorii,27feet6incheshigh,withcolumns3feet6
inchesindiameter,offeredbythedaimiyoofChikuzenin1618fromhisownquarries。Afterthiscome118magnificentbronzelanternsonmassivestonepedestals,eachofwhichisinscribedwiththeposthumoustitleofIyeyasu,thenameofthegiver,andalegendoftheoffering——allthegiftsofdaimiyo——aholywatercisternmadeofasolidblockofgranite,andcoveredbyaroofrestingontwentysquaregranitepillars,andabronzebell,lantern,andcandelabraofmarvellousworkmanship,offeredbythekingsofCoreaandLiukiu。Ontheleftisafive-storiedpagoda,104feethigh,richlycarvedinwoodandasrichlygildedandpainted。Thesignsofthezodiacrunroundthelowerstory。
Thegrandentrancegateisatthetopofahandsomeflightofstepsfortyyardsfromthetorii。AloopedwhitecurtainwiththeMikado’screstinblack,hangspartiallyoverthegateway,inwhich,beautifulasitis,onedoesnotcaretolinger,toexaminethegildedamainuinniches,orthespiritedcarvingsoftigersundertheeaves,fortheviewofthefirstcourtoverwhelmsonebyitsmagnificenceandbeauty。Thewholestyleofthebuildings,thearrangements,theartofeverykind,thethoughtwhichinspiresthewhole,areexclusivelyJapanese,andtheglimpsefromtheNi-ogateisarevelationofapreviouslyundreamed-ofbeauty,bothinformandcolour。
Roundtheneatlypebbledcourt,whichisenclosedbyabrightredtimberwall,arethreegorgeousbuildings,whichcontainthetreasuresofthetemple,asumptuousstableforthethreesacredAlbinohorses,whicharekeptfortheuseofthegod,amagnificentgranitecisternofholywater,fedfromtheSomendakicascade,andahighlydecoratedbuilding,inwhichacompletecollectionofBuddhistScripturesisdeposited。Fromthisaflightofstepsleadsintoasmallercourtcontainingabell-tower“ofmarvellousworkmanshipandornamentation,“adrum-tower,hardlylessbeautiful,ashrine,thecandelabra,bell,andlanternmentionedbefore,andsomeverygrandbronzelanterns。
FromthiscourtanotherflightofstepsascendstotheYomeigate,whosesplendourIcontemplateddayafterdaywithincreasingastonishment。Thewhitecolumnswhichsupportithavecapitalsformedofgreatred-throatedheadsofthemythicalKirin。Abovethearchitraveisaprojectingbalconywhichrunsallroundthegatewaywitharailingcarriedbydragons’heads。Inthecentretwowhitedragonsfighteternally。Underneath,inhighrelief,therearegroupsofchildrenplaying,thenanetworkofrichlypaintedbeams,andsevengroupsofChinesesages。Thehighroofissupportedbygildeddragons’headswithcrimsonthroats。Intheinteriorofthegatewaythereareside-nichespaintedwhite,whicharelinedwithgracefullydesignedarabesquesfoundedonthebotanorpeony。Apiazza,whoseouterwallsoftwenty-onecompartmentsareenrichedwithmagnificentcarvingsofbirds,flowers,andtrees,runsrightandleft,andenclosesonthreeofitssidesanothercourt,thefourthsideofwhichisaterminalstonewallbuiltagainstthesideofthehill。Ontherightaretwodecoratedbuildings,oneofwhichcontainsastagefortheperformanceofthesacreddances,andtheotheranaltarfortheburningofcedarwoodincense。Ontheleftisabuildingforthereceptionofthethreesacredcarswhichwereusedduringfestivals。Topassfromcourttocourtistopassfromsplendourtosplendour;oneisalmostgladtofeelthatthisisthelast,andthatthestrainonone’scapacityforadmirationisnearlyover。
Inthemiddleisthesacredenclosure,formedofgildedtrellis-
workwithpaintedbordersaboveandbelow,formingasquareofwhicheachsidemeasures150feet,andwhichcontainsthehaidenorchapel。Underneaththetrellisworkaregroupsofbirds,withbackgroundsofgrass,veryboldlycarvedinwoodandrichlygildedandpainted。Fromtheimposingentrancethroughadoubleavenueofcryptomeria,amongcourts,gates,temples,shrines,pagodas,colossalbellsofbronze,andlanternsinlaidwithgold,youpassthroughthisfinalcourtbewilderedbymagnificence,throughgoldengates,intothedimnessofagoldentemple,andthereis——simplyablacklacquertablewithacircularmetalmirroruponit。
Withinisahallfinelymatted,42feetwideby27fromfronttoback,withloftyapartmentsoneachside,onefortheShogunandtheother“forhisHolinesstheAbbot。“Both,ofcourse,areempty。Theroofofthehallispanelledandrichlyfrescoed。TheShogun’sroomcontainssomeveryfinefusuma,onwhichkirinfabulousmonstersaredepictedonadeadgoldground,andfouroakpanels,8feetby6,finelycarved,withthephoenixinlowreliefvariouslytreated。IntheAbbot’sroomtherearesimilarpanelsadornedwithhawksspiritedlyexecuted。Theonlyecclesiasticalornamentamongthedimsplendoursofthechapelistheplaingoldgohei。Stepsatthebackleadintoachapelpavedwithstone,withafinepanelledceilingrepresentingdragonsonadarkblueground。Beyondthissomegildeddoorsleadintotheprincipalchapel,containingfourroomswhicharenotaccessible;
butiftheycorrespondwiththeoutside,whichisofhighlypolishedblacklacquerrelievedbygold,theymustbeseverelymagnificent。
ButnotinanyoneofthesegorgeousshrinesdidIyeyasudecreethathisdustshouldrest。Re-enteringthelastcourt,itisnecessarytoleavetheenclosuresaltogetherbypassingthroughacoveredgatewayintheeasternpiazzaintoastonegallery,greenwithmossesandhepaticae。Within,wealthandarthavecreatedafairylandofgoldandcolour;without,Nature,atherstateliest,hassurroundedthegreatShogun’stombwithapompofmournfulsplendour。Astaircaseof240stonestepsleadstothetopofthehill,where,aboveandbehindallthestatelinessoftheshrinesraisedinhishonour,thedustofIyeyasusleepsinanunadornedbutCyclopeantombofstoneandbronze,surmountedbyabronzeurn。
Infrontisastonetabledecoratedwithabronzeincense-burner,avasewithlotusblossomsandleavesinbrass,andabronzestorkbearingabronzecandlestickinitsmouth。Aloftystonewall,surmountedbyabalustrade,surroundsthesimplebutstatelyenclosure,andcryptomeriaoflargesizegrowingupthebackofthehillcreateperpetualtwilightroundit。Slantraysofsunshinealonepassthroughthem,noflowerbloomsorbirdsings,onlysilenceandmournfulnesssurroundthegraveoftheablestandgreatestmanthatJapanhasproduced。
ImpressedasIhadbeenwiththegloriousworkmanshipinwood,bronze,andlacquer,Iscarcelyadmiredlessthemasonryofthevastretainingwalls,thestonegallery,thestaircaseanditsbalustrade,allputtogetherwithoutmortarorcement,andsoaccuratelyfittedthatthejointsarescarcelyaffectedbytherain,damp,andaggressivevegetationof260years。Thestepsofthestaircasearefinemonoliths,andthecopingattheside,themassivebalustrade,andtheheavyrailatthetop,arecutoutofsolidblocksofstonefrom10to18feetinlength。Noristheworkmanshipofthegreatgranitecisternforholywaterlessremarkable。Itissocarefullyadjustedonitsbedthatthewaterbroughtfromaneighbouringcascaderisesandpoursovereachedgeinsuchcarefullyequalisedcolumnsthat,asMr。Satowsays,“itseemstobeasolidblockofwaterratherthanapieceofstone。“
ThetemplesofIyemitsuareclosetothoseofIyeyasu,andthoughsomewhatlessmagnificentareevenmorebewildering,astheyarestillinBuddhisthands,andarecrowdedwiththegodsoftheBuddhistPantheonandthesplendidparaphernaliaofBuddhistworship,instrikingcontrasttothesimplicityofthelonelyShintomirrorinthemidstoftheblazeofgoldandcolour。InthegrandentrancegatearegiganticNi-o,theBuddhistGogandMagog,vermilioncoloured,andwithdraperiespaintedinimitationoffloweredsilk。Asecondpair,paintedredandgreen,removedfromIyemitsu’stemple,areinnicheswithinthegate。Aflightofstepsleadstoanothergate,inwhosegorgeousnichesstandhideousmonsters,inhumanform,representingthegodsofwindandthunder。
Windhascrystaleyesandahalf-jolly,half-demoniacalexpression。
Heispaintedgreen,andcarriesawind-bagonhisback,alongsacktiedateachend,withtheendsbroughtoverhisshouldersandheldinhishands。Thegodofthunderispaintedred,withpurplehaironend,andstandsoncloudsholdingthunderboltsinhishand。
Moresteps,andanothergatecontainingtheTenno,orgodsofthefourquarters,boldlycarvedandinstrongaction,withlongeye-
teeth,andatlasttheprincipaltempleisreached。Anoldpriestwhotookmeoveritonmyfirstvisit,onpassingthegodsofwindandthundersaid,“Weusedtobelieveinthesethings,butwedon’tnow,“andhismannerinspeakingoftheotherdeitieswasrathercontemptuous。Herequestedme,however,totakeoffmyhataswellasmyshoesatthedoorofthetemple。Withintherewasagorgeousshrine,andwhenanacolytedrewasidethecurtainofclothofgoldtheinteriorwasequallyimposing,containingBuddhaandtwootherfiguresofgildedbrass,seatedcross-leggedonlotus-flowers,withrowsofpetalsseveraltimesrepeated,andwiththatlookofeternalreposeontheirfaceswhichisreproducedinthecommonestroad-sideimages。Infrontoftheshrineseveralcandleswereburning,theofferingsofsomepeoplewhowerehavingprayerssaidforthem,andthewholewaslightedbytwolampsburninglow。Onastepofthealtaramuch-contorteddevilwascrouchinguneasily,forhewassubjugatedand,byagrimirony,madetocarryamassiveincense-burneronhisshoulders。Inthistemplethereweremorethanahundredidolsstandinginrows,manyofthemlife-size,someofthemtramplingdevilsundertheirfeet,butallhideous,partlyfromthebrightgreens,vermilions,andblueswithwhichtheyarepainted。Remarkablemusculardevelopmentcharacterisesall,andthefiguresorfacesareallinvigorousactionofsomekind,generallygrosslyexaggerated。
Whilewewerecrossingthecourtthereweretwoshocksofearthquake;allthegoldenwind-bellswhichfringetheroofsrangsoftly,andanumberofpriestsranintothetempleandbeatvariouskindsofdrumsforthespaceofhalfanhour。Iyemitsu’stombisreachedbyflightsofstepsontherightofthechapel。ItisinthesamestyleasIyeyasu’s,butthegatesinfrontareofbronze,andareinscribedwithlargeSanskritcharactersinbrightbrass。Oneofthemostbeautifulofthemanyviewsisfromtheuppermostgateofthetemple。ThesunshoneonmysecondvisitandbrightenedthespringtintsofthetreesonHotokeIwa,whichwasvignettedbyaframeofdarkcryptomeria。
Someofthebuildingsareroofedwithsheet-copper,butmostofthemaretiled。Tiling,however,hasbeenraisedalmosttothedignityofafineartinJapan。Thetilesthemselvesareacopperygrey,withasuggestionofmetalliclustreaboutit。Theyareslightlyconcave,andthejointsarecoveredbyothersquiteconvex,whichcomedownlikemassivetubesfromtheridgepole,andterminateattheeaveswithdiscsonwhichtheTokugawabadgeisemblazonedingold,asitiseverywhereontheseshrineswhereitwouldnotbequiteoutofkeeping。Theroofsaresomassivethattheyrequireallthestrengthoftheheavycarvedtimbersbelow,and,likeallelse,theygleamwithgold,orthatwhichsimulatesit。
TheshrinesarethemostwonderfulworkoftheirkindinJapan。Intheirstatelysettingofcryptomeria,fewofwhicharelessthan20