Void Lantern

Lore & Background

Stone lanterns, known as tōrō in Japanese, were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and illuminated paths. Lit lanterns were considered an offering to Buddha. Their use in Shinto shrines and private homes started during the Heian period (794–1185). The oldest extant bronze and stone lanterns in Japan can be found in Nara. Taima-dera has a stone lantern built during the Nara period, while Kasuga-taisha has one from the following Heian period. During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568–1600), stone lanterns were popularized by tea masters, who used them as garden ornaments. Soon they started to develop new types according to the need. In modern gardens they have a purely ornamental function and are laid along paths, near water, or next to a building.

In Their Own Story

The earliest known extant stone lantern in China is the Northern Qi (550-577) stone lantern in the remains of Tongzi Temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi. Other early stone lanterns which date from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) remain extant in several temples around China, such as the stone lantern in Faxing Temple in Zhangzi, Shanxi which was built in 773. In Japan, the oldest extant bronze and stone lanterns can be found in Nara. Taima-dera has a stone lantern built during the Nara period, while Kasuga-taisha has one of the following Heian period. The second oldest stone lantern in Japan, found at Kasuga Shrine, is a yūnoki-dōrō or citron tree stone lantern, which goes back to at least the Heian period.

Reader's Guide

Tōrō can be classified in two main types: tsuri-dōrō (hanging lamp), which usually hang from the eaves of a roof, and dai-dōrō (platform lamp), used in gardens and along the approach of a shrine or temple. The two most common types of dai-dōrō are the bronze lantern and the stone lantern, which look like hanging lanterns laid to rest on a pedestal. In its complete, original form, the dai-dōrō represents the five elements of Buddhist cosmology: the bottom-most piece represents chi (earth), the next section represents sui (water), ka (fire) is represented by the section encasing the lantern's light or flame, while fū (air) and kū (void or spirit) are represented by the last two sections. Stone lanterns can be classified into five basic groups: pedestal lanterns (tachidōrō), buried lanterns (ikekomi-dōrō), movable lanterns (oki-dōrō), legged lanterns (yukimi-dōrō), and nozura-dōrō (made with rough, unpolished stones).

Did You Know?

• The earliest known extant stone lantern in China is from the Northern Qi dynasty (550-577), found at Tongzi Temple in Taiyuan, Shanxi.
• The oldest extant bronze and stone lanterns in Japan are located in Nara, with Taima-dera having a stone lantern from the Nara period.
• Stone lanterns were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they were considered offerings to Buddha.
• During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568–1600), stone lanterns were popularized by tea masters as garden ornaments.
• The dai-dōrō (platform lantern) represents the five elements of Buddhist cosmology: earth, water, fire, air, and void.