Paper short abstract:

This paper argues how the vision of view from the Enryaku-ji at Mt. Hiei was created, succeeded, and changed over time, by analyzing the waka poems for screen paintings depicting the region. It was canonized by Jien who connected the capital and the region as the patron monk of Emperor Go-Toba.

Paper long abstract:

Since ancient times, landscapes or sansui have been visualized as screen painting such as shōji (fusuma) and byōbu that decorate interior spaces. It is unfortunate that few such screen paintings dating back to the Heian period have survived, but it is possible to infer what kind of landscapes were painted on screens from the numerous waka poems that were composed for these screens. The view from the Enryaku-ji Temple at Mt. Hiei that was the base of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, was repeatedly depicted as the subject of paintings for the screens for the Daijō-e Festival held when the emperor was replaced by another emperor.

This paper, therefore, will explore how the visions of this land was created, succeeded, and how it has been changed over time. First, I will analyze how the land has been represented by both waka poems (words) and screens (pictures). Then, I will clarify what kind of vision the land expressed in the space of the building where the screen paintings depicting such sansui were appreciated.

The above discussion indicates that the view from the Enryaku-ji Temple at Mt. Hiei became famous in the capital, and that the vision of the land was shared by a person who connected the capital and the region, namely, Jien (1155-1225), who was a powerful figure in the capital and also practiced asceticism at Mt. Hiei. In fact, Jien, a member of the Fujiwara family, rose to the head priest of the Tendai sect, and became the patron monk of Emperor Go-Toba, who not only left behind many waka poems depicting the scenery of the region, but was also involved in the creation of screen paintings for the Saishō Shitennō-in temple commissioned by the emperor. It is speculated that while the view from Mt. Hiei was canonized by Jien as a sacred place, it could be overlapped with the gaze of the retired Emperor Go-Toba who envisioned the control over the Kamakura Shogunate.