Topic: Asuka dera, research, reflection; Word Count: 759
In part one, I described the process of developing my research project for the MEXT scholarship. Here, in part two, I would like to describe the practical component of my project, which involves creating a digital representation of Asuka dera.
Situated in the village of Asuka, Japan, Asuka dera (飛鳥寺, where dera or tera [寺] translates to temple) is famous as the site where Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the late sixth century. It is described in the literature as the first significant temple in Japan, which had an impressive pagoda surrounded by buildings constructed with foreign stylistic elements (Hashida, 1980; McCallum, 2008). Despite being a site of admiration during the Asuka-Nara period (538-794), in the present day it is difficult to appreciate the greatness that Asuka dera would have commanded, as much of it has been lost to time.
A large section of Asuka dera was moved to create modern-day Gangoji (元興寺) when the capital moved from Asuka to Nara in the mid-seventh century. Asuka dera's pagoda was later destroyed by fire in 1196. Today, a small section of the temple remains, though much of its original complex has been replaced with housing, a carpark, and a souvenir shop. This makes its original splendour quite difficult to visualise. Though some researchers have created 2D drawings based on archaeological findings stemming mostly from post-war excavations, Asuka dera's original architecture is unknown to most, only discoverable through a trip to the nearby museum or by conducting a literature review, which, needless to say, the general visitor will probably not do.
Pictured: An artistic representation of Asuka dera's original appearance.
Given this, in addition to Asuka dera's religious and historical significance (which I would like to describe in a future post), I believe that Asuka dera is the perfect location to digitize so that people today can understand its cultural, religious, and historical significance.
But how do you digitize something that does not currently exist?
Contemporary digitization projects frequently favour 3D visualisation, which is usually achieved through laser scanning or photogrammetry. Interestingly, when applying these techniques to digitize landscapes, researchers have been using drones to capture aerial images, creating some incredible results; for instance, the Art Research Centre at Ritsumeikan University created an "ultra-high-quality see-through 3D visualization of the West Pagoda of Taimadera Temple in Katsuragi, Nara". However, techniques such as these require the structure to still exist.
Additionally, since this resource was to fit under the 'Landscapes of Conversion' project (discussed in part one), I wanted to show how the temple changed over time. This inspired me to turn to the Film and Television sector for inspiration, since they frequently depict non-existent locations, creatures, and concepts, and make these resources suitable for a general audience. I immediately thought of 'Your Home Made Perfect' - a BBC 2 programme that uses VR technology to show architectural designs before and after rebuilding homes (see video below). The 3D visualisation is one of the selling-points of the programme, allowing both the homeowners on the programme and the visitors at home to better understand the architectural changes that will occur by showing them in 3D. The programme also shows the change from the present state of the home to the proposed end-product, making this a good method for me to adopt when showing the change from Asuka dera's original state to its current one.
To create the VR experiences in 'Your Home Made Perfect', a programme called MAYA is used; however, this is a paid-for software and as a student, it is not something that I can afford. Instead, I have opted to use a software called Blender, which has the same functionality, but is free, easily accessible, and has thousands of online tutorials.
Thus, I plan to create a 3D experience that not only shows an artistic representation of how Asuka dera looked in the late 6th/early 7th century, but also how this changed over time, giving rise to its current appearance. Using Blender, I will create a 3D model based on the current understanding of its original construction informed by academic research, and then add animation to show the change in the temple's appearance over time. I will use this to discuss techniques for digital dissemination of cultural heritage to a general audience, contrasting this with digital materials made for archival purposes or academic research.
This will be the main practical element of my research...I'm excited to get started! The next stage is to go on a field trip to Asuka, which I will be blogging about soon. Stay tuned!
References
Gangoji, national treasure and a world cultural heritage site in Nara. Available at: https://gangoji-tera.or.jp/en/ (Accessed: March 30, 2023).
Hashida, T. (1980). Development in the design of early Japanese state temples. Annexe Thesis Digitisation Project 2016 Block 5.
McCallum, D. F. (2008). The four great temples: Buddhist archaeology, architecture, and icons of seventh-century Japan. University of Hawaii Press.
Your Home Made Perfect | Series 3 Trailer - BBC Trailers (2021) YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/UCgGBGRZqVY (Accessed: March 30, 2023).
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