Topic: UNESCO, heritage, reflection; Word count: 844
The inscription of historical sites in Asuka (Japan) on UNESCO's World Heritage list was formally proposed in 2007 under the title of Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals and Related Properties. This group includes twenty eight late 6th- to early 8th century sites situated in the ancient capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara-kyo located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.
At the time of writing in 2023, these sites remain on UNESCO's tentative list. This post investigates why the Asuka-Fujiwara sites are still not inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, using Asuka dera (one of the Asuka-Fujiwara sites and the focus of my current research) as a case study.
Asuka dera (飛鳥寺) is a temple in Nara prefecture and is famous for being the first Buddhist temple built in Japan. A visit to Asuka dera reveals that much of its splendour has been lost to time, leaving only one original building plus the temple's main object of worship (the Great Asuka Buddha). Exhibited on the temple grounds and within the Asuka Historical Museum are excavated remains from the temple, such as roof tiles, in addition to drawings (pictured below) that can help us to imagine the temple's original appearance; it was a site to behold, with foreign architectural elements used to construct a central pagoda surrounded symmetrically by three wooden buildings.
[1] An artistic representation located within Asuka dera, depicting its original layout [2] Roof tiles exhibited within Asuka dera.
The temple is important as a site of exchange between cultures, hinting at Silk Road connections and the passing of Buddhist faith among trade routes. The temple itself is thought to be mainly inspired by Wanghung-sa, a temple of the Paekche Kingdom. Furthermore, monks, craftsmen, and officials came from Paekche to Japan to build Asuka dera; there was even a specialised 'tile master', 'pagoda artisan', and 'temple craftsman'. Each artisan had their own speciality which they combined to create Asuka dera, said by some scholars to mark the 'cultural enlightenment' of Japan, as it is synonymous with the beginning of the Asuka period.
Though much of Asuka dera has been lost to time, the chyuukondō (中金堂), the Great Asuka Buddha, and a wealth of archaeological evidence including roof tiles and foundation stones provide a physical snapshot into Japan during a time of great religious and cultural change. Thus, this Asuka-Fujiwara site is important in deepening our understanding of Japan's development, especially through its relationship with neighbouring cultures in East Asia.
The Great Asuka Buddha.
Given the importance of Asuka-Fujiwara sites such as Asuka dera in understanding the cultural, historical, and religious backdrop of modern Japan, why do the Asuka-Fujiwara sites remain on UNESCO's tentative list?
In my opinion, there is a disconnect between the general public and the Asuka-Fujiwara sites. Despite there being a wealth of archaeological evidence of the Asuka period in the Asuka Historical Museum, it is often difficult for visitors to imagine the site's original appearance. As mentioned on a community forum that encourages discussion of tentative UNESCO World Heritage sites, one visitor remarked that the Asuka-Fujiwara sites have:
...no spectacular sites to offer. The kofuns are closed to the public and the remains of temples and palaces are hidden underground. At some sites, the foundation walls have been reconstructed to give an idea of the size and layout of the buildings, at other sites, the destroyed buildings have been replaced by later constructions, and sometimes you have to be content with an info board.
The kofuns that are closed to the public and the lost temples which are difficult to visualise create a disconnect between the sites and the general public, leading this visitor to feel that the sites are not 'spectacular'. The user also implies that an information board is insufficient for a visitor to truly understand the site. I agree and would add that these information boards are predominantly written in Japanese, so a visitor with limited or no Japanese would struggle even more to comprehend the significance of the site. Finally, the user notes that reconstructions prove useful in understanding the sites, but it should be noted that these 1) require a visitor to travel to Asuka to view them (i.e. they are not accessible to an international audience) and 2) are not available for all Asuka-Fujiwara sites.
An information board in Asuka, written in Japanese.
Taken together, the site is limited in its ability to educate and connect people around the world through understanding of each other's heritage, which is one of the reasons for a site to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
So, how can we bridge the gap between an international audience and the Asuka-Fujiwara sites? This is where my research comes in. My research for the next year involves creating an animated 3DCG reconstruction of Asuka dera that can help the general public to visualise the temple in its prime. This will enable those who are unable to travel to Asuka to experience the Asuka-Fujiwara sites or unable to understand the Japanese resources in Asuka to learn about Japanese culture and history. I hope that my 3DCG model can be a part of the push to inscribe the Asuka-Fujiwara sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
References
Asuka-Fujiwara : Archaeological sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals and Related Properties is part of the Tentative list of Japan in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List. World heritage site for World Heritage Travellers. (2023). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.worldheritagesite.org/tentative/id/5097
Lee, B. (2022). Tracing the origin of Japan's first Buddhist temple: Japan's Asukadera viewed through the lens of the Korean Paekche Kingdom Temple Site of Wanghŭng-sa. Religions, 13(9), 846–860.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre (2023). Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological sites of Japan's ancient capitals and related properties. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5097/
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