c) History of preservation/conservation

i) Horyu-ji Wooden structures require careful routine maintenance for conservation from the time they are constructed. For the wooden Buddhist structures in the Horyu-ji area, the temple organizations have continued appropriate conservation activities for 1300 years, repairing and caring for these buildings originally with the support of the Emperor and later with the support of the central government. Previous to the modern age, there were large-scale repair works in the thirteenth century and at the beginning and end of the seventeenth century. Between these large-scale repair works, lesser repairs such as replacement of roof tiles have been performed and the buildings have been conserved continuously. After the Meiji Restoration many conservation projects were carried out on historic buildings, including those in the Horyu-ji area, during the ninety-year period between 1895 and 1985. The national government has been directly involved in these conservation works. Conservation works of this period can be classified mainly into two types. The first type includes those types of repairs in which the buildings were either totally or partially dismantled, repaired and/or restored. Wooden members connected with wooden joinery (characteristic of Japanese wooden structures) were dismantled, the necessary repairs were made, and the members were reassembled. The second type includes minor repairs such as re-roofing and retouching of wall finishes for maintenance purposes. It is important to note that the determination of conservation policies as well as specific decisions regarding what was to be done as part of this first type of conservation work were based upon the results of thorough scientific investigations made before the commencement of the conservation work. Conservation architects were stationed full-time at the restoration sites to guide scientific investigations and to supervise the restoration work on these historic buildings. In addition, fire detection systems and water fire extinguishing systems were set up. Documentation on these projects has been published, illustrated with drawings and photographs. These conservation works at Horyu-ji are significant not only because they conserved historic buildings but also because they established the general concepts and techniques for the conservation of all wooden historic buildings throughout Japan. The outline of the major restoration works on the historic buildings in the Horyu-ji area from 1895 to 1985 is as follows: - First stage (1895-1933) Modern conservation work on historic buildings in Japan began formally with the establishment of the Law for the Preservation of Ancient Shrines and Temples in 1897. However, prior to this, the To-in Yumedono (the octagonal hall of the east temple) was repaired from 1895 to 1896, and the Sanjunoto (three-story pagoda) at Hokki-ji was repaired in 1897. These were followed by repair of the Chumon (inner gate), the Kairo (semi-enclosed corridor) and eight other buildings, all completed between 1897 and 1933. - Second stage (1934-1955) In 1934 the government made comprehensive plans for the conservation of all designated buildings in Horyu-ji, including the above, thereby implementing a systematic program of conservation work to be carried out continuously and according to the plan. The national conservation work office was established at the site and staffed with a team of conservation architects, together with craftsmen with long years of experience, to ensure that all aspects of investigation and conservation work could be carried out. In the following twenty-two years up until 1955, twenty-two buildings including the Kondo (main hall) and Gojunoto (five-story pagoda) of Sai-in (west temple) as well as the Yumedono (octagonal hall) and the Denpodo (lecture hall) of To-in (east temple) were investigated and repaired. As part of the conservation work done during this period, for example at the Kondo of Sai-in (the main hall of the west temple), parts of the eaves, gable ornaments and balustrades which had deteriorated due to weather exposure, and which had been changed from their original form as a result of repairing after their initial construction, were restored in their original form by studying and reproducing those wooden members which had remained intact. However, of those materials or members which had been added for purposes of reinforcement, those which were judged desirable structurally were not removed. In order to preserve the original material as much as possible, the structure was reinforced using steel connectors installed in a manner which did not disturb the original structure itself. During this period of conservation work, in January, 1949, fire broke out in the Sai-in Kondo and destroyed the surfaces of the first-story pillars and the wall paintings. The fire-damaged wooden members were replaced with new members which had been reconstructed to match their original condition, in accordance with the detailed results of investigations made prior to the fire. The damaged wooden members are kept in a newly-constructed storage building and are on display to the public. The eaves, balustrades and podium of the Gojunoto of Sai-in (the five-story pagoda of the west temple), which had also been changed during repairs at some point after their initial construction, were restored to their original condition. Those structural reinforcement materials and members which were employed after the original construction of these buildings and which were still considered structurally necessary have been left in place, as in the case of the Kondo (main hall). Investigations showed that there had been a major remodeling of the upper part of the Yumedono of To-in (the octagonal hall of the east temple) in the thirteenth century, at which time the roof was made taller, with a steeper pitch. Although most of the original wooden members remained, having been re-used in the thirteenth century remodeling, and although most of the details of the original form had been confirmed through investigation, there was still not enough remaining material or detailed evidence to reconstruct the roof completely to its original form. Moreover, because the historical significance of the thirteenth-century remodeling was recognized, the building was restored for the most part to the thirteenth-century style. Reconstructed drawings of the original building were made to record the investigation results. The Denpodo of To-in (the lecture hall of the east temple) is a building which has the function of a lecture hall. According to ancient records, this building was originally the residence of Lady Tachibana, a noblewoman, which she donated to the temple; the records state that it was relocated to its present site and reconstructed. Investigations made at the time of conservation corroborated the ancient records, and the structure and style of the building at the time when it had served originally as a residence was also made known. However, the Denpodo was restored in its reconstructed style as a Buddhist lecture hall. - Third stage (1959-1985) During the second stage of conservation, seventeen buildings including the Higashimuro (east living quarters), Kofuzo (storehouse) and Oyuya (large bathhouse) were newly designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Conservation of these buildings was completed between 1959 and 1985. - Facilities for fire prevention The installation of water fire extinguishing systems, which was carried out during the first stage of conservation between 1925 and 1928, is also important. A small river which flows outside Horyu-ji to the northwest was dammed to make a reservoir for fire-prevention use. Fire hydrants supplied with water from this reservoir were positioned throughout the temple precinct, and there was enough water pressure to reach the top of the highest buildings, the five-story pagoda -- a technologically advanced system for that time. From 1978 to 1985 the aging system was repaired, and work is now being done to replace the old equipment with new systems.

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