Imagine a stone tower. It stands quietly telling tales of emperors and artisans. This is the \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele.
The \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele is a stone structure. It is called the Hoto. It is also known as the Tower of the Dove. This name comes from bird shapes carved into its shaft.
Let’s journey back to the late medieval period. It was sometime between 1333 and 1392. This \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele came to be in Kyoto.
The \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele is an important cultural asset. It has a unique shape. The shaft has protrusions that look like ears. This feature makes it stand out.
The story of \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele connects to King Ashoka of India. He ordered 84000 towers built. They spread Buddhist teachings far and wide. Later in China King Qian Hongchu had small towers made. They contained Buddhist scriptures. These towers were often made of metal and plated with gold. Some crossed the sea to Japan.
The Japanese then made stone versions. These stone towers became common. You could see them at temples and graveyards.
Here is a curious fact. The \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele has a link to the Rakusui-en garden in Fukuoka. The stone tower there has Korean features.
The stone surface has simple lines. Its wheel shape also looks Korean. No one knows if it was made in Korea or Japan. Its age is also a mystery.
Many \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele were destroyed. This happened during the Meiji era. Some were changed into lanterns to avoid destruction.
Think about King Ashoka. He dreamt of a kingdom guided by Buddhist law. The \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele carries that dream. It connects us to kings and artisans of the past. The \u5b9d\u7bcb\u5370\u5854 Stele is a symbol of faith and history. It stands silently sharing its stories.