Shigehira’s flute, a haunting melody echoing across the battlefield. This is where we stand, before the 平重衡 受難之地 Stele, a stark reminder of a life cut short. The 平重衡 受難之地 Stele commemorates Taira no Shigehira, a complex figure in Japan’s Heian period. He was a warrior, a nobleman, and even a musician. Shigehira, the fifth son of Taira no Kiyomori, led troops for the Taira clan. He secured victories at Sunomata-gawa and Mizushima. Yet, history remembers him for a darker act. In 1180, Shigehira’s troops set fire to temples in Nara. This act, known as Nanto Yakiuchi, destroyed the Great Buddha statue at Todai-ji Temple. It earned Shigehira the hatred of the Nara monks and cemented his place in history as a destroyer. The tide turned against the Taira clan in 1183. They were forced to flee Kyoto. Shigehira fought bravely, but his efforts couldn’t prevent the clan’s downfall. He was captured at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani in 1184. Despite his capture, Shigehira impressed Minamoto no Yoritomo with his skills. He was treated with respect, even entertained by Yoritomo’s wife. However, the monks of Todai-ji Temple demanded retribution for the burning of Nara. Shigehira was handed over to them and executed on the banks of the Kizu-gawa River in 1185. The 平重衡 受難之地 Stele stands as a testament to this tragic end. It marks the spot where a talented warrior, forever marked by a single devastating act, met his fate. A poignant reminder of the complexities of history, where victory and destruction, art and violence, are often intertwined.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to