Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/601

 CHAP. V. JAPANESE TEMPLES. 495 square piers of stone sunk in the earth on which the columns rest, must be ascribed the complete wrecking which at times their temples and houses have undergone through earthquakes. 510. Roof of Sangatsu-do, Todaiji, Nara. From Baltzer. It would be difficult, in fact, to conceive a worse system of support than that found in the Japanese temples, instead of having continuous walls below the ground, such as exist in all European structures, into which the piers carrying the columns should be built and, sinking the bases of the columns into these piers, they rest on the top only, the result being that with any oscillation of the ground through earthquakes, the columns are shaken off, and in consequence of the immense weight of the roof complete ruin takes place, The preservation of the pagoda at Horiuji is probably due to the fact that it was erected on a concrete foundation, and in more recent times the brick and stone walls erected in the European manner have stood whilst the timber structures have succumbed. The ceilings of the Japanese temples are comparatively low ; they are as a rule horizontal, being divided by ribs single or coupled into square panels ; a fluted cove is carried round the hall, and below it is the bracketed frieze, which constitutes so important a decorative feature in Chinese architecture ; the space between the brackets is in Japan filled with rich carvings of birds and