53 (49) The Pagoda of Zōjōji Temple and Akabane 1857

This woodblock print of the Zōjōji Temple and Akabane was created by Utagawa Hiroshige. Dominating the composition is the red pagoda, a symbol deeply rooted in Buddhist cosmology. This architectural form, moving from India to East Asia, signifies the sacred mountain, the axis mundi connecting the earthly and spiritual realms. The pagoda's tiered structure echoes the cosmic mountain, embodying the universe's layers and guiding the eye upward, aspiring for enlightenment. Consider how the structure echoes the Tower of Babel, a staircase to heaven. Here, the bridge, a humble architectural device, has a far more profound resonance in our collective unconscious: a passage, a link between states of being, visible here as a literal and figurative connection to enlightenment. Just as these symbols evolve and adapt, so too does our understanding, influenced by the currents of history and culture, proving that human expression is eternally resonant and transformative.