Keywords
Architecture
Gardens
The middle base of a lantern *tōrō 灯籠 upon which rests the flame holder and the canopy. The chūdai may be 4-, 6-, or 8-sided. An inverted lotus *renben 蓮弁 forms the lower part of this base, providing support above the stem *sao 竿. Also termed uke 受, *ukedai 受台, ukehachi 受鉢, *ukebana 受花, and shumiza 須弥座. The development of the middle base closely parallels that of the lower base. During the Muromachi period, designs changed very little, but the vitality found in the earlier models waned and did not revive in later periods.