Kōfuku-ji

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Template:Short description Template:About Template:Redirect Template:Infobox religious building

Template:Nihongo is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school. It is part of Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a World Heritage Site.

History

File:Five story Pagoda of Kohuku-ji (temple) in Nara, Japan (1911 by Elstner Hilton).jpg
Kofuku-ji in 1911

Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 by Kagami-no-Ōkimi (Template:Nihongo2), the wife of Fujiwara no Kamatari, wishing for her husband's recovery from illness. Its original site was in Yamashina, Yamashiro Province (present-day Kyoto). In 672, the temple was moved to Fujiwara-kyō, the first planned Japanese capital to copy the orthogonal grid pattern of Chang'an. In 710, the temple was dismantled for the second time and moved to its present location, on the east side of the newly constructed capital, Heijō-kyō, today's Nara. Kōfuku-ji (the Temple that Generates Blessings) got its name from Kamatari's son Fujiwara no Fuhito, who named it after the Vimalakirti Sutra.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Kōfuku-ji was the Fujiwara's tutelary temple, and enjoyed prosperity for as long as the family did. The temple was not only an important center for the Buddhist religion, but also retained influence over the imperial government, and even by "aggressive means" in some cases, thanks to the marriage of Fuhito's daughter marriage to Emperor Shōmu, becoming the Empress Kōmyō.<ref name="JRel">John Bowring, pp.218–219</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Citation</ref> In 730, a result of her conversion and devotion to Buddhism, she ordered the construction of the Template:Nihongo, now a National Treasure.<ref name=":0" /> In 734, her commission of the Saikondō was completed in memory of her mother's death.<ref name=":0" /> Under her supervision, according to the Fusō Ryakuki, Japan's first medical dispensary and welfare institution was established at the temple (at the cost of 50 vassal households, 100 hectares of rice from Iyo Province, and 130000 sheaves worth from Echizen).<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

When many of the Nanto Shichi Daiji, such as Tōdai-ji, declined after the move of capital to Heian-kyō (Kyoto), Kōfuku-ji kept its significance because of its connection to the Fujiwara.

The temple was damaged and destroyed by civil wars and fires many times,<ref name=Turnbull2>Template:Cite book</ref> and was rebuilt as many times as well, although finally some of the important buildings, such as one of the three golden halls, the Nandaimon, Chūmon and the corridor were never reconstructed and are missing today. The rebuilding of the Central Golden Hall was completed in 2018.

Template:Nihongo was a chashitsu formerly located at the temple and considered one of the Template:Nihongo.<ref>Template:Google books</ref> It was relocated due its deteriorated state and is now in the gardens of the Tokyo National Museum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Architecture and treasures

File:Koufuku-ji Nan'endo 201505a.jpg
Nan'endō is the No.9 of Saigoku 33 Pilgrimage
File:181029 Chū-kondō of Kōfuku-ji.jpg
Chū-kondō (Central Golden Hall)
File:Kofukuji09s3200.jpg
Tō-kondō (East Golden Hall)
File:ASURA Kohfukuji.jpg
Asura (Buddhism)

The following are some of the temple's buildings and treasures of note.

Architecture

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  • Template:Nihongo, 2018, reconstructed, the former temporary Central Golden Hall building (仮金堂) now serves as the temporary Lecture Hall (仮講堂)
  • Template:Nihongo, 1426 (National Treasure)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Nihongo, 1394–1427 (Important Cultural Property)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Treasures

Plan

Showing the original layout of the temple, with the later three-storied pagoda, Nan'en-dō, and Ōyūya superimposed. Of the buildings marked, only these three together with the five-storied pagoda, Tōkon-dō and Hoku'en-dō remain.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

See also

Sculptures formerly from Kōfuku-ji

  • Boston Miroku - oldest sculpture made by the Busshi Kaikei, part of the temple's collection until 1906.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Works of art from Kōfuku-ji

Notes

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References

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Template:World Heritage Nara Template:Buddhism topics Template:Buddhist temples in Japan Template:Authority control

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