Nanzen-ji

Template:Nihongo, or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Template:Nihongo, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Emperor Kameyama established it in 1291 on the site of his previous detached palace. It is also the headquarters of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The precincts of Nanzen-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and the Hōjō gardens a Place of Scenic Beauty.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The temple was destroyed in a fire in 1895 and rebuilt in 1909.

History

Nanzen-ji was founded in the middle Kamakura period (1291, or Shōō 4 in the Japanese era system).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It was destroyed by fire in 1393, 1447, and 1467, rebuilt in 1597, and expanded in the Edo era.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> A large complex, it has varied over time between nine and twelve sub-temples.

Zenkei Shibayama, who provided a popular commentary on the Mumonkan, was an abbot of the monastery.

Significance in Zen Buddhism

Nanzen-ji is not itself considered one of the "five great Zen temples of Kyoto"; however, it does play an important role in the "Five Mountain System" which was modified from Chinese roots. Template:Nihongo is considered to be one of the so-called Template:Nihongo or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto", along with Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, and Template:Nihongo. The head temple presiding over the Gozan in Kyoto is Nanzen-ji.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> After the completion of Shōkoku-ji by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1386, a new ranking system was created with Nanzen-ji at the top and in a class of its own. Nanzen-ji had the title of "First Temple of The Land" and played a supervising role.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Nanzen-ji
	Kyoto	Kamakura
First Rank	Tenryū-ji	Kenchō-ji
Second Rank	Shōkoku-ji	Engaku-ji
Third Rank	Kennin-ji	Jufuku-ji
Fourth Rank	Tōfuku-ji	Jōchi-ji
Fifth Rank	Manju-ji	Jōmyō-ji

Notable structures

Sanmon

View from the second story of the Nanzen-ji Sanmon

The temple's Sanmon gate was originally constructed in the 13th century, destroyed in 1369 at the order of the government, and reconstructed in 1628.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> The gate contains stairs to an elevated viewing area, which was the setting for a famous scene in the 1778 Kabuki play Sanmon Gosan no Kiri<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> inspired by the story of the criminal Ishikawa Goemon who is said to have spoken of the beauty of the view (but who was executed prior to the construction of the current gate).<ref name=":1" />

Hōjō

The hōjō (abbot's quarters) of Nanzen-ji is notable both for its gardens and its art.

The garden of the hōjō is considered one of the most significant examples of karesansui gardens (rock gardens), and was built in the 1600s by Kobori Enshu.<ref name=":0" /> The garden mirrors natural forms, and is seventy percent gravel.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It has been designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty.

The hōjō itself, also known as the Seiryo-den, was given to the temple by the Emperor Go-Yōzei.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It contains a variety of important screen paintings on gold backgrounds, including two of tigers by Kanō Tan'yū.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It has been designated a National Treasure.

Nanzen-ji Aqueduct

Constructed in 1890 through the temple grounds to carry irrigation water from the Lake Biwa Canal.

In media

Parts of the 2003 film Lost in Translation were filmed there.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Ishikawa Goemon
• List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto
• List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents)

Further reading

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Commons category-inline
• Kyoto Prefectural Tourism Guide: Nanzen-ji
• Joint Council for Japanese Rinzai and Obaku Zen: Nanzen-ji
• Sacred Destinations: Nanzen-ji, Kyoto;
• Buddhist Travel: Nanzen-ji
• Wheelchair Accessibility of Nanzenji