Kōfuku-ji

Kōfuku-ji
Kōfuku-ji
	Five-story pagoda and Tōkondō at Kōfuku-ji
Religion
Affiliation	Hossō
Deity	Shaka Nyorai (Śākyamuni)
Location
Location	48 Noboriōji-chō, Nara, Nara Prefecture
Country	Japan
Architecture
Founder	Emperor Tenji
Completed	669
Website
	http://www.kohfukuji.com/

Kōfuku-ji (興福寺, Kōfuku-ji) 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 and is one of the eight Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

History

Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 by Kagami-no-Ōkimi (鏡大君), 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 was the Fujiwara's tutelary temple, and enjoyed as much prosperty 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.^[1] 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,^[2] and was rebuilt as many times as well, although finally some of the important buildings, such as two of the three golden halls, the nandaimon, chūmon and the corridor were never reconstructed and are missing today.

Architectures and treasures

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

Architecture

East Golden Hall (東金堂, Tō-kondō), 1425, one of the former three golden halls (National Treasure);^[3] the Central Golden Hall (中金堂, Chū-kondō) is currently being reconstructed.^[4]
Five-storied pagoda (五重塔, Gojū-no-tō), 1426 (National Treasure)^[5]
Three-storied pagoda (三重塔, Sanjū-no-tō), 1185-1274 (National Treasure)^[6]
North Octagonal Hall (北円堂, Hoku'endō), 1210 (National Treasure)^[7]
South Octagonal Hall (南円堂, Nan'endō), 1741, Site No.9 of Saigoku 33 Pilgrimage (Important Cultural Property)^[8]
Bath House (大湯屋, Ōyūya) 1394-1427 (Important Cultural Property)^[9]

Treasures

(Statue) The Devas of the Eight Classes, including dry-lacquer Ashura (National Treasure)
(Statue) The Ten Great Disciples (National Treasure)
(Statue) Thousand-armed Kannon (National Treasure)
(Statue) Amoghapāśa (不空羂索観音, Fukūkensaku Kannon) attributed to Kōkei, is housed in Nan'endō (National Treasure)

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.^[10]


Tōkondō Three-storied pagoda Five-storied pagoda Hoku'endō Nan'endō Ōyūya Kodō Chūkondō Saikondō Chūmon Nandaimon Shōrō Kyōzō Kairō monks' quarters

Gallery

Golden Buddha in Kōfuku-ji inside Tō-kondō
Yakushi Nyorai (Important Cultural Property) inside Tō-kondō
Hoku'endō, older of the two octagonal halls
Gojū-no-tō five-storied pagoda
The Sanjū-no-tō stands behind Nan'endō
Gojū-no-tō five-storied pagoda from below

Notes

^ John Bowring, pp.218-219
^ Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 200. ISBN 1854095234.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Central Golden Hall". Kōfuku-ji. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
^ Suzuki, Kakichi (1980). Early Buddhist Architecture in Japan. Kodansha. p. 86. ISBN 0-87011-386-0.

References

John Bowring, Richard (2005). The religious traditions of Japan. Cambridge University Press. pp. 77–78. ISBN 0-521-85119-X.
Noma, Seiroku; John M. Rosenfield; Bin Takahashi (2003). The Arts of Japan: Ancient and medieval. Kodansha International. pp. 84–85. ISBN 4-7700-2977-2.

External links

34°40′59.7″N 135°49′52.2″E / 34.683250°N 135.831167°E / 34.683250; 135.831167

[JRel-1] John Bowring, pp.218-219

[Turnbull2-2] Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 200. ISBN 1854095234.

[3] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[4] "Central Golden Hall". Kōfuku-ji. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[5] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[6] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[7] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[8] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[9] "Database of National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2011.

[10] Suzuki, Kakichi (1980). Early Buddhist Architecture in Japan. Kodansha. p. 86. ISBN 0-87011-386-0.

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