Provincial temple
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The Kokubun-ji (国分寺) are Buddhist temples established in each of the provinces of Japan by Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period (710 – 794).[1] The official name for each temple was Konkomyo Shitenno Gokoku-ji (Konkōmyō Shitennō Gokoku-ji )
History
[edit]The Shoku Nihongi records that in 741, as the country recovered from a major smallpox epidemic, Emperor Shōmu ordered that a monastery and nunnery be established in every province.[2][3] Each temple was to have one statue of Shaka Nyorai and two attendant Bodhisattva statues, and a copy of the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras. Later, it was added that each temple must also have a seven-story pagoda, copies of ten volumes of the Lotus Sutra and a copy of the Golden Light Sutra in golden letters. To provide funds for the upkeep, each temple and nunnery was to be assigned 50 households and 10 chō of paddy fields (approximately 10 hectares). Each temple would have 20 monks and each nunnery would have 10 nuns. These temples were built to a semi-standardized template, and served both to spread Buddhist orthodoxy to the provinces, and to emphasize the power of the Nara period centralized government under the Ritsuryō system.[4]
The precedent for this system was the Daxingshan Temples built by Emperor Wen and Yang Jian, who founded the Sui dynasty. Later, in the Tang dynasty, there were Daun-ji provincial temples built by Empress Wu Zetian, Ryuko-ji provincial temples built by Emperor Zhongzong, and Kaigen-ji provincial temples) built by Emperor Xuanzong.
However, despite the edict, the expense for creation of these temples was very great, and the kokushi of most provinces procrastinated on construction. In November 747, the exasperated emperor transferred the construction system from kokushi to the gunji, or a county-level administrator and granted hereditary succession of the post upon completion of the temple. This led to the full-scale construction of most provincial temples. Most of the kokubunji were located in or near the provincial capitals, and, together with the provincial offices, were the largest buildings in the province. In addition, Todai-ji and Hokke-ji in Yamato Province were designated as the head temple and head nunnery for the system. The kokubunji system persisted into the mid-Heian period, but as the Ritsuryō system began to collapse and financial support from the government disappeared, many of the provincial temples and provincial nunneries fell into disuse. A considerable number of provincial temples continued to exist even into the modern period, but as temples of a different sect or with a different character from the original provincial temples. Many of the provincial nunneries were not restored. Many of the sites of the original temples and nunneries are known, and some have been designated National Historic Sites after archaeological excavations.
| Kokubun-ji | Location | HS&successor | Kokubun-niji | Location | HS&successor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Kokubun-ji | Head Kokubun-niji | |||||||
| Tōdai-ji | Zoshicho, Nara, Nara | NHS Tōdai-ji |
Hokke-ji | Hokkejicho, Nara, Nara | NHS Hokke-ji | |||
| Kinai region | ||||||||
| Yamato Kokubun-ji |
Zoshicho, Nara, Nara | NHS Tōdai-ji |
Yamato Kokubun-niji | Hokkejicho, Nara, Nara | NHS Hokke-ji | |||
| Yamashiro Kokubun-ji | Kamo-cho Reihei Kizugawa, Kyoto | NHS（Kuni-kyō（Yamashiro Kokubun-ji ruins）） Yamashiro Kokubun-ji |
Yamashiro Kokubun-niji | （推定）Hokkejino, Kamō-cho, Kizugawa, Kyoto | -none- -none- | |||
| Kawachi Kokubun-ji | Kokubu Tojo, Kashiwara, Osaka | -none- Shingoshu Kawachi Kokubun-ji |
Kawachi Kokubun-niji | （推定）Kokubu Tōjōcho, Kashiwara, Osaka | -none- -none- | |||
| Izumi Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji-cho, Izumi, Osaka | -none- Gokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Izumi Kokubun-niji | (Unknown) | -none- | |||
| Settsu Kokubun-ji | Kokubuncho, Tennōji-ku, Osaka | -none- Tentokuzan Kokubun-ji Gokokuzan Kongō-in Kokubun-ji |
Settsu Kokubun-niji | （推定）Shibashima, Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka | -none- Tenpyo Shōhōzan Hokke-ji | |||
| Tōkaidō | ||||||||
| Iga Kokubun-ji | Saimyōji, Iga, Mie | NHS Kami-terayama Kokubun-ji |
Iga Kokubun-niji | Saimyōji, Iga, Mie | NHS (Chōrakuzan temple ruins） Ryūōzan Kikushō-in Hokke-ji | |||
| Ise Kokubun-ji | Kokubun-cho, Suzuka, Mie | NHS Gokokuzan Jinsei Maruto-in Kokubun-ji Myōjōsan Kokubun-ji Jōkeizan Konkōmyō-in Kokubun-ji |
Ise Kokubun-niji | (Unknown) | -none- | |||
| Shima Kokubun-ji | Ago-cho, Shima, Mie | Mie PHS Gokoku-san Kokubunji |
Shima Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- | |||
| Owari Kokubun-ji | Yago-cho, Inazawa, Aichi | NHS Suzuokiyama Kokubun-ji |
Owari Kokubun-niji | Hokkeji-cho, Inazawa, Aichi (?) | Daireizan Hokke-ji | |||
| Mikawa Kokubun-ji | Yawata-cho, Toyokawa, Aichi | NHS Kokufushozan Kokubun-ji |
Mikawa Kokubun-niji | Yawata-cho, Toyokawa, Aichi | NHS -ruins- | |||
| Tōtōmi Kokubun-ji | Mitsuke, Iwata, Shizuoka | S.NHS Sankeizan Enmei-in Kokubun-ji |
Tōtōmi Kokubu-niji | （Unknown） | -none- | |||
| Suruga Kokubun-ji | Ōtani, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka | NHS Ryūzũyama Kokubun-ji |
Suzuga Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- （伝）Shōgakusan Bodaijū-iin | |||
| Izu Kokubun-ji | Izumi-cho, Mishima, Shizuoka | NHS (pagoda base only) Hōjūsan Kokubun-ji |
Izu Kokubun-niji | Minami-cho, Mishima, Shizuoka | -none- Mishimasan Hokke-ji | |||
| Kai Kokubun-ji | Ichinomiya-cho Kokubun, Fuefuki, Yamanashi | NHS Gokokusan Kokubun-ji |
Kai Kokubun-niji | Higashihara, Ichinomiya-cho, Fuefuki, Yamanashi | NHS -none- | |||
| Sagami Kokubun-ji | Kokubu-minami Ebina, Kanagawa | NHS Tōkōzan Iōin Kokubun-ji |
Sagami Kokubun-niji | Kokubu-kita, Ebina, Kanagawa | NHS -none- | |||
| Musashi Kokubun-ji | Nishimotocho, Kokubunji, Tokyo | NHS Iōzen Saishōin Kokubun-ji |
Musashi Kokubun-ji | Nishimotocho, Kokubunji, Tokyo | NHS -none- | |||
| Awa Kokubun-ji | Kokubun, Tateyama, Chiba | PHS / CHS Nisshikizan Kokubun-ji |
Awa Kokubun-niji | (Unknown) | -none- | |||
| Kazusa Kokubun-ji | Sōza, Ichihara, Chiba | NHS Iōzan Seijō-in Kokubun-ji |
Kazusa Kokubun-niji | Kokubunjidai-chuo, Ichihara, Chiba | NHS -none- | |||
| Shimōsa Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Ichikawa, Chiba | NHS Kokubu Kokubun-ji |
Shimōsa Kokubun-niji | Kokubu, Ichikawa, Chiba | NHS -none- | |||
| Hitachi Kokubun-ji | Fuchu, Ishioka, Ibaraki | S.NHS Jōrurizan Tōhō-in Kokubun-ji |
Hitachi Kokubun-niji | Wakamatsu, Ishioka, Ibaraki | S.NHS -none- | |||
| Tōsandō | ||||||||
| Ōmi Kokubun-ji | （推定）Kise, Kōka, Shiga （within Shigaraki Palace） （推定）Seta temple ruins, Ōtsu, Shiga （推定）Hikarigaokacho, Ōtsu, Shiga （Kokushoji Temple ruins, Ōtsu） |
1：NHS（[Shigaraki Palace]]） Besshōzan Kokubun-ji |
Ōmi Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Mino Kokubun-ji | Aono-cho, Ōgaki, Gifu | NHS Kinginzan Ruriko-in Kokubun-ji |
Mino Kokubun-niji | （推定）Hirao, Fuwa District, Tarui, Gifu | -none- -none- | |||
| Hida Kokubun-ji | Sowa-cho, Takayama, Gifu | NHS (Pagoda only) Iozan Hida Kokubun-ji |
Hida Kokubun-niji | Okamotocho, Takayama, Gufu Tsujigamori Jinja ruin |
CHS Kenshōzan Kokubun-ji | |||
| Shinano Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Ueda, Nagano | NHS Shinano Kokubun-ji |
Shinano Kokubun-niji | Kokubu, Ueda, Nagano | HS -none- | |||
| Kōzuke Kokubun-ji | Higashikokubu, Takasaki, Gunma | NHS Kokubun-ji |
Kōzuke Kokubun-niji | Higashikokubu, Takasaki, Gunma | NHS -none- | |||
| Shimotsuke Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi | NHS Rurikozan Anyo-in Kokubun-ji |
Shimotsuke Kokubun-niji | Kokubunji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi | NHS -none- | |||
| Mutsu Kokubun-ji | Wakabayashi-ku, SendaiMiyagi | NHS Gokokusan Io-in Kokubun-ji |
Mutsu Kokubun-niji | Shirahagi-cho, Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai, Miyagi | NHS Gokokuzan Mutsu Kokubun-niji | |||
| Dewa Kokubun-ji | （推定）Jowa, Sakata, Yamagata （推定) |
1：NHS（Dōnomae ruins） Gokokuzan Hakusan-ji |
Dewa Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Hokurikudō | ||||||||
| Wakasa Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Obama, Fukui, | NHS Wakasa Kokubun-ji] |
Wakasa Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Echizen Kokubun-ji | （Unknown） | -none- Gokokusan Kokubun-ji |
Echizen Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Kaga Kokubun-ji | （推定）Kofucho, Komatsu, Ishikawa | -none- -none- |
Kaga Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Noto Kokubun-ji | Kokubuncho, Nanao, Ishikawa | NHS -none- |
Noto Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Etchū Kokubun-ji | Fushiki Ichinomiya Takaoka, Toyama | PHS Etchu Kokubun-ji |
Etchū Kokubun-niji | Fushiki Ichinomiya, Takaoka, Toyama | -none- -none- | |||
| Eichigo Kokubun-ji | （推定）Kokufu, Jōetsu, Niigata | -none- Ankokusan Kezō-in Kokubun-ji |
Echigo Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Sado Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji, Sado, Niigata | NHS Iozan Ruriko-in Kokubun-ji |
Sado Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| San'indō | ||||||||
| Tanba Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Chitose-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto | NHS Gokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Tanba Kokubun-niji | Kawarajiri, Kawarabayashi-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto | -none- -none- | |||
| Tango Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Miyazu, Kyoto | NHS Gokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Tango Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Tajima Kokubun-ji | Hidaka Kokubunji, Toyooka, Hyogo | NHS Giokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Tajima Kokubun-niji | Hidaka, Toyooka, Hyogo | -none- Tendaizan Hokke-ji | |||
| Inaba Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji, Kokufu-cho, Tottori, Tottori | -none- Saishōzan Kokubun-ji |
Inaba Kokubun-niji | -none- -none- | ||||
| Hōki Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji, Kurayoshi, Tottori | NHS Gokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Hōki Kokubun-niji | （推定）Kokubunji, Kurayoshi, Tottori | -none- -none- | |||
| Izumo Kokubun-ji | Takeyacho, Matsue, Shimane | NHS -none- |
Izumo Kokubun-niji | Takeyacho, Matsue, Shimane | -none- -none- | |||
| Iwami Kokubun-ji | Kokubuncho, Hamada, Shimane | NHS Tōkō-zan Kokubun-ji |
Iwami Kokubun-niji | Kokubuncho, Hamada, Shimane | PHS Ryōshōzan Kōmyō-ji | |||
| Oki Kokubun-ji | Ikeda, Okinoshima, Shimane | NHS Zenōzan Kokubun-ji |
Oki Kokubun-niji | Yuki, Okinoshima, Shimane | PHS -none- | |||
| San'yōdō | ||||||||
| Harima Kokubun-ji | Mikunomachi Kokubunji, Himeji, Hyōgo | NHS Ushidōzan Kokubun-ji |
Harima Kokubun-niji | Kokubunji, Himeji, Hyōgo | -none- Kongō-san Tokushō-ji | |||
| Mimasaka Kokubun-ji | Kokubunji, Tsuyama, Okayama | NHS Ryujusan Kokubun-ji |
Mimasaka Kokubun-niji | Kokubunji, Tsuyama, Okayama | -none- -none- | |||
| Bizen Kokubun-ji | Umaya, Akaiwa, Okayama | NHS Konkōzan Enju-in Zenkyō-ji |
Bizen Kokubun-niji | Umaya, Hosaki, Akaiwa, Okayama | -none- -none- | |||
| Bitchū Kokubun-ji | Kamibayashi, Sōja, Okayama | NHS Nisshōzan Sōjiin Kokubunji |
Bitchū Kokubun-niji | Kamibayashi, Sōja, Okayama | NHS -none- | |||
| Bingo Kokubun-ji | Kannabe-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima | -none- Karaoyama Iō-in Kokubun-ji |
Bingo Kokubun-niji | （推定）Kannabe-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima | -none- -none- | |||
| Aki Kokubun-ji | Saijō-cho Yoshiyuki, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima | NHS Kinjōzan Jōkō-in Kokubun-ji |
Aki Kokubun-niji | （推定）Saijō-cho Yoshiyuki, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima | -none- -none- | |||
| Suō Kokubun-ji | Kokubunjicho, Hōfu, Yamaguchi | NHS Jōrurizan Kokubun-ji |
Suo Kokubun-niji| | Kokubunjicho, Hōfu, Yamaguchi | -none- Jōkaizan Hokke-ji | |||
| Nagato Kokubun-ji | Miyanouchi-cho, Chofu, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi | -none- Jōrurizan Kokubun-ji |
Nagato Kokubun-niji | （推定）Chōfu, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi | -none- -none- | |||
| Nankaido | ||||||||
| Kii Kokubun-ji | Higashi-Kokubu, Kinokawa, Wakayama | NHS Hakkōzan Iōin Kokubun-ji |
Kii Kokubun-niji | （推定）Nishikokubu, Iwade, Wakayama | -none- - none - | |||
| Awaji Kokubun-ji | Yagi Kokubu Minamiawaji, Hyogo | NHS (pagoda site) Awaji Kokubun-ji |
Awaji Kokubun-niji | （推定）Yagi, Minamiawaji, Hyogo | -none- Kinunzan Rishō-in | |||
| Awa Kokubun-ji | Kokufu-cho Yano, Tokushima, Tokushima | PNHS Yakuōzan Konjiki-in Kokubun-ji |
Awa Kokubun-niji | Meizai, Ishii, Tokushima | NHS -none- | |||
| Sanuki Kokubun-ji | Kokubu Kokubunji-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa | SNHS Hakuushizan Senju-in Kokubun-ji |
Sanuki Kokubunni-ji | Arai Kokubunji-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa | NHS Daijisan Hokke-ji | |||
| Iyo Kokubun-ji | Kokubuncho, Imabari, Ehime | NHS (pagoda site) Konkōzan Saishō-in Kokubun-ji |
Iyo Kokubun-niji | （推定）Sakuraim Imabari, Ehime | PHS (pagoda site) Fudarakuzan Hokke-ji | |||
| Tosa Kokubun-ji | Kokubun, Nankoku, Kōchi | NHS Mani-san Hōzō-in Kokubun-ji |
Tosa Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Nankaidō | ||||||||
| Chikuzen Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka | NHS Ryutōkōzan Kokubun-ji |
Chikuzen Kokubun-niji | Kokubu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka | -none- -none- | |||
| Chikugo Kokubun-ji | Kokubuncho, Kurume, Fukuoka | CHS Gokokuzan Kokubun-ji |
Chikugo Kokubun-niji | （推定）Kokubuncho, Kurume, Fukuoka | -none- -none- | |||
| Buzen Kokubun-ji | Kokubu Miyako, Fukuoka | NHS Konkōmyōzan Kokubun-ji |
Buzen Kokubun-niji | （推定）Tokusei, Kokubu, Miyako Fukuoka | -none- -none- | |||
| Bungo Kokubun-ji | Kokubu, Oita, Oita | NHS Iōzan Kokubun-ji |
Bungo Kokubun-niji | （推定）Kokubu, Oita, Oita | -none- | |||
| Hizen Kokubun-ji | Yamatocho Niji, Saga, Saga | PHS Konkomyoozan Kokubun-ji |
Hizen Kokubun-niji | Yamatocho Niji, Saga, Saga | -none- -none- | |||
| Higo Kokubun-ji | Izumi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto | -none- Iōzan Kokubun-ji |
Higo Kokubun-niji | Izumi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto | -none- -none- | |||
| Hyūga Kokubun-ji | Mitake, Saito, Miyazaki | NHS -none- |
Hyūga Kokubun-niji | Umatsu, Saito, Miyazaki | -none- -none- | |||
| Ōsumi Kokubun-ji | Kokubu Chuo, Kirishima, Kagoshima | NHS -none- |
Ōsumi Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Satsuma Kokubun-ji | Kokubunjicho, Satsumasendai, Kagoshima | NHS -none- |
Satsuma Kokubun-niji | （推定）Amatsucho, Satsumasendai, Kagoshima | -none- -none- | |||
| Iki Kokubun-ji | Kokubu Honmura, Ashiba Iki, Nagasaki | PNS Gokokuan Kokubun-ji |
Iki Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
| Tsushima Kokubun-ji | （推定）Izuhara Imayashiki, Tsushima, Nagasaki | -none- Tentōkuzan Kokubun-ji |
Tsuhima Kokubun-niji | （Unknown） | -none- -none- | |||
(Key: NHS= National Historic Site, PHS=Prefectural Historic Site, CHS= City Historic Site)
Modern place names
[edit]Modern place names based on this etymology include:
See also
[edit]
- 735–737 Japanese smallpox epidemic
- Fuchū
- Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
- Ichinomiya (primary shrines of the province)
- Soja shrine (shrines that consolidated the deity for every province)
- Kokufu
References
[edit]- ^ "Kokubunji". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
- ^ Brown, Delmer M. (1993). Cambridge History of Japan vol. I. Cambridge University Press. p. 255.
- ^ Yiengpruksawan, Mimi Hall (1998). Hiraizumi: Buddhist Art and Regional Politics in Twelfth-Century Japan. Harvard University Press. pp. 22f.
- ^ Shively, Donald H.; McCullough, William H. (1999). Cambridge History of Japan vol. II (p.31f.). Cambridge University Press.
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