is a Buddhist temple in Japan that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji 'Seven Great Temples' in the city of Nara. The temple is the national headquarters of the East Asian Yogācāra school. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a World Heritage Site.

History

Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 by Kagami-no-Ōkimi (), 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.

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, even by "aggressive means" in some cases, thanks to the marriage of Fuhito's daughter to Emperor Shōmu, becoming the Empress Kōmyō.John Bowring, pp.218–219 In 730, as a result of her conversion and devotion to Buddhism, she ordered the construction of the , now a National Treasure. In 734, her commission of the Saikondō was completed in memory of her mother's death. 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 130,000 sheaves worth from Echizen).

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, 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.

was a chashitsu formerly located at the temple and considered one of the . It was relocated due its deteriorated state and is now in the gardens of the Tokyo National Museum.

Architecture and treasures

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

Architecture , 1425, one of the former three golden halls (National Treasure) , 2018, reconstructed, the former temporary Central Golden Hall building (仮金堂) now serves as the temporary Lecture Hall (仮講堂) , 1426 (National Treasure) , 1185 (National Treasure) , 1210 (National Treasure) , 1741, Site No.9 of Saigoku 33 Pilgrimage (Important Cultural Property) , 1394–1427 (Important Cultural Property)

Treasures (Statue) The Devas of the Eight Classes, including dry-lacquer Asura (National Treasure) (Statue) Ten principal disciples (National Treasure) (Statue) Thousand-armed Kannon (National Treasure) (Statue) 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. Tōkondō Three-storied pagoda Five-storied pagoda Hoku'endō Nan'endō Ōyūya Kodō Chūkondō Saikondō Chūmon Nandaimon Shōrō Kyōzō Kairō monks' quarters

Gallery

See also List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials) List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others) List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures) List of National Treasures of Japan (temples) Siege of Nara

Sculptures formerly from Kōfuku-ji Boston Miroku - oldest sculpture made by the Busshi Kaikei, part of the temple's collection until 1906. Burke Jizō - sculpture by Kaikei, now a part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Statue of Jizō (Intan) - another sculpture of Jizō, part of the MET. Statues of Brahmā and Indra - Nara period sculpture, now part of the Asian Art Museum (San Francisco) Seated Rāgarāja - a sculpture of Rāgarāja made in 1256 by the temple; now part of the Nara National Museum collection Four Heavenly Kings - one of the five sets of Four Heavenly Kings statues, dispersed between the temple, the Nara National Museum, and the Miho Museum

Works of art from Kōfuku-ji

The Final Death of the Buddha Sakyamuni - Nanboku-chō painting depicting Parinirvana (1320-1340)

Notes

References

Minoru Ooka, Temples of Nara and Their Art (Tokyo: Heibonsha; New York: Weatherhill, 1973)

External links

Kōfuku-ji web site Kōfuku-ji web site Kohfukuji Temple, from The Official Nara Travel Guide Nara Prefecture page on Kōfuku-ji UNESCO Exhibition of artifacts from Kofukuji reviewed in The Japan Times