Provincial temple
Encyclopedia
Emperor Shōmu of Japan
established so-called provincial temples (国分寺: kokubun-ji for monk
s; 国分尼寺: kokubun-niji for nun
s) in each province
of Japan
. Tōdai-ji
, the provincial temple of Yamato Province
, served as the head of all these kokubun-ji and Hokke-ji
held that duty for the kokubun-niji.
The words "kokubunji" and "kokubun-niji" gave rise to many place names still in use today, including:
Emperor Shomu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:...
established so-called provincial temples (国分寺: kokubun-ji for monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s; 国分尼寺: kokubun-niji for nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s) in each province
Provinces of Japan
Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Tōdai-ji
Todai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
, the provincial temple of Yamato Province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
, served as the head of all these kokubun-ji and Hokke-ji
Hokke-ji
, is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Nara, Japan.Hokke-ji was built by Empress Kōmyō in 745, originally as a nunnery temple on the grounds where previously her father Fujiwara no Fuhito's mansion stood. According to records kept by the temple, the initial construction went on until around...
held that duty for the kokubun-niji.
The words "kokubunji" and "kokubun-niji" gave rise to many place names still in use today, including:
- Kokubunji, KagawaKokubunji, KagawaKokubunji was a town located in Ayauta District, Kagawa, Japan.On January 10, 2006 Kokubunji, along with the towns of Aji and Mure, both from Kita District, and the towns of Kagawa and Kōnan, both from Kagawa District, was merged into the expanded city of Takamatsu and no longer exists as an...
- Kokubunji, TokyoKokubunji, Tokyois a city in Tokyo, Japan.As of 1 June 2008, the city has an estimated population of 117,335 . The total area is 11.48 km²...
- Kokubunji, TochigiKokubunji, TochigiKokubunji was a town located in Shimotsuga District, Tochigi, Japan.On January 10, 2006 Kokubunji was merged with the town of Minamikawachi, from Kawachi District, and the town of Ishibashi, also from Shimotsuga District, to form the new city of Shimotsuke.As of 2003, the town had an estimated...
See also
- Glossary of Japanese BuddhismGlossary of Japanese BuddhismThis is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
.