Chūgū-ji

The Chugu -ji (Japanese中 宫 寺) is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ikaruga ( Ikoma district ) of Japanese Nara Prefecture, in the immediate vicinity of the eastern Hōryū -ji, under whose administration he stood for a long time.

History

As a traditional founding date of Chugu -ji is the year 621, in the Anahobe -no- Hashihito (穴 穂 部 间 人), the wife of Yomei - tennō died, and her son, Shōtoku - Taishi, their residence in the province of Yamato a temple to have rededicated. Due to its geographical and administrative proximity to Hōryū -ji the Chugu -ji always belonged to the same Buddhist group, who belonged to the Hōryū -ji, so first Sanron shū, then Hosso Shuu, from the Kamakura period Shingon shū and finally since 1951 Shōtoku shū.

There are, however, until the renovation of the temple by the monk Ritsu Eison (睿 尊; 1201-1290 ) and the nun Shinnyo (信 如; 1211 -? ) As well as no sources for his history before the 13th century. It, however, assumes that the temple served the longest time in its history as an active monastery for Buddhist nuns. Over time, the Empress consort Hashihito became stylized as the patron saint of the Temple. The most famous example of this is the 1254 on Hōryū -ji -made mandala Shoko mandarazu (圣皇 曼荼罗 図) in which it is presented as Amida Buddha according to the theory of Kami as manifest Buddha.

Cultural Heritage

Among the most famous cultural artifacts on Chugu -ji is one functioning as a Honzon the temple statue from the later Asuka period, which represents the seated Bodhisattva Miroku and is made from the wood of the camphor tree and the Hinoki cypress.

Also of great notoriety is the Tenjukoku Mandala (天寿 国 曼荼罗, Tenjukoku - mandara ), which was allegedly made ​​by order of the wife of Prince Shōtoku, Lady Tachibana after his death by their maids. These earliest known silk embroidery from Japan is only preserved as a fragment and shows the life beyond the prince in the land of eternal life ( tenjukoku ). In the temple itself is only a replica is issued.

Both the statue and the Mandala are national treasures.