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Egaku
Egaku or Hui'E was a well-connected 9th century Japanese scholar-monk Chen 2010 who made frequent trips to Tang China for pilgrimage and bringing back Buddhist teachings to Japan. Egaku had a huge impact on the religious and cultural history of China and Japan.Tanaka 2011 In Japan, he is famous for bringing the first Rinzai Zen monk Gikū and the works of the Chinese poet Bai Juyi to Japan. In China, he is renowned for his role in establishing a developed pilgrimage site in Putuoshan, one of the four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in China.Wang 2009 Life Unlike his monastic contemporaries Saichō, Kūkai and Ennin, Egaku did not leave any travel diaries.Ennin 850 The information known about him came from numerous Chinese and Japanese sources, and therefore, there are still many unclear points about him,Hashimoto 1972Park 2003 Ōtsuki 2008 such as the dates and specific location of his birth and death. However, he was a disciple of Saichō and possibly was an acquaintance o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gikū
Gikū or Yikong was an early Heian period Buddhist monk from Tang China. He is Japan's first Buddhist monk who exclusively taught Zen. Legacy There are many unknown facts about Gikū such as his birthplace, birth date and death date. However, he was an important disciple of Yanguan Qi'an, a renowned 9th generation Zen master descended from Mazu Daoyi. Foguangshan 1989 During the Jowa period (834-848 CE), Empress Dowager Tachibana Kachiko dispatched Egaku on several trips to Tang China for pilgrimage and to invite a Zen monk back to Japan to propagate Zen Buddhism in Japan. In 841 CE, Egaku went on his first trip to Tang China. He went on a pilgrimage to Mount Wutai. Later he traveled to Hangzhou's Lingchi Monastery to meet Yanguan Qi'an. Egaku conveys Tachibana Kachiko's wishes to invite Yanguan Qi'an back to Japan to propagate Zen Buddhism. However, Yanguan Qi'an instead suggested Gikū as a replacement. On this trip, Egaku also took vows of providing support for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese monk Saichō ( posthumously known as Dengyō Daishi). The Tendai school, which has been based on Mount Hiei since its inception, rose to prominence during the Heian period (794-1185). It gradually eclipsed the powerful ''Hossō'' school and competed with the rival Shingon school to become the most influential sect at the Imperial court. By the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Tendai had become one of the dominant forms of Japanese Buddhism, with numerous temples and vast landholdings. During the Kamakura period, various monks left Tendai (seeing it as corrupt) to establish their own "new" or "Kamakura" Buddhist schools such as Jōdo-shū, Nichiren-shū and Sōtō Zen. The destruction of the head temple of Enryaku-ji by Oda Nobunaga in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mount Wutai
Mount Wutai, also known by its Chinese name Wutaishan and as is a sacred Buddhist site at the headwaters of the Qingshui in Shanxi Province, China. Its central area is surrounded by a cluster of flat-topped peaks roughly corresponding to the cardinal directions. The north peak (Beitai Ding or Yedou Feng) is the highest () and is also the highest point in northern China. As host to over 53 sacred monasteries, Mount Wutai is home to many of China's most important monasteries and temples. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and named a AAAAA tourist attraction by China's National Tourism Administration in 2007. Significance Mount Wutai is one of the Four Sacred Mountains in Chinese Buddhism. Each of the mountains is viewed as the bodhimaṇḍa () of one of the four great bodhisattvas. Wǔtái is the home of the Bodhisattva of wisdom, Mañjuśrī or "" () in Chinese. Mañjuśrī has been associated with Mount Wutai since ancient times. Paul Williams wri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fujiwara Clan
was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. They held the title of Ason. The abbreviated form is . The 8th century clan history ''Tōshi Kaden'' (藤氏家伝) states the following at the biography of the clan's patriarch, Fujiwara no Kamatari (614–669): "Kamatari, the Inner Palace Minister who was also called ‘Chūrō'',''’ was a man of the Takechi district of Yamato Province. His forebears descended from Ame no Koyane no Mikoto; for generations they had administered the rites for Heaven and Earth, harmonizing the space between men and the gods. Therefore, it was ordered their clan was to be called Ōnakatomi" The clan originated when the founder, Nakatomi no Kamatari (614–669) of the Nakatomi clan, was rewarded by Emperor Tenji with th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Ninmyō
was the 54th emperor of Japan, Emperor Ninmyō, Fukakusa Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Ninmyō's reign lasted from 833 to 850, during the Heian period. Traditional narrative Ninmyō was the second son of Emperor Saga and the Empress Tachibana no Kachiko. His personal name ('' imina'') was . After his death, he was given the title . Ninmyō had nine Empresses, Imperial consorts, and concubines (''kōi''); and the emperor had 24 Imperial sons and daughters. Brown and Ishida, p. 283. Emperor Ninmyō is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates , in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Ninmyō's mausoleum. Events of Ninmyō's life Ninmyō ascended to the throne following the abdication of his uncle, Emperor Junna. * 6 January 823 (): Received the title of Crown Prince at the age of 14. * 22 March 833 (): In the 10th year of Emperor Junna's reign, the emperor abdicated; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dao-xuan
Dao-xuan (, 702-760) or ''Dōsen'' in Japanese was a prominent Chinese monk in early Japanese Buddhism, responsible for importing Northern School Chan teachings, Huayan school teachings and the Bodhisattva Precepts to Japan in 736. He also served as the for ordination prior to the arrival of Ganjin, and presided over the opening of the Tōdai-ji Temple. Dao-xuan was born in Hunan Province in 702, and ordained at an early age in the Vinaya school in China () at Dafu () temple in Loyang. After learning the Vinaya, he traveled and practiced Chan meditation for a time followed by intensive study of Tiantai doctrines before returning to his home temple where he hosted lectures. In 733, two Japanese monks, Eiei () and Fushō () came to China in search of a Vinaya master who would accompany them to Japan to provide orthodox Buddhist ordinations there. Dao-xuan agreed to go, and arrived in 736. However, the rules of the Vinaya state that a minimum of 10 ''bhikkhu'' monks was required ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dōshō
was a Japanese monk credited with playing an influential role in the founding of Buddhism in Japan. In 2022, an American monk with a similar name, Dosho Port, waindefinitely suspendedfrom the Soto Zen Buddhist Association for misconduct with students. In C.E. 653, the original Dōshō travelled to China, studying under the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, whose travels to India were immortalized in the book '' Journey to the West''. His studies centered on Xuanzang's Weishi, Chinese variant of Indian Yogācāra, but he was also exposed to Chinese Chán while there, which would later lead to his influence on the founding of Japanese Zen Buddhism.Heinrich Dumoulin, James W. Heisig, Paul F. Knitter, Zen Buddhism : a History: Japan, p5. World Wisdom, Inc, Sep 25, 2005 In China, the school is known as Wéishí-zōng (, "Consciousness Only" school), or Fǎxiàng-zōng (, "Dharma Characteristics" school). In Japan, it is known as or . After returning from China, Dōshō became a priest at Gang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heian Period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. It is a period in Japanese history when the Chinese influences were in decline and the national culture matured. The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature. Two types of Japanese script emerged, including katakana, a phonetic script which was abbreviated into hiragana, a cursive alphabet with a unique writing method distinctive to Japan. This gave rise to Japan's famous vernacular literature, with many of its texts written by court women who were not as educated in Chinese compared to their male counterparts. Although the Imperial House of Japan had power on the surface, the real power was in the hands of the Fujiwara clan, a powerful aristocr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Xuānzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (July 27, 810 – September 7, 859) (reigned April 25, 846 – September 7, 859) was an emperor in the latter part of the Tang dynasty of China. Personally named Li Yi, later renamed Li Chen (), and known before his reign as the Prince of Guang, he was considered the last capable emperor of Tang China. Succeeding emperors after Xuanzong would either be too young or be dominated by eunuchs or warlords. Emperor Xuanzong was the 13th son of Emperor Xianzong (r. 806–820) and an uncle of the previous three emperors, Emperor Jingzong, Emperor Wenzong, and Emperor Wuzong. To distinguish Emperor Xuanzong from his ancestor Emperor Xuánzong (personal name Li Longji), as their temple names are rendered identically in Wade–Giles and when pinyin tonal marks are not used, Xuanzong is occasionally referred to as Xuanzong II in western sources; in Chinese, however, their temple names (宣宗 for him and 玄宗 for Li Longji) are clearly distinct and this devic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution
The Huichang Persecution of Buddhism () was initiated by Emperor Wuzong (Li Chan) of the Tang dynasty during the Huichang era (841–845). Among its purposes were to appropriate war funds and to cleanse Tang China of foreign influences. As such, the persecution was directed not only towards Buddhism but also towards other religions, such as Zoroastrianism, Nestorian Christianity, and Manicheism. Rationale Emperor Wuzong's economic, social, and religious reasons for persecuting Buddhist organizations and temples throughout China were as follows: * ''Economic reasons'': In 843 the emperor's armies won a decisive battle against the Uyghur tribes at the cost of almost bankrupting the country. Wuzong's solution to the financial crisis was to go after the wealth that had been accumulated in the Buddhist monasteries. Buddhism had flourished greatly during the Tang period, and its monasteries enjoyed tax-exempt status. In 845, Wuzong closed many Buddhist shrines, confiscated their p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Wuzong Of Tang
Emperor Wuzong of Tang (July 2, 814 – April 22, 846), né Li Chan, later changed to Li Yan just before his death, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846. Emperor Wuzong is mainly known in modern times for the religious persecution that occurred during his reign. However, he was also known for his successful reactions against incursions by remnants of the Uyghur Khanate and the rebellion by Liu Zhen, as well as his deep trust and support for chancellor Li Deyu. Background Li Chan was born in 814, as the ninth son of Li Heng at least, who was then Crown Prince under Li Chan's grandfather Emperor Xianzong. He was born at the Eastern Palace (i.e., the Crown Prince's palace). His mother was Consort Wei, whose rank was lost to history. After Li Heng became Emperor Muzong in 820, he made many of his brothers and sons princes in 821, and Li Chan was made the Prince of Ying. Little is known about Li Chan's activities during the reigns of E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mazu Daoyi
Mazu Daoyi (709–788) (, Japanese: Baso Dōitsu) was an influential abbot of Chan Buddhism during the Tang dynasty. The earliest recorded use of the term "Chan school" is from his ''Extensive Records''. Master Ma's teaching style of "strange words and extraordinary actions" became paradigmatic Zen lore. Biography His family name was Ma – Mazu meaning ''Ancestor Ma'' or ''Master Ma''. He was born in 709 northwest of Chengdu in Sichuan. During his years as master, Mazu lived in Jiangxi, from which he took the name "Jiangxi Daoyi". In the '' Transmission of the Lamp'', compiled in 1004, Mazu is described as follows: According to the ''Transmission of the Lamp'', Mazu was a student of Nanyue Huairang (677-744) at Mount Heng in Hunan A story in the entry on Nanyue Huairang in the ''Transmission of the Lamp'' is regarded as Mazu's enlightenment-account, though the text does not claim it as such. An earlier and more primitive version of this story appears in the '' Anthology ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
