Chūgū-ji

Chūgū-ji Hondō

Chūgū-ji (中宮寺^?) is a temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan, that was founded as a nunnery in the seventh century by Shōtoku Taishi. Located immediately to the northeast of Hōryū-ji, its statue of Miroku and Tenjukoku mandala are National Treasures.

History

Chūgūji was once the palace of Hashihito, mother of Shōtoku Taishi. After her death it was converted into a temple. Originally standing three hundred metres to the east, it was moved to its present location in the Muromachi period.^[1] Chūgū-ji is one of three nunneries in Yamato whose chief priestesses were imperial princesses.^[2] The site of Chūgū-ji has been designated a Historic Site, and the Edo period Omotegomon has been registered as a cultural property.^[3][4]

Miroku Bosatsu

Miroku Bosatsu, a National Treasure

The camphor wood statue of Miroku (菩薩半跏像^?) is a National Treasure dating from the Asuka period. Formerly painted, it is finished in lacquer.^[1][5][6][7]

Tenjukoku Shūchō Mandala

Tenjukoku Mandala, a National Treasure

In 622, after the death of Shōtoku Taishi, his consort Tachibana-no-Oiratsume commissioned the Tenjukoku Shūchō Mandala (天寿国繍帳^?). The embroidery of heaven and eternal life, together with one hundred tortoises and accompanying text, was restored in the Edo period by combining the surviving fragments with parts of a Kamakura period replica.^[8][9]

See also

• Hōryū-ji
• Shōtoku Taishi
• List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts: others)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Mizuno, Seiichi (1974). Asuka Buddhist Art: Horyuji. Weatherhill. pp. 78ff. 
2. ^ "Chuguji Temple". Ikugara. http://www.town.ikaruga.nara.jp/ikaho/e/guide/f5f/f541.html. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
3. ^ "Database of Registered National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. http://www.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails.asp?register_id=401&item_id=2047. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
4. ^ "Database of Registered National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. http://www.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails.asp?register_id=101&item_id=00006042. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
5. ^ "Chuguji Temple". Nara Prefecture. http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/dd_aspx_menuid-1267.htm. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
6. ^ Moran, S. F. (1958). "The Statue of Miroku Bosatsu of Chuguji". Artibus Asiae 21 (3/4): 179–203. http://www.jstor.org/pss/3248882. 
7. ^ "Database of Registered National Cultural Properties". Agency for Cultural Affairs. http://www.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails.asp?register_id=201&item_id=184. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
8. ^ Mizuno, Seiichi (1974). Asuka Buddhist Art: Horyuji. Weatherhill. p. 52. 
9. ^ "The Tenjukoku Shucho Mandara". Tokyo National Museum. http://www.tnm.go.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=B01&processId=01&event_id=2562. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 

External links

(Japanese) Chūgūji homepage

Coordinates: 34°36′54″N 135°44′22″E / 34.615°N 135.73944°E / 34.615; 135.73944