Wednesday, June 26, 2019
By far, this is one my most favorite in Japan. Its subtle, miniature, not grand but beautiful that touches heart. As I said, I went early, so had the whole place myself. This is one of the places you have to remove your shoes and explore with socks. Its soothing to eyes and am sure during autumn (when its not hot) or winter, it will be magical. Its open from 9am to 5pm.
Shoren-in Temple (as spelled there), is one of the three Monzeki temples along with Sanzen-in Temple and Myohoin temple. Another name of the temple is Awata Gosho (Awata Imperial Palace) as this temple served as a temporary imperial residence at the time of the fire in 1788.
It is said that this temple originated from Shorenbo, one of the dormitories for priests built on Mt.Hiei by the high priest Saicho (The Reverend Denkyo Daishi), the founder of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. Later it was moved to Sanjo-Shirakawa (slightly northwest of the current location). Since the seventh prince of retired Emperor Toba became the head priest, the temple has been a Monzeki temple, where an imperial family member or a regency family member customarily assumes the chief-priesthood.
The entire temple precinct has been designated as a historic site by the government. The garden, taking advantage of the location of the foot Mt Awata, is a gracious stroll garden with a lake named Ryushinchi (Heart of Dragon Pond). In front of the gate, along the Jingumichi street, there are five giant camphor trees (Natural monument registered by Kyoto city) legendarily planted by the high priest Shinra Shonin, who entered priesthood at this temple.
Templease treasures include “The picture of Fudo Myo-o with Two chidlren” (National treasure), commonly known as “Blue Fudo” and many other cultural assets. The temple has an enclave at the top of a mountain east of Marumaya park, where Dainichido hall and Shogunzuka mound are located, commanding a fine view of Kyoto City. (I didn’t take any of the pics respecting the values)
Now from the note I got from the temple –
The History of Sho-ren-in
Sho-ren-in is known as one of the five Monzeki temples of Tendai in Kyoto, whose head priests were originally from imperial family. Sho-ren-in belongs to Enrayku Temple in Mt Hiei, the main temple of the Tendai Buddhist sect. The name of the temple comes from Sho-ren-bo, one of the several lodging facilities for priests built at the top of Mt Hie when Saicho, the founder of the Tensaid sect, started his preaching at Mt Hiei. It was one of the main lodging facilities in the mountain used as the residence of several well known priests in Tendai sect including Saicho, En-nin, An-ne and So-o, who succeeded the sacred lantern that keeps an eternal light. Retired emperor Toba has become a believer of Gyogen, the 12th head priest of Enrayaku Temple and let his seventh son study under Gyogen’s control. Toba has built a residence for them in Kyoto, designed in the image of his own imperial residence and named Sho-ren-in. Thus, Gyogen has become the first head priest of Sho-ren-in followed by Prince Kakukaishin-no, Toba’s son. Sho-ren-bo in Mt Hiei had been kept as a lodging facility for the priests of Sho-ren-in until Muromachi era. Until Meiji era, the head priests of Sho-ren-in had been exclusively from the imperial family or from the family of the regent to the emperor.
Sho-ren-in enjoyed its highest prosperity under Jien, the third head priest from the end of Heian era through Kamakura era. While serving as the head of Tendai sect for four terms, Jien has made numerous contributions in the world of Buddhism in Japan by winning the respect from the imperial family and by promoting the discipline to control own mind by the imperial order. He has also achieved his academic career by writing Gukansho, the immortal classic and the first book of philosophy based on history of Japan and compiled Shugyokushu, a collection of his poems. While he was the master Esoteric Buddhism, he gave sanctuary to Honen, the founder of Jodo sect, and also to Shin-ran, the founder of Shin sect. In fact, Seishido the hall established by Genchi, who succeeded Jodo sect down the generation after Honen’s death, was part of the premise in Sho-ren-in given by Jien and has become the origin of Chi-on-in. Shinran entered his priesthood in Sho-ren-in at the age of nine following Jien and his grave was built at O-tani, in the premise of Sho-ren-in (iin Su-tai-in located at the side of the north gate of Chi-on-in). His grave and the hall to commemorate Shin-ran are the origin of Honganji. That is the reason all the head priests of Honganji, until Meiji era, needed to enter the priesthoo in Sho-ren-in to be officially recognized as the head priest and the title as a temple affiliated with Sho-ren-in was given to Hongaji.
Although Jien wanted to pass his title and premises to his prime pupile, Prince Asahito (Prince Dokaku), the Jyokyu incident, the rebellion by retired Emperor Go-Toba, against Kamakura Shogunate government, delayed the transfer and Dokaku finally assumed the position as the sixth head priest of Sho-ren-in and the head of Tendai sect with public expectations more than 20 years after Jien’s death. Since them, Sho-ren-in has been proud to be the temple with its head priest from the imperial family, until Meiji era. In particular, Prince Son-en, the 17th head priest of Sho-ren-in, a son of Emperor Fushimi, was known as a distinguished calligrapher. He has created a unique handwriting style merging traditional Japanese and Chinese styles. All the head priests after prince Sone-en inherited his handwriting style and have become the grand master in the world of Japanese calligraphy.
Despite number of plights in the history including the damages by the Onin war and the seizure of the part of its property (currently the premis of Chi-on-in) by Tokugawa Shongunate government, its precinct yard, from beautiful garden, created in Muromachi era, including Ryujin Pond (said to be designed by So-ami) in its center, to Shogun Ground at Mt Awata, remains as it was originally designed. In Tokugawa era the Shogungate government contributed to build the hall to honour the successive head priests and related members of the imperial family, relocating the former residence of Tofumon-in to the current location. For a while after the imperial palace was burnt down during Tokugawa era, Retired emperor Go-Sakuramachi settled in Sho-ren-in as her temporary imperial palace and used Kobun-tei in the garden as her study room. Though Kobun-tei was unfortunately burned down in April 1993, it was fully restored in November 1995. Among all the national treasures and important cultural assets in Sho-ren-in, the painting of Blue Acala (national treasure) is particularly well known as one of the three major acalas in Japan (Blue Acala, Red Acala and Yellow acala). Other precious treasures include emperors’ letters, antique documents and scriptures of Esoteric Buddhism from Nara era through Muromachi era.
The Garden of Sho-ren-in
The garden in Sho-ren-in is built utilizing the base of Mt Awata. It is said this tranquil and profound garden is designed by So-ami during Muromachi era. The garden at the east side of Soka-den, called Garden of Kiirishima designed by Enshu Kobori, adds beautiful colors of flowers including azalea planted all over the slope beside Kobun-tei and other flowers such as cape jasmine and Japanese Andromeda planted in between. One corner of Kobun-tei offers a different atmosphere, which is said to be designed by Yu-hi Omori. His career, dates of his birth/death and his other works are not known. Despite no evidence, there is no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful gardens utilizing natural beauty in the surroundings.
It is difficult to figure out now how the garden was originally created during Muromachi era. The tastes common in the gardens designed during Edo era can be seen. As Sho-ren-in is a venerable temple closely related to the imperial family, the whole structure is filled with elegance with its gracious appearance.
In the main part of the garden, there is a pond, Ryujin-no-ike, surrounded by the three buildings, Ko-gosho, Kacho-den (guesthouse) and Kobun-tei. On the south side of the pond, there is a basin of a waterfall, sensin-no-taki, using the slop of Mount Awata. On the east side, there is a small hill with a mildly curved line. This small hill can be often seen in the drawings of Sotatsu or the ones of Tosa school. Kobun-tei is located on the north side of the hill.
On the south side, the rim of the pond stretches to south between the base of the mountain and the building, running under the roof edge of Ko-gosho. At the narrow part of the pond near Ko-gosho, there is a semicircle-shaped stone bridge, Koryyu-no-hashi, made of two granite. The configuration of this stone bridge is designed with innovative ideas.
In Ryujin-no-ike, there is a big stone located in the center of the pond. The shape of this stone, looks like the back of the dragon bathing in the pond in the west side, facing the waterfall, basin, there is a big blue stone used for worship.
While the configuration of the garden follow Tsukiyama Sensui-tei, the mainstream design of traditional Japanese gardens created since Heian era, there are innovative style unprecedented in other traditional Japanese garden such as the layout of a stone in the pond and the additional small hill located at the edge of the pond. These novel ideas are not necessarily eccentric, and are maintaining a harmonious balance. It proves the brilliant artistry of the designer. The trees which cover in the mountain slope, show beautiful scenarios throughout the year including colored maple leaves in the autumn. Many stones used to line the edge of the pond and allocated in the mountain are collected in the mountain at the suburb of Kyoto and also blue stones from Kishu. These stones have elegant lines and bright colors, adding picturesque beauty and mild tastes in the landscape.
In front of the connective corridor close to Ko-gosho, there is a basin made by a straight line shaped natural stone. This stone basin, filled with valiant atmosphere is well known as Ichimonji-Chozubachu, donated by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. In the azalea garden, there is a Mikoshigata Toro (Stone Lantan), also donated by Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
Back to my own words now; thats such a long thing I had to type. As I said, it was worth. This is one of the few places I want to back in Kyoto. Its serene, beautiful and full of peace.
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