Official temple - Kanji

Under the Ritsuryo system, temples are supervised by the state and are funded by the state for the construction and repair of temples and pagodas, as well as for the expenses of monks and nuns. In contrast to private temples built by individuals. Basically, they were built at the request of the emperor, and prayers for the peace and protection of the imperial family and the state were highly valued. However, it is an exception that Hoko-ji (Asuka-dera), which was built at the request of Soga no Umako, became a government temple, but in ancient times, most temples were government temples. The Engishiki lists the ranks of Daiji, Kokubunji, Ujikifuji, and Jogakuji, with Ujikifuji, Jogakuji, and Goganji being quasi-government temples, and Kokubunji, Kokubun-nunnery, and Chokganji being government temples. From the Middle Ages onwards, the term came to refer to Zen temples that were given special protection and devoteeship by the shogunate. These included the Rinzai sect's Five Mountains of Kyoto and Kamakura, and the Soto sect's Eiheiji and Sojiji. These temples had their chief priests appointed by imperial decree, and were also called "success training halls."

[Rikiyama Ishikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

律令(りつりょう)制下で、堂塔の造営や修理、僧尼の費用が国家から給付され、国家の監督を受ける寺。個人的に建てられた私寺に対する。基本的な性格としては、天皇の発願(ほつがん)で建てられ、皇室や国家の安泰鎮護の祈願が重んぜられた。ただし蘇我馬子(そがのうまこ)の発願による法興寺(ほうこうじ)（飛鳥寺(あすかでら)）が官寺的性格をもつに至るのは特例であるが、古くはほとんどの寺院が官寺であった。『延喜式(えんぎしき)』には大寺(だいじ)、国分寺、有食封寺(うじきふうじ)、定額寺(じょうがくじ)の等級がみられるが、有食封寺、定額寺、御願寺(ごがんじ)は準官寺で、国分寺、国分尼寺、勅願寺(ちょくがんじ)が官寺である。中世以後は、幕府がとくに保護帰依(きえ)した禅宗寺院をさすようになった。臨済(りんざい)宗の京都・鎌倉五山、曹洞(そうとう)宗の永平寺・総持寺がこれにあたり、勅宣により住持が定められ、「出世道場」ともよばれる。

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