National Master - Kokushi

An honorific title for monks. It means the teacher of the country. The first person to receive this title was Hojo (567-645) of the Northern Qi Dynasty in China, and Giten (1055?-1101) of the Goryeo Dynasty also received the title of Daigaku Kokushi. In Japan, since the establishment of the provincial temple system, this title was given to monks in various provinces, and they were responsible for supervising temples and monks and nuns, preaching on sutras and treatises, and praying for the nation. Since the Middle Ages, this title has been given to high-ranking monks who have received the Emperor's devotees, and is often given to monks of the Five Mountains of Rinzai, and the title given is higher than that of Zen Master. It began in 1312 (Showa 1) when Enni was given the title of Shoichi Kokushi by Emperor Hanazono.

[Rikiyama Ishikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

僧の尊称。国の師表という意。賜号としては中国・北斉(ほくせい)の法常(ほうじょう)（567―645）が最初で、高麗(こうらい)の義天(ぎてん)（1055？―1101）にも大覚(だいがく)国師の号がある。日本では国分寺制度が創設されて以来、諸国に置かれた僧官の名で、寺院や僧尼の監督、経論の講説、国家の祈祷(きとう)にあたった。中世以降は天皇の帰依(きえ)を受けた高僧に与えられた称号で、多くは五山臨済(りんざい)僧が受け、賜号としては禅師号の上。1312年（正和1）円爾(えんに)が花園(はなぞの)天皇より聖一(しょういち)国師を賜ったのを初めとする。

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