Sogakuji Temple - Sugakuji

This temple is located at the western foot of Mount Taishi and the southern foot of Mount Song, in Dengfeng City, Henan Province, China. Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty built a villa there in 509 (Yongping 2), and Emperor Xiaowu renamed it a temple in 520 (Shoko 1), making it a retreat temple and building a brick tower. When Socho, a disciple of Zen master Buddha of Shaolin Temple, lived there, it is said that there were more than 700 monks and 1,000 halls, and Empress Dowager Hu also practiced asceticism there. When the Northern Zhou Dynasty destroyed Buddhism (574, 577), it became a Taoist temple for a time, but in 601 (Renshou 1) of the Sui Dynasty, it was reinstated and renamed Songyue Temple. During the Tang Dynasty, Shenxiu and Fujaku lived here and it became the base of the Northern Zen sect, and Igyo and Isei also received training here. It also became the pilgrimage site for Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian to worship at Mount Song, and was revered by the royal family, including Zhongzong's reconstruction. Although it is now in ruins, the 15-story, 12-cornered brick pagoda built in the Northern Wei Dynasty remains, and it has been designated a key cultural property protection unit.

[Michio Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、河南(かなん／ホーナン)省登封(とうほう／トンフォン)市太室山西麓(せいろく)、嵩山の南麓にある寺。北魏(ほくぎ)の宣武帝が509年（永平2）離宮を造営し、孝武帝が520年（正光1）寺に改め閑居(かんきょ)寺とし、塼塔(せんとう)を建造したことに始まる。少林寺仏陀(ぶっだ)禅師の弟子僧稠(そうちょう)が住するや、僧徒700、堂舎1000間を超えたといわれ、胡(こ)太后も修道した。北周の破仏（574、577）で一時道観（道教寺院）となったが、隋(ずい)の601年（仁寿1）元に復し嵩岳寺と改称した。唐代には神秀(じんしゅう)、普寂(ふじゃく)らが住して北宗禅(ほくしゅうぜん)の拠点となり、一行(いちぎょう)、惟政(いせい)らもこの寺で業を受けた。また高宗、則天武后の嵩岳参拝行宮(あんぐう)所となり、中宗の重修など王室の尊崇を得た。現在は荒廃しているが、北魏建造の十五層十二角の塼塔が現存しており、重点文物保護単位に指定されている。

［里道徳雄］

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