Temple construction master - Zoujishi

These were temporary government offices in charge of the construction of official temples, and were established for each temple. Starting with the Zotakechi Daijishi in 673 (the second year of Emperor Tenmu's reign), there were others such as the Daian-ji Temple Construction Office, the Yakushi-ji Temple Construction Office, the Kofuku-ji Temple Buddha Hall Construction Office, the Todai-ji Temple Construction Office, the Hokke-ji Temple Construction Office, the Saidai-ji Temple Construction Office, the Toji Temple Construction Office, and the Saiji Temple Construction Office. They were comparable in scale to the "Ryo" (feudal lords) under the Ritsuryo system, but the Todai-ji Temple Construction Office was not inferior to the "Sho" (provincial ministry). In addition to the chief, vice chief, judge, and chief clerk, the organization consisted of a carpenter who was the technical director, under whom were technical officials such as carpenters, civil engineers, stonemasons, casters, ironworkers, Buddhist sculptors, and painters, as well as miscellaneous officials such as servants and hired laborers, and sometimes had branch offices such as a place for making Buddha statues, a place for making tiles, and a place for copying sutras. In the Heian period, due to austerity measures in national finances, many were abolished or reduced in size, and the Office of Todaiji Temple Construction and the Office of Kofukuji Temple Construction remained in name only.

[Masataka Nakai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

官寺の造営にあたる臨時の官庁で、その寺院ごとに置かれた。673年（天武天皇2）の造高市大寺司(ぞうたけちだいじし)をはじめ、造大安寺司、造薬師寺司、造興福寺仏殿司、造東大寺司、造法華(ほっけ)寺司、造西大(さいだい)寺司、造東寺司、造西寺司などがある。規模は律令(りつりょう)制の「寮」に準じたが、造東大寺司は「省」にも劣らなかった。組織は、長官(かみ)・次官(すけ)・判官(じょう)・主典(さかん)のほか、技術責任者たる大工(だいく)の下に、木工・土工・石工・鋳工・鉄工・仏工・画工などの技官、仕丁(しちょう)・雇夫(こふ)など雑役人が属し、また造仏所・造瓦(ぞうが)所・写経所などの支所をもつこともある。平安時代に入ると、国家財政の緊縮から、多くは廃止か縮小され、造東大寺司と造興福寺司が名目のみとなった。

［中井真孝］

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