Chionji Temple

This temple is of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect and is located near Amanohashidate Pier in Monju, Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture. Its mountain name is Tenkyozan. The principal image of the temple, Manjusri Bodhisattva, is said to be one of the three great Manjusri in Japan. It is also known as Kirito no Manjusri and Kusedo no Manjusri. The date of its founding is unclear, but one theory is that it was built in 808 (Daido 3) at the request of Emperor Heizei. It is said that during the Karyaku era (1326-29), Suzan converted it into a Zen temple. During the Kan'ei era (1624-44), Kyogoku Takahiro, the lord of Miyazu Domain, invited Betsugen to restore the temple. The Tahoto Pagoda (a National Important Cultural Property) was built in 1500 (Meio 9). The statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva, the principal image of the Monjudo Hall, and the statues of his attendants Zenzai Doji and Uten King were made in the Kamakura period and are National Important Cultural Properties. Documents that tell the history of the temple include one volume of Kana Engi, said to have been written by Tetsushoki, and one volume of Kusedo Chionji Kan'enso, dated 1486 (Bunmei 18). Also on the temple grounds are the Izumi Shikibu Utatsuzuka, the Chie no Watoro (Wa-toro of Wisdom), and the Maria lantern.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都府宮津市文珠(もんじゅ)、天橋立(あまのはしだて)桟橋の近くにある臨済宗妙心寺派の寺。山号は天橋山(てんきょうざん)。本尊文殊菩薩(もんじゅぼさつ)は日本三文殊の一つといわれる。通称切戸(きれと)の文殊、九世戸(くせど)の文殊とよばれる。創建年代は明らかではないが、一説に808年（大同3）平城(へいぜい)天皇の勅願によって創建されたという。嘉暦(かりゃく)年中（1326～29）嵩山(すうざん)が禅寺に改めたと伝える。寛永(かんえい)年中（1624～44）宮津藩主京極高広(きょうごくたかひろ)が別源(べつげん)を招いて再興させた。多宝塔（国重要文化財）は1500年（明応9）の造立。文殊堂本尊の文殊菩薩像・脇侍(きょうじ)善財童子・優闐(うてん)王像は鎌倉時代の作で、国重要文化財。徹書記(てつしょき)の筆といわれる仮名縁起1巻、1486年（文明18）の九世戸智恩寺幹縁疏(かんえんそ)1巻など寺史を語る文書がある。また境内には和泉(いずみ)式部の歌塚、智恵の輪灯籠(ちえのわとうろう)、マリア灯籠などがある。

［菅沼　晃］

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