Hexagonal Hall

Common name for Chohoji Temple in Domae-cho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City. Formerly belonging to the Tendai sect, it is now an independent temple. Formerly known as Unrin-ji Temple, its mountain name is Shiun-san. The principal image is Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva). It is the 18th temple of the Thirty-Three Temples of the Western Provinces. It is said that the temple was founded when Prince Shotoku visited this place in search of materials for the construction of Shitenno-ji Temple, built a small hexagonal hall, and enshrined his guardian Buddha, Nyoirin Kannon (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva). In 822 (Kōnin 13), it became a temple at the request of Emperor Saga. It has suffered frequent fires, and the current buildings were rebuilt in 1877 (Meiji 10), but the main hall has a hexagonal tiled roof on the south side, conveying the ancient system. When Shinran was 29 years old, he spent 100 days in seclusion here, and received a revelation in a dream from Prince Shotoku (the incarnation of the Bodhisattva Guzebosatsu), who led him to visit Honen (Genku) in Yoshimizu, where he received his teachings and became his disciple. The main temple where the temple's executives live is called Ikenobo, and has produced many masters of tachibana, including the 12th abbot Senkei. The 27th abbot Senchin was given the title of head of the Ikenobo school of flower arrangement by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, and is famous for being the school with the oldest tradition. The wooden standing statue of Bishamonten, one of the temple's treasures, is a nationally important cultural property.

[Uryuuzu Takamasa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市中京(なかぎょう)区堂前町にある頂法寺(ちょうほうじ)の通称。もと天台宗に属したが、現在は単立寺院。旧名は雲林寺。山号は紫雲(しうん)山。本尊如意輪観世音菩薩(にょいりんかんぜおんぼさつ)。西国三十三所第18番札所。聖徳太子が四天王寺建立のとき用材を求めてこの地を訪ね、六角の小堂を建て、念持仏の如意輪観音(かんのん)を安置したのに始まると伝える。822年（弘仁13）に嵯峨(さが)天皇の勅願寺となった。しばしば火災にあい、現在の堂宇は1877年（明治10）に再建されたものであるが、本堂は南面の六角形本瓦葺(かわらぶ)きで、古制を伝えている。親鸞(しんらん)は29歳のとき、ここに100日参籠(さんろう)し、聖徳太子（救世菩薩(ぐぜぼさつ)の化身）から夢告を受けて吉水(よしみず)に法然(ほうねん)（源空）を訪ね、その教えを受けて弟子となったという。この寺の執行(しゅぎょう)の住む本坊を「池坊(いけのぼう)」といい、第12世専慶(せんけい)をはじめ多くの立花の名手を出した。第27世専鎮(せんちん)は足利義政(あしかがよしまさ)から花道家元の称号を与えられ、もっとも古い伝統をもつ「池坊」流として名高い。寺宝の木造毘沙門天(びしゃもんてん)立像は国重要文化財。

［瓜生津隆真］

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