Nanzen-ji

Nanzen-ji (南禅寺, Nanzen-ji), or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Zenrin-ji (禅林寺, Zenrin-ji), is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Emperor Kameyama established it in 1291 on the site of his previous detached palace. It is also the headquarters of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The precincts of Nanzen-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and the Hōjō gardens a Place of Scenic Beauty.

History

Nanzen-ji was founded in the middle Heian period (1291, or Shōō 4 in the Japanese era system). It was destroyed by fire in 1393, 1447, and 1467, rebuilt in 1597, and expanded in the Edo era. A large complex, it has varied over time between nine and twelve sub-temples.

Zenkei Shibayama, who provided a popular commentary on the Mumonkan, was an abbot of the monastery.

Significance in Zen Buddhism

Nanzen-ji is not itself considered one of the "five great Zen temples of Kyoto"; however, it does play an important role in the "Five Mountain System" which was modified from Chinese roots. Tenryū-ji (天龍寺, Tenryū-ji) is considered to be one of the so-called Kyoto Gozan (京都五山, Kyōto gozan) or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto", along with Shōkoku-ji (相国寺, Shōkoku-ji), Kennin-ji (建仁寺, Kennin-ji), Tōfuku-ji (東福寺, Tōfuku-ji), and Manju-ji (満寿寺, Manju-ji). The head temple presiding over the Gozan in Kyoto is Nanzen-ji. After the completion of Shōkoku-ji by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1386, a new ranking system was created with Nanzen-ji at the top and in a class of its own. Nanzen-ji had the title of "First Temple of The Land" and played a supervising role.