Difference between revisions of "Jianzhen" - New World Encyclopedia
Keisuke Noda (talk | contribs) (import from wiki) |
Keisuke Noda (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{claimed}} | {{claimed}} | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Ganjin150.jpg|thumb|240px|''Ganjin'' (Chinese: Chien-chen) came to [[Japan]] in the year 754 and founded [[Tōshōdai-ji]] in [[Nara]]. ''Ganjin'' made five unsuccessful attempts to cross to [[Japan]], and then he finally succeeded on his sixth attempt he had lost his eyesight as a result of his hardship. The statue vividly represent both his gentle personality and his indomitable willpower.]] | |
| − | [[Image:Ganjin150.jpg | ||
| − | |||
'''Jianzhen''' or '''Ganjin''' (鑒真 or 鑑真; 688–763) was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate [[Buddhism]] in [[Japan]]. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attempted to visit Japan some six times. | '''Jianzhen''' or '''Ganjin''' (鑒真 or 鑑真; 688–763) was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate [[Buddhism]] in [[Japan]]. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attempted to visit Japan some six times. | ||
==Life== | ==Life== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:NaraTodaiji236.jpg|thumb|240px|Todaiji, Nara, Japan]] | |
Jianzhen was born in Jiangyin county in Guangling (present day [[Yangzhou]], [[Jiangsu]]) with the surname of Chunyu (淳于). At the age of fourteen, he entered the Buddhist church as a disciple of Daming Temple (大明寺). At twenty he travelled to [[Chang'an]] for study and returned six years later, eventually becoming abbot of Daming Temple. Besides his learning in the [[Tripitaka]], Jianzhen is also said to have been expert in medicine. He opened the Buddhist church as a place of healing, creating the Beitian Court (悲田院)—a hospital within Daming Temple. | Jianzhen was born in Jiangyin county in Guangling (present day [[Yangzhou]], [[Jiangsu]]) with the surname of Chunyu (淳于). At the age of fourteen, he entered the Buddhist church as a disciple of Daming Temple (大明寺). At twenty he travelled to [[Chang'an]] for study and returned six years later, eventually becoming abbot of Daming Temple. Besides his learning in the [[Tripitaka]], Jianzhen is also said to have been expert in medicine. He opened the Buddhist church as a place of healing, creating the Beitian Court (悲田院)—a hospital within Daming Temple. | ||
| Line 13: | Line 11: | ||
In summer 748, Jianzhen made his fifth attempt to reach Japan. Leaving from Yangzhou, he made it to the [[Zhoushan Archipelago]] off the coast of modern [[Zhejiang]]. But the ship was blown off course and ended up in the Yande (延德) commandery on [[Hainan|Hainan Island]] (海南岛)<!--"島" is not in current use in CPR.—>. Jianzhen was then forced to make his way back to Yangzhou by land, lecturing at a number of monasteries on the way. Jianzhen travelled along the [[Gan River]] to [[Jiujiang]], and then down the [[Yangtze River]]. The entire failed enterprise took him close to three years. By the time Jianzhen returned to Yangzhou, he was blind from an infection. | In summer 748, Jianzhen made his fifth attempt to reach Japan. Leaving from Yangzhou, he made it to the [[Zhoushan Archipelago]] off the coast of modern [[Zhejiang]]. But the ship was blown off course and ended up in the Yande (延德) commandery on [[Hainan|Hainan Island]] (海南岛)<!--"島" is not in current use in CPR.—>. Jianzhen was then forced to make his way back to Yangzhou by land, lecturing at a number of monasteries on the way. Jianzhen travelled along the [[Gan River]] to [[Jiujiang]], and then down the [[Yangtze River]]. The entire failed enterprise took him close to three years. By the time Jianzhen returned to Yangzhou, he was blind from an infection. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
In the autumn of 753, the blind Jianzhen decided to join a Japanese emissary ship returning to its home country. After an eventful sea journey of several months, the group finally landed at [[Kagoshima]], <!-- "兒" is not in current use in Japan, 児 is; please don't revert it. —>[[Kyūshū]], on December 20. They reached [[Nara, Nara|Nara]] in the spring of the next year and were welcomed by the Emperor. At Nara, Jianzhen presided over [[Tōdai-ji]], now among the oldest Buddhist establishments in Japan. The Chinese monks who travelled with him introduced Chinese religious sculpture to the Japanese. In 755, the first ordination platform in Japan was constructed at Tōdai-ji, on the place where including former [[Emperor Shōmu]] and [[Empress Kōken]] received ordination by Jianzhen a year earlier. In 759 he retired to a piece of land granted to him by the imperial court in the western part of Nara. There he founded a school and also set up a private temple, [[Tōshōdai-ji]]. In the ten years until his death in Japan, Jianzhen not only propagated the Buddhist faith among the aristocracy, but also served as an important conductor of Chinese culture. | In the autumn of 753, the blind Jianzhen decided to join a Japanese emissary ship returning to its home country. After an eventful sea journey of several months, the group finally landed at [[Kagoshima]], <!-- "兒" is not in current use in Japan, 児 is; please don't revert it. —>[[Kyūshū]], on December 20. They reached [[Nara, Nara|Nara]] in the spring of the next year and were welcomed by the Emperor. At Nara, Jianzhen presided over [[Tōdai-ji]], now among the oldest Buddhist establishments in Japan. The Chinese monks who travelled with him introduced Chinese religious sculpture to the Japanese. In 755, the first ordination platform in Japan was constructed at Tōdai-ji, on the place where including former [[Emperor Shōmu]] and [[Empress Kōken]] received ordination by Jianzhen a year earlier. In 759 he retired to a piece of land granted to him by the imperial court in the western part of Nara. There he founded a school and also set up a private temple, [[Tōshōdai-ji]]. In the ten years until his death in Japan, Jianzhen not only propagated the Buddhist faith among the aristocracy, but also served as an important conductor of Chinese culture. | ||
| Line 29: | Line 25: | ||
* Tōshōdai-ji Homepage (Japanese) [http://www.toshodaiji.jp/index.html] | * Tōshōdai-ji Homepage (Japanese) [http://www.toshodaiji.jp/index.html] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:philosophy and religion]] |
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:religion]] |
| − | |||
{{credits|Jianzhen|156417459}} | {{credits|Jianzhen|156417459}} | ||
Revision as of 02:49, 21 September 2007
Jianzhen or Ganjin (鑒真 or 鑑真; 688–763) was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate Buddhism in Japan. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attempted to visit Japan some six times.
Life
Jianzhen was born in Jiangyin county in Guangling (present day Yangzhou, Jiangsu) with the surname of Chunyu (淳于). At the age of fourteen, he entered the Buddhist church as a disciple of Daming Temple (大明寺). At twenty he travelled to Chang'an for study and returned six years later, eventually becoming abbot of Daming Temple. Besides his learning in the Tripitaka, Jianzhen is also said to have been expert in medicine. He opened the Buddhist church as a place of healing, creating the Beitian Court (悲田院)—a hospital within Daming Temple.
In autumn 742, an emissary from Japan invited Jianzhen to lecture in his home country. Despite protests from his disciples, Jianzhen made preparations and in spring 743 was ready for the long voyage across the East China Sea to Japan. The crossing failed and in the following years, Jianzhen made three more attempts but was thwarted by unfavourable conditions or government intervention.
In summer 748, Jianzhen made his fifth attempt to reach Japan. Leaving from Yangzhou, he made it to the Zhoushan Archipelago off the coast of modern Zhejiang. But the ship was blown off course and ended up in the Yande (延德) commandery on Hainan Island (海南岛). Jianzhen was then forced to make his way back to Yangzhou by land, lecturing at a number of monasteries on the way. Jianzhen travelled along the Gan River to Jiujiang, and then down the Yangtze River. The entire failed enterprise took him close to three years. By the time Jianzhen returned to Yangzhou, he was blind from an infection.
In the autumn of 753, the blind Jianzhen decided to join a Japanese emissary ship returning to its home country. After an eventful sea journey of several months, the group finally landed at Kagoshima, Kyūshū, on December 20. They reached Nara in the spring of the next year and were welcomed by the Emperor. At Nara, Jianzhen presided over Tōdai-ji, now among the oldest Buddhist establishments in Japan. The Chinese monks who travelled with him introduced Chinese religious sculpture to the Japanese. In 755, the first ordination platform in Japan was constructed at Tōdai-ji, on the place where including former Emperor Shōmu and Empress Kōken received ordination by Jianzhen a year earlier. In 759 he retired to a piece of land granted to him by the imperial court in the western part of Nara. There he founded a school and also set up a private temple, Tōshōdai-ji. In the ten years until his death in Japan, Jianzhen not only propagated the Buddhist faith among the aristocracy, but also served as an important conductor of Chinese culture.
Jianzhen died on the 6th day of the 5th month of 763. A dry-lacquer statue of him made shortly after his death can still be seen at Tōshōdai-ji[1]. Recognised as one of the greatest of its type, the statue was temporarily brought to Jianzhen's original temple in Yangzhou in 1980 as part of a friendship exchange between Japan and China.
Jianzhen is credited with the introduction of the Ritsu school of Buddhism to Japan, which focused on the vinaya, or Buddhist monastic rules.
Notes and references
- ↑ The statue is made public only during a limited number of days around the anniversary of Jianzhen's death (see it on the right). (Planned June 2nd - 10th for year 2007.)
External link
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
