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  Last Update: June 2008
Shōtoku Taishi
Chn.= Shànggōng; Korean = Sanggung 상궁
Prince Shōtoku Taishi
First Great Patron of
Buddhism in Japan.
Imperial Regent of Japan.
太子 = Taishi = Crown Prince or Statesman
Modern scholars believe his
legend is mostly fabricated
Also Known As:
- Umayado 厩戸皇子 (Prince of the Stable Door)
- Umayado no Ōji 厩戸皇子王子 (Prince of the Stable Door)
- Toyosatomimi 豊聡耳, Kamitsumiyaō 上宮王
- Kamitsumiya no Umayado no Toyosatomimi no Mikoto
上宮之厩戸豊聡耳命
- Also known in Japan as Jōgū 上宮, Jōgū Taishi 上宮太子, Umayato Toyotomimi Taishi 上宮厩戸豊聡耳太子, Jōgūō 上宮王 (King Jōgū), Jōgū Hōō 上宮法皇 (Dharma Emperor), Jōgū Hōō 上宮法王 (Dharma King), and Jōgū-ō Taishi 上宮皇太子. Jōgū (literally "upper palace") refers to an elevated chamber inside the imperial palace of Emperor Yōmei. Shotoku was Yōmei's second son and reportedly lived in this elevated chamber. OTHERS: 豊耳聡聖徳, 豊聡耳法大王, 法主王
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INTRODUCTION.
Born in India around 500 BC, Buddhism swept across Asia in just 1000 years. It came last to Japan, crossing the sea in the mid +6th century, first from Korea and then later from China. Buddhism was greeted with some resistance (see Early Japanese Buddhism), but by + 585 it was recognized by Emperor Yōmei 用明 (reigned + 585-587), and thereafter spread fast under the patronage of his second son, Shōtoku Taishi 聖徳太子 (+ 574-622).
Tradition holds that Emperor Yōmei (also spelled Yomei, Youmei) once experienced a serious illness, but the young Shōtoku, impressed by the new Buddhist faith, prayed day and night by his father's side. Emperor Yōmei recovered and converted to Buddhism.
In the years thereafter, Shōtoku renounced any claim to the throne and pledged to devote his life to public duty. For the next three decades -- during the reign of his aunt Empress Suiko 推古 (reigned + 592 to 628), a member of the powerful Soga 蘇我 clan -- he served as prince regent and the foremost proponent of the new Buddhist teachings. Many statues and paintings of the prince were created in the centuries after his death.
Legends about Prince Shōtoku are riddled with folklore -- many miraculous tales were created in the coming centuries. Although most contain some element of truth, others have been debunked by modern researchers and recent archaeological findings. Some claim Shōtoku's legacy was created and manipulated by those who seized imperial power in the decades following Shōtoku's death. Some of their claims are backed with very compelling evidence. Read more here about the various Shōtoku controversies.
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Shōutoku Taishi + 574 - 622
Shōtoku (also spelled Shoutoku, Shotoku) embraced the new faith and was one of its first converts. He fostered its acceptance as both a superior religious philosophy and a powerful political tool for creating strong centralized governance under the emperor's guidance. Ironically, the pro-Buddhist Soga 蘇我 clan, which the prince supported, would later try to usurp (unsuccessfully) the power of the throne. Shōtoku is credited with constructing numerous temples, including the famous Hōryūji Temple 法隆寺 in Nara (see below) and Shitennō-ji Temple 四天王寺 in Osaka (see below), and with centralizing state administration, importing Chinese bureaucracy, codifying
twelve court ranks, and enacting a
17 Article Constitution that established Buddhist ethics and Confucian ideals as the moral foundations of the young Japanese nation. During his regency, Japanese missions (outside link) were dispatched to China.
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Karahon no Miei = 唐本御影
Chinese-style Portrait of a Nobleman
Nara Era Painting (8th C) in the
Imperial Household Collection
H 101.3 cm X W 52.5 cm
Oldest extant painting of
Sesshou Taishi 摂政太子
Literally "Regent Taishi"
Scepter in hand
Flanked by younger
brother (L = Eguri 殖栗) and
1st son (R = Yamashiro 山背)
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The transition to Buddhism was not always peaceful. In Prince Shōtoku's time, it had sparked a feud between pro-Shinto factions (Mononobe clan 物部) and pro-Buddhist forces (Soga clan 蘇我), one in which the young prince reportedly fought. Ironically, the pro-Buddhist Soga clan that Prince Shōtoku supported (he was a member of that clan, which defeated the Mononobe) would in the next few decades usurp the power of the throne, force Shōtoku's heir to commit suicide (thus ending the prince's line), and ultimately be destroyed themselves in a coup led by the imperial family.
The prince never became a monk, but in modern popular belief he is revered as a Buddhist saint, and in some traditions he is considered the reincarnation of Kannon 観音 or Shakai 釈迦 (the Historical Buddha). He is also, in Japan, closely associated with Daruma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. After Shōtoku's death, portraits of the prince began appearing in small number. See painting at right, which is the oldest extant painting in Japan. Noted art scholar Ernest F. Fenollosa (+1853 - 1908) attributes this piece to the Korean Prince Asa, a contemporary of Prince Shōtoku, but modern scholars date it to the early 8th century. By the late 11th century, however, paintings and sculptures of the beloved prince occur in vast number, and many are still extant. Indeed, artwork of the prince is perhaps more abundant than artwork of all other real-life figures from Japan, with the possible exception of Kōbō Daishi 弘法大師 (+774 - 835), the founder of Japan's esoteric Shingon 真言 sect of Buddhism.
KOREAN INFLUENCE IN JAPAN
Prince Shōtoku lived at a time when Korean influence was perhaps near its peak in Japan. Immigration from both Korea and China can be traced back to at least the mid-third century. By Shōtoku's time, many of Japan's highest ranking monks and artisans hailed from Korea. These immigrants from Korea played instrumental roles in transmitting the Buddhist teachings and art techniques to the Japanese court, its court-sponsored art workshops, and the newly established temples that served as Japan's main centers of Buddhist study. The Koreans themselves had received the Buddhist tradition via China, and had adopted many of China's techniques for carving in wood, for making gilt bronze statues, and for reproducing Buddhist icons in vast number. See Making Buddha Statues for many more details.
Prince Shōtoku learned about Buddhism, it is said, mainly from two Korean monks. One hailed from the Korean Kingdom of Koguryo 高句麗 (Goguryeo), and was named Eji 慧慈 (えじ). The other hailed from the Korean Kingdom of Kudara 百済 (Paekche), and was named Esou 慧聡 （Esō えそう). Korean artisans played an important role in temple construction. The famous Hōryūji Temple in Nara, the main center of worship for Shōtoku's family, was first built in +607 by artisans from Korea's Paekche 百済 kingdom. Two other temples closely associated with Prince Shōtoku -- Hōrin-ji 法輪寺 or 法琳寺 and Hōkiji 法起寺 -- were most likely built by artisans of Korea's Paekche kingdom as well. For more on these temples, see below.
Shōtoku also maintained strong relations with many immigrants from mainland Asia who had made their way to Japan along the silk roads. See HATA section below for more details. (Editor's Note: To people traveling east along the silk roads, Japan's Naniwa and Nara areas were the eastern terminus. Conversely, for Japanese people traveling west, Naniwa or modern-day Osaka was considered the gateway to Korea, China, and greater Asia.)
However, by the early 8th century, the Korean artistic influence began to wan, and was eventually overshadowed by Japan's growing fascination with China and Chinese Tang-era culture. Prince Shōtoku, nonetheless, lived during a period when the Korean influence was perhaps stronger than the Chinese. Elsewhere, the influx of Korean and Chinese emissaries brought with them the Chinese written and spoken language, which remained the de facto language of the young Japanese nation until the 9th century. Prince Shōtoku was also apparently goods friends with Korean Prince Asa, a contemporary of his. For more on Korea's strong early influence in Japan, please visit the KOREAN INFLUENCE ON JAPANESE BUDDHIST ART page.
HATA INFLUENCE IN JAPAN
Another interesting issue involves the Hata 秦 people, immigrants from central Asia (as far west as Assyria) who traveled along the silk road, and finally made their way to Japan via Korea and China in the 4th century, bringing their Christian faith as well. Says author Ken Joseph Jr., in his book LOST IDENTITY: "The Hata tribe came from an area in central Asia designated in Chinese by the characters 弓月, pronounced in Japanese as "Yuzuki" and in Chinese as "Gong-Yue." It was located along one route of the Silk Road just south of Lake Balkhash along the Ili River. According to Japan's Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, compiled around + 720), Yuzuki no Kimi 弓月君 (the Lord of Yuzuki), crossed over to Japan from the Korean state of Paekche around 400 AD, arriving first in Hyougo Prefecture. He made a very favorable impression on Emperor Oujin and the emperor granted him and a large number of fellow immigrants tracks of land in Yamato Province (what is now Nara Prefecture). This was the beginning of the Hata clan in Japan."
Among Shōtoku's advisors was Hatano Kawakatsu (秦河勝), the leader of the Hata 秦 clan. Hatano was, by many accounts, an important counselor to Prince Shōtoku. Shōtoku's son, Yamashiro no Ōe no Ō 山背大兄王, took his name from the Yamashiro region in southern Kyoto where the Hata 秦 clan was established. This suggests that Shōtoku most likely maintained strong relations with this immigrant community.
Author Ken Joseph Jr. presents a compelling case that Prince Shōtoku was greatly influenced by Hata 秦 immigrants from central Asia. These Hata immigrants brought belief in Keikyo 景教 (early Christianity from central Asia, including Nestorianism) to Japan. The author argues convincingly that Shōtoku legends and extant artwork of the prince are mixed heavily with Christian influences, that competing interests at court led to the death of Shōtoku's entire family, and that Shōtoku's legend as Japan's Great Patron of Buddhism in Japan is a fabrication concocted by the victors to appease the spirit of the dead Shōtoku and to quickly advance their goal of using Buddhism as a tool of state control. Many modern Japanese scholars have reached similar conclusions, pointing to the mystery surrounding the famous statue of Guze Kannon at Hōryūji Temple. Reportedly made in the image of Prince Shōtoku, the statue remained hidden from view for centuries, until it was finally unveiled in +1884. The halo of the statue was attached to the head by a large nail, a very unusual method. Scholars argue it was a voodoo-like technique to subdue the spirit of the wronged Prince Shōtoku. See Guze Kannon below or jump to special page devoted to Ken Joseph's book.
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IMPERIAL LINEAGE
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(L) Chinese portrait (R) Shōtoku's portrait
The model for the portrait of Prince Shōtoku came from China, where emperors were often shown in similar poses. This emphasizes the imperial lineage of Shōtoku, who was born in + 574 as the second son of Emperor Yōmei 用明.
Says Henry Smith, Columbia University: "The image of Prince Shotoku as a Confucian statesman is seen best in this portrait, the model for the ten thousand yen note. He is accompanied by his younger brother on the left and his eldest son on the right. He is in Chinese-style court dress, from the official hat down to the curly-toed aristocratic shoes. The wooden paddle in his hands was originally a kind of crib sheet for following complex court rituals, but in this highly idealized portrait it is simply a symbol of bureaucratic status. The Prince's long and ornately jeweled sword also suggests political power. Although he was renowned as a man of peace, in other words, Prince Shotoku could not be disassociated from the aura of the militaristic society into which he was born."
Photo & Text Courtesy Henry Smith, Columbia University. Please visit above link for a wonderful slideshow about the making of Hōryūji Temple, a temple of long importance to Shōoku's memory. .
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Artwork of Prince Shōtoku
Four Major Categories
Below Text Courtesy of JAANUS
Please see JAANUS for many more details
- Mantra Chanting (Nanbutsu Taishizou 南無仏太子像).
See photo below.
- Offering Filial Piety (Kouyou Taishizou 孝養太子像). These images depict him holding a scepter, along with a censer. The scepter represents secular authority, while the censer represents spiritual pursuits. This type of art relates to the young Shoutoku praying for the recovery of his ill father, Emperor Youmei. See photo below.
- Lecturing on the Sutra (Kousan Taishizou 講賛太子像)
- Regent Taishi (Sesshou Taishizou 摂政太子像). The oldest known Sesshou Taishi image is a painting from the early Nara period (8c) in the Imperial Household Collection, which is traditionally called the "Chinese Style Portrait of a Nobleman" (Karahon no Miei 唐本御影). Shoutoku stands with scepter in hand, flanked on each side by the smaller princes Yamashiro 山背 and Eguri 殖栗. (See photo near top of this page). The earliest extant sculpture of Sesshou Taishi is from the Shōryōin 聖霊院 at Hōryūji (1121 AD). In this work, the prince is seated, flanked by four accompanying figures. See photo below.
- Many of the earliest legends concerning Prince Regent Shoutoku appear in the SHOUTOKU TAISHI DENRYAKU 聖徳太子伝略. As to artwork of the prince, Henry Smith of Columbia University writes: "Most depictions of Prince Shōtoku are highly idealized, done many years after his lifetime. In fact, all of the little that we know about him is based on records compiled long after his death, when he was already a legend."
SOURCE: See JAANUS Entry on Shōtoku Art for many more details.
Kōyō Taishizō 孝養太子像 - Shotoku Offering Filial Piety
11th Century, Painting, 128.8 cm x 75.8 cm
Treasure of Ichijouji Temple 一乗寺 in Hyogo 兵庫 Prefecture
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SAYS JAANUS: (Above Photo) Oldest known Kōyō Taishi is a painting from the set of portraits of Tendai monks at Ichijōji Temple 一乗寺 in Hyōgo Prefecture. Shoutoku is shown seated cross-legged on a low dais wearing a monastic surplice (kesa 袈裟) and holding a long-handled incense burner. Inscriptions on the Ichijouji set suggest that the paintings were patterned after wall-painting produced before + 946 at Enryakuji Temple 延暦寺 on Mt. Hiei 比叡. The inclusion of Shōtoku in the set is based on the acceptance of the prince as an incarnation of the second Tendai patriarch Huisi 慧思 (Jp: Eshi, + 515 - 577).
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Regent Shōtoku Taishi, Sesshō Taishizō
Treasure of Horyuji Temple, Nara
Year + 1121, Wood with Color, H = 84.2 cm
Considered the earliest extant sculpture of Sesshou Taishi
The scepter in hands represents secular authority.
Flanked by four accompanying figures (not shown above)
2-Year-Old Shōtoku Taishi
Mantra Chanting (Nanbutsu Taishizō 南無仏太子像)
Year + 1304, Wood with Color, H = 70.5 cm
Denkōji (Denkouji, Denkoji) Temple 伝香寺, Nara
Apparently now in the keeping of Hōryūji Temple 法隆寺
Among the oldest extant wooden Nanbutsu Taishi statues.
Another is found at the Fogg Art Museum (dated around + 1292).
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SAYS JAANUS: (Above Photo) Nambutsu Taishizou depict the prince at the age of two when, on the 15th day of the Second month, he reputedly faced east, placed his palms together, and recited the nambutsu, a prayer honoring the Buddha's name and calling up his grace. <end JAANUS quote>
This is reminiscent of the legend about the birth of the Historical Buddha. Click here to read about this legend.
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Young Taishi, Dougyou Taishi 童形
14th Century, Wood with Color, H = 117 cm
Joufukuji Temple 定福寺, Kochi 高知 Prefecture
Regent Shōtoku Taishi, Sesshō Taishizō
Treasure of Daruma-ji Temple, Nara
Year + 1431, Painting, H = 171.2 cm x 81.3 cm
The scepter in hands represents secular authority.
Until the mid-1980s, portraits of Prince Shōtoku
appeared on various Japanese monetary notes.
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10,000 Yen Japanese Currency
No longer in circulation. Discontinued in mid-1980s
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RIDDLES UNSOLVED
Guze Kannon (Guse, Kuze, Kuse)
Also called Yumedono Kannon
救世観音、夢殿観音
Reportedly made in the
image of Prince Shōtoku
 
7th Century, Treasure of Hōryūji Temple 法隆寺 (Nara)
Wood = Camphor 樟, Height = 178.8 cm
This is the earliest extant wooden statue in Japan (first half 7th century). Carved from one piece of camphor 樟 wood, in the style of those times. Gold leaf is applied over the surface, and the coronet and other details are made from gilt bronze. The effigy is the non-esoteric form of Shō Kannon, as Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyou 密教) did not arrive in Japan until the 9th century. Guze is also a name used for sculptures of the Asuka period, specifically for sculptures of a crowned Bodhisattva (Bosatsu) holding a jewel. Scholars believe this statue was made in the image of Prince Shōtoku. Statues at Sanzen'in Temple 三千院 in Kyoto and Shitennouji Temple 四天王寺 in Osaka have also traditionally been called Guze Kannon, but they differ from the Yumedono statue (statue shown in above photos) at Hōryūji Temple in that they are seated images (hankazou 半跏像) and deviate from the normal forms of Shō Kannon statues.
 The Guze Kannon at Hōryūji was kept hidden for centuries inside the temple's Yumedono Hall 夢殿 (hence the statue is also known as the Yumedono Kannon). Even the priests were forbidden from viewing the statue, which was wrapped in white cloth. The practice of maintaining Secret Buddha (Jp. = Hibutsu 秘仏) most likely originated among Japan's esoteric sects (Shingon & Tendai) during the Heian period. The statue was finally unveiled in 1884, when the Japanese government allowed Ernest Fenollosa (+ 1853-1908) and Okakura Tenshin 岡倉天心 (+ 1863-1913) to discover its secrets. Fenollosa thought it to be of Korean origin, but no concensus was ever reached. Some think it displays the style of Japan's Tori Busshi school of Buddhist sculptors. Today it is considered to be one of Japan's greatest art treasures. It still remains a Hibutsu at the temple, but for a small time every spring and fall it is open for viewing. < See JAANUS for more details on Guze Kannon >
GUZE KANNON MYSTERY?
Below text by Henry Smith, Columbia University
"Prince Shōtoku's Temple, The Riddles of Hōryūji"
Editor's Note: A wonderful presentation, highly recommended.
Prince Shōtoku was, after all, like Shakyamuni (the Historical Buddha), a royal prince who renounced his inheritance in pursuit of spiritual ideals. Following Shōtoku's death in + 622, his family continued to patronize Hōryūji Temple until 643, when his son and heir, Prince Yamashiro, was forced to commit suicide by the Soga clan leader, who was fearful of the threat that Yamashiro posed to Soga power. With this, the direct line of Prince Shōtoku came to an end. The temple survivied, however, in close association with the memory of Shōtoku.
But as far as we can tell, the Yumedono Kannon was never seen by anyone from the time of its consecration in the eighth century until 1884, when an inquisitive American scholar named Ernest Fenollosa managed to unwrap it. Fenollosa survived the catastrophe predicted by the priests of Hōryūji, but even today, the Yumedono Kannon is on public view for only a few weeks every year.
YUMEDOMO KANNON. Yumedomo means "Hall of Dreams." Centuries of oral tradition confirm what you have probably already suspected, that this image is in fact a representation of Prince Shōtoku, now transformed into a saving Kannon. This association probably explains some very curious features of the statue. To begin with, the hands are overly large, and reach sensuously around what you may recall from the rooftop ornament: another reliquary, in effect, Prince Shōtoku seems to be holding his own remains. The face is equally unique, featuring a wide nose, prominent lips, and very narrow eyes, all said to be personal attributes of the prince himself.
But there is a very different school of thought which sees the smile as oriented outward, a sinister leer which threatens more than it saves, particularly when seen from below as the normal worshipper might. This has led to the eerie interpretation that the Yumedono Kannon is not a gentle and grace-giving Kannon, but rather the restless angry ghost of Prince Shōtoku himself. In support of such a theory consider a comparison between the Yumedono Kannon and the famous Kudara Kannon statue (also found at Hōryūji). The point of the comparison lies in the haloes. Whereas the halo of the Kudara Kannon is supported by a slender bamboo pole, that of the Yumedono Kannon is attached by a large nail driven into the back of the head. This highly unusual method of attachment, it is argued, is just like the voodoo technique of sticking pins in dolls, an effort to subdue the spirit of Prince Shōtoku rather than save it. This might also help explain why the image was kept wrapped up for so many centuries. The remaining mystery, however, is why the revered Prince Shōtoku should be so angry. The most persuasive theory is that his ghost was angered by the termination of his family line in + 643, when his son was forced to suicide by the Soga clan leader. <end quote from Henry Smith at Columbia University>
Says Bernard Faure
Professor, Religious Studies, Stanford University
In a piece entitled The Buddhist Icon and the Modern Gaze, Faure says: "Aesthetic considerations have steered us away, for instance, from exploring all the implications of the well-known (and often mentioned) fact that the Guze Kannon icon and the Sakyamuni Triad at Horyuji were made the size of the ruler Shōtoku Taishi (+ 572-621). The Guze Kannon is even believed to be an image of Shōtoku Taishi, made while he was alive."
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Temples Attributed to Shōtoku Taishi
Temples Associated with Shōtoku Taishi
- Shitennōji (Shitennouji) 四天王寺 (Osaka). Details below.
- Hōryūji (Houryuuji) 法隆寺 (Nara). Details below.
- Chūgūji (Chuuguuji) 中宮寺 (尼門跡寺院). Part of Hōryūji. Details below.
- Hōkiji 法起寺. Part of Hōryūji. Also called Ikejiri Dera 池尻寺. Details below.
- Tachibanadera 橘寺. Nunnery reportedly built on Shōtoku's birth site.
- Kōryūji (Kouryuuji) 広隆寺. Originally known as Hachioka Dera 蜂岡寺, Uzumasadera 太秦寺, and Hatano Kimidera 秦公寺. Details below.
- Katsuragi Dera 桂木寺
- Ikarugadera 斑鳩寺. Hyōgo Pref. Details below.
- Hōrin-ji 法輪寺, 法琳寺. Also known as Mii-dera 三井寺, 御井寺. Details below.
Note A: See Asuka Historical Museum for many more details on the temples of Japan's Asuka Period.
Note B: Amadera 尼寺 or Nunnery = 法華寺, 中宮寺, 橘寺, 池尻寺, 桂木寺. Amadera also means temple headed by a nun.
Ikaruga Town (斑鳩町) is located in the Ikoma District of Nara (Japan). Ikaruga is also home to Hōryū-ji and Hōkiji 法起寺.
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 Shitennōji Temple (Shitennouji, Shitennoji) 四天王寺
Founded by Prince Shōtoku.
TELEPHONE: 06-6771-0066 Temple Web Site
Says a TIME MAGAZINE STORY ON SHITENNOJI: "Of 202 Buddhist sanctuaries in Osaka's Tennōji district, there is one that stands out - Shitennōji, the first Japanese temple commissioned by a royal (Prince Shōtoku Taishi) and one of the oldest Buddhist complexes in Japan. Construction began in + 593, just decades after the religion reached the country's shores. One of the carpenters for Shitennoji, Shigemitsu Kongo, traveled to Japan from the Korean kingdom of Paekche (Paekje 百済) for the project. Over a millennium-and-a-half, Shitennoji has been toppled by typhoons and burned to the ground by lightning and civil war -- and Shigemitsu's descendants have supervised its seven reconstructions. Today, working out of offices that overlook the temple, Kongo Gumi Co. is run by 54-year-old president Masakazu Kongo, the 40th Kongo to lead the company in Japan. His business, started more than 1,410 years ago, is believed to be the oldest family-run enterprise in the world. <end Time Magazine quote>
According to the Nihon-shoki (日本書紀, Chronicles of Japan, circa +720, one of Japan's oldest surviving documents), Prince Shōtoku promised to build Shitennōji when he joined the forces of the Soga clan (his own clan) to overthrow the Mononobe clan. This was around in + 587. Those opposed to the introduction of Buddhism were led by Mononobe no Moriya 物部守屋, whose forces fought against the Soga clan under the leadership of Soga no Umako 蘇我馬子, who battled to incorporate Buddhism as a political tool of state control. With the success of the Soga battle against Mononobe, Shitennōji Temple was founded in + 593 by Prince Shōtoku in Naniwa (Osaka). The temple predates even Hōryūji Temple, which has a similar layout, and its buildings represent Japan's oldest style of temple construction, now known as the Shitennōji style. Unfortunately, none of the original buildings remain and the Main Hall (Jp. = Kondo), five-storied pagoda, and other buildings are all postwar reconstructions. According to modern excavations, the temple was founded in the first half of the 7th century. <Above paragraph adapted from this outside site>
Says author Ken Joseph Jr., in his book LOST IDENTITY: The official storyline says Prince Shōtoku prayed to the Buddhist deities Shitennou 四天王, the protector gods of the four directions) for victory in the battle with Mononobe and, having won the battle, he built Shitennouji 四天王寺 to commemorate the victory. But there is no independent evidence that this is true. In fact, there is a theory that this temple was originally not even a Buddhist temple at all but was in fact a type of Shinto Shrine called Tamatsukuri Inari Jinja 玉造稲荷神社. (Editor: Need to confirm the Inari Jinja part, as records state that the first Inari Jinja was constructed in + 711, and started by Hatano Kimiiroku, which is well after Shōtoku). According to the story handed down within that Shinto tradition, Prince Shoutoku visited the Tamatsukuri Inari Jinja to pray for victory. Thus, this version of the story has him praying not to Buddhist deities but to the Shinto Inari deities. It is claimed that he broke off a branch from a chestnut tree and plunged it into the ground saying, "If we are to win the battle, let new buds sprout from this branch." Interestingly, this sounds very reminiscent of a scene out of the Old Testament, where Aaron's staff sprouted buds (and even produced almonds) as a sign that God was with him. (Numbers 17:5-8). While not quite as dramatic as that, according to the Shinto story, the stick did produce new buds. At any rate, these two ancient accounts of Shitennouji are clearly at odds and cannot both be true. <end quote by Ken Joseph Jr.>
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Hōryūji or Houryuuji 法隆寺. World Heritage Site.
Founded by Prince Shōtoku. One of the Seven Great Temples of Nara.
Hossō Sect originally, but seceded in 1950 to establish Shōtoku sect.
法隆寺 ・ 法相宗 ・ 聖徳宗 ・ 奈良県 ・ Open 7 days weekly.
TEL: 0745-75-2555 Temple Web Site
Originally known as Ikaruga-dera 斑鳩寺, for it is located in Ikaruga 斑鳩町, a small area in Nara City, Japan. Ikaruga is home to Hōryūji Temple, Chūgūji Temple, and Hōkiji Temple, a group of Buddhist temples collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hōryūji (Houryuuji, Horyuji) Temple was commissioned by Prince Shōtoku and became the principle temple of worship for his family. The existing temple complex features some of Japan's oldest wooden structures and Buddhist art, and is recognized as one of the world's greatest museums of early Buddhist art in Japan. However, the existing temple complex is not the one commissioned by Prince Shōtoku in + 607 (and built by artisans from Korea's Paekche 百済 kingdom). Archeological findings show that the original structure was destroyed (possibly by fire) around +670 and rebuilt nearby sometime later, again by Korean craftsmen. Today, Hōryūji is a treasure-house, containing over 2,300 important cultural and historical structures and articles, including nearly 190 that have been designated in Japan as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. In December 1993, Horyuji and its satellite temples became the first treasure of any kind in Japan to be selected by UNESCO as part of its World Heritage designation. Home to the famous Guze (Yumedono) Kannon, reportedly made in the image of Prince Shōtoku, and part of a mystery story about the death of the prince. Other outstanding pieces include the Shaka Trinity by Tori Busshi (also claimed to be made in the image of the prince), wall paintings, the five-story pagoda, and artwork of many other Buddhist divinities. See various temple pieces on the Asuka Art Tour page.
Gallery of Horyuji Treasures. Located on the grounds of the Tokyo National Museum, this gallery is furnished with the latest in conservation technology. The reference room on the 2nd floor mezzanine has a "digital archive" that allows visitors to view the entire collection of Horyuji Treasures on computer with explanations provided in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, English, and French. The Horyuji Treasures consist of over 300 valuable objects, mainly from the 7th - 8th century, which were donated to the Imperial Household by Horyuji Temple in 1878. Address: 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8712. Phone: 03-5777-8600. Open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Generally closed on Monday, sometimes Tuesday.
Temple Architecture & Korean Influence. Says the Marymount School in New York in Its K12 Syllabus: "In +601, Shotoku began the construction of his "palace," the first one mentioned to have a tiled roof. Next to it he built his temple which became known as the Horyu-ji. He employed workers from Paekche 百済 (a kingdom in Korea) for these two projects. The temple became his personal devotional center where he studied with Hye-che, a Buddhist priest from Koguryo 高句麗. The temple also housed people who practiced medicine, medical knowledge being another bi-product of Buddhism. Next to the temple there were dormitories which housed student-monks and teacher-monks. The first Horyu-ji burned to the ground in +670. It was rebuilt and although it is thought to be smaller than the original temple, the Horyu-ji today is much the same as that built by Shotoku. The temple was also rebuilt by artists and artisans from Paekche. The wooden pagoda at Horyu-ji as well as the Golden Hall are thought to be masterpieces of seventh-century Paekche architecture. Two other temples, Hokki-ji and Horin-ji were also possibly built by Paekche artisans." <end quote>
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Exploring the Beauty of Japan #11
July 9th, 2002
40+ pages, 70+ color photos
Japanese Language Only
Publisher: 小学館、東京都千代田区
一ツ橋 2-3-1, TEL: 03-3230-5118
Wonderful magazine featuring treasures of Houryuu-ji Temple. Some photos at this site were scanned from this magazine.
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Chūgūji (Chuuguuji)
中宮寺 (Nara, part of Hōryūji)
Home to two national treasures. One is among Japan's most prized statues of Miroku Bosatsu (compared by some to be as beautiful as an image of the Virgin Mary, and considered a representative work of Japan's Asuka and Hakuho periods). The second is Japan's oldest piece of embroidery, a mandala-type banner depicting paradise, designed by four painters and made by female servants at the request of Princess Tachibana-no-Oiratsume 橘大郎女 (Shōtoku's wife / consort) after Prince Shotoku's death. This embroidery piece is called the Tenjukoku Shūchō 天寿国繍帳 (Embroidery of Long Life in Heaven), and portrays the paradise that was to receive the soul of the departed prince.
 
Miroku Bosatsu (Two views of same statue)
7th Century AD, Wood, Chuuguuji Temple 中宮寺 (Nara)
87 cm in height, Made of Japanese Cinnamon Wood
Chūgūji Temple is a nunnery. It was commissioned by Prince Shōtoku after the death in +621 of his mother, Empress Hashihito (Anahobe-no-Hashihito 穴穂部間人皇女), for the repose of her soul. Hashihito was the consort of Shōtoku's father, Emperor Yōmei 用明 (reigned + 585-587). It is built atop the former home of Shōtoku's mother. Chūgūji is one of three nunneries of the ancient Yamato realm. Many of its head priestesses were imperial princesses (i.e., many were daughters of Japan's emperors). The temple was originally located at the center of Prince Shōtoku's lkaruga Palace, Okamoto Palace and Ashigaki Palace -- hence, the temple's name, which literally means "temple in middle of palaces." The site has been extensively excavated, and scholars say the temple was moved to its present site during the Muromachi period (+1331-1573). Today Chūgūji still serves as a special temple for the Imperial Family. <above paragraph adapted from this site>
Hokkeiji Temple 法華寺 in Nara was the head temple of all nunneries built in Japan during the 8th century. Once an imperial palace (Himuro Gosho), it became the head provincial nunnery. Hokke-ji was established as a convent in + 747 by Empress Komyo, who was the wife of Emperor Shomu. She had inherited the place from Fubito Fujiwara, her father. It is known both for its elegant garden and its national treasure, a 9th century Buddhist art masterpiece of an 11-headed Kannon, which is only on view three times per year. <above paragraph quoted from this site>
Says author Ken Joseph Jr., in his book LOST IDENTITY: After Prince Shōtoku's death, Princess Tachibana no Ooirasume 橘大郎女 desired to pay tribute to him and had a weaver from the Hata clan named Hatano Kuma (秦久麻) to weave a hanging mural depicting him entering "Tenjukoku" (天寿国, a word made up of the characters for "heaven", "long life" and "country"). This mural originally hung in Houryuuji, and the small portion of it that still remains is now stored in a nearby temple named Chuuguuji (中宮寺). Concerning this term "Tenjukoku", it is apparently not originally a Buddhist term at all, and the nature of the picture itself is rather non-Buddhist. In fact, a researcher by the name of Tomiyama Masanori (冨山昌徳) claims that this term "Tenjukoku" is in reality a term referring to the Heaven that Jesus taught. <end quote>
Another interesting aside from author Ken Joseph Jr., whose argues that Shōtoku was greatly influenced by Hata 秦 immigrants from central Asia (as far west as Assyria) who traveled along the silk road, and finally made their way to Japan via Korea and China. These Hata immigrants brought belief in Keikyo 景教 (early Christianity from central Asia, including Nestorianism) with them to Japan. The author argues convincingly that Shōtoku legends are mixed heavily with Christian influences. Click here for full details.
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Hōki-ji 法起寺, also spelled Hokki-ji. Part of Hōryūji.
Formerly known as Okamoto-dera 岡本寺 and Ikejiri-dera 池後寺.
TEL: 0745-75-2555 Temple Web Site
Hokiji Temple is located in the Okamoto 岡本 region of lkaruga 斑鳩, an ancient village in the foothills northeast of Hōryūji Temple in Nara. It was originally known as Okamoto Temple 岡本寺, for it sits atop the 6th-century ruins of Okamoto no Miya 岡本宮, one of Prince Shōtoku's palaces, and one where the prince reportedly gave a series of famous lectures on the Lotus Sutra and other Buddhist scriptures. The palace was reconstructed as a Buddhist temple by Shōtoku's eldest son, Prince Yamashiro Ōe no Ō 山背大兄王 (Yamashiro Ōji 山背王子 for short) based on a request left in his father's will. Says the Hokkiji web site: "The circumstances of the palace's reconstruction as a Buddhist temple are found in the Private Recollections on the Life of Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子伝私記 (Editor's Note: date not given for said document, but probably many decades, even centuries, after the death of the prince) which quotes from a metal inscription found on the temple's three-story pagoda. The inscription records that in +622, Prince Shōtoku left a will for his eldest son, Prince Yamasiro Ōe 山背大兄王, to convert the palace into a Buddhist temple, and that the young prince donated from his holdings 12 cho of land in Yamato province and 30 cho of land in Omi province for the new temple. According to period records, Hokiji prospered during the Nara era. In the Heian period, however, Hokiji came under the control of Horyuji and its stature began to diminish. After the Meiji Restoration of +1868, Hokiji belonged to the Shingon esoteric sect of Buddhism. In +1882, when Horyuji and Kofukuji in Nara became affiliated with the Hosso sect, Hokiji became a branch of the same sect. More recently, in 1950, Hokiji was again placed under the control of Horyuji when the latter established itself as the headquarters of the Shōtoku sect. The temple maintains a statue of the 11-Headed Kannon (Goddess of Mercy), designated an important cultural asset." <end temple quote> For more details on the temple's history, see the Temple Web Site.
Couriously, there is a deity in Japan known as Hōki Bosatsu 法起菩薩 (also spelled Hoki, Houki). The characters for Hōki 法起 are exactly the same as the characters of Hōkiji Temple 法起, which could be loosely translated as "arising Dharma" or "awakening knowledge." A secret image of this deity is found at Bodaiji Temple 菩提寺の秘佛 in nearby Hyogo Prefecture. Says site contributor Gabi Greve: "This Bosatsu is not very familiar, but he is one of the protector deities of mountain ascetics, ranging back to the time of En no Gyoja, the latter the most famous mountain holy man of the 7th century. Hōki Bosatsu is sometimes depicted with six arms and five eyes 五眼六臂. He is also seen as an incarnation of Hōdō Sennin 法道仙人, an Indian ascetic who, according to well-known legends, lived in the 7th century during the time of Emperor Suiko and Shōtoku, and walked all the way through China and Korea until he reached Japan. He walked with his companion, the God of the Bulls, Gozu Tenō 牛頭天王. Hodo Sennin is very popular in the area around Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, which is also an area with strong connections to Shōtoku legends. Hodo Sennin is said to have founded Bodai-Ji Temple 菩提寺 and a few others in this region." <end quote>
The link between Hōkiji Temple and Hōki Bosatsu is unknown, but Hōki Bosatsu is clearly an esoteric deity, and Hōkiji Temple was affiliated with the Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism for a time. Also, Shōtoku maintained many associations with the Shinto cults of his day, and it is an least plausible that Hōkiji Temple may be in some way associated with Japan's early mountain cults. See Gabi Greve page for photo.
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Hōrin-ji 法輪寺, 法琳寺. Also spelled Hourinjin, Horinji
Unofficial Temple Web Site | Temple Treasures (outside J-link)
Also known as Mii-dera 三井寺 or 御井寺. Reportedly built by Shotoku's son Prince Yamashiro Ōe no Ō 山背大兄王 in +621 as a prayer for the recovery his father's health, although records are unclear and some disagree about the temple's origins. The temple is located about one kilometer from nearby Hōryū-ji, and contains wonderful examples of wood Buddhist statuary from the Asuka period, including a seated Yakushi Nyorai (Buddha of Medicine) and a standing image of Kokuzo Bosatsu, both designated important cultural properties. Photos of both statues are presented below. The temple also maintains Heian-era statues of Kichijoten, Sho-Kannon and Bishamonten and the Eleven-Headed Kannon (the latter about 4.8 meters in height). Hōrin-ji Temple is a designated national treasure, but its famous three-story pagoda (the last structure still remaining of the original temple) was destroyed by lighting in 1944, and a reconstructed version was erected in 1975. ADDRESS: 〒636‐0101 奈良県生駒郡斑鳩町三井1570
TEL: 0745-75-2686 (Friends of Horinji Association).
Kokuzo Bosatsu, 7th Century
Height = 175.4 cm
Hōrin-ji 法輪寺, 法琳寺 in Nara. Also spelled Hourinjin, Horinji.
Yakushi Nyorai, Late 7th Century AD
Wood, 110.6 cm in Height
Hōrin-ji 法輪寺, 法琳寺 in Nara. Also spelled Hourinjin, Horinji.
Kōryūji (Kouryuuji) 広隆寺.
Open Daily from 9 am to 4.30 pm. Admission ¥600
Originally known as Hachioka Dera 蜂岡寺, Uzumasadera 太秦寺, and Hatano Kimidera 秦公寺. Many old temples are connected with Prince Shōtoku. According to the Nihon-shoki (日本書紀, Chronicles of Japan, circa +720, one of Japan's oldest surviving documents), Kōryūji Temple was founded in + 622 by Hata-no-Kawakatsu for the repose of the soul of recently deceased Prince Shōtoku. It is one of Japan's oldest temples and although the main hall was reconstructed in + 1165, most of the Buddha statues it houses were carved in the 7th and 8th centuries. <Above paragraph adapted from this outside site>
Says Travelotica Travel Guide to Koryuji: Koryu-ji's main attractions are the Buddhist statues kept in the modern Reihoden (Treasure House) at the back of the compound. The "newest" of these images is a thirteenth-century statue of Prince Shōtoku aged 16 years, his sweet face framed by bun-shaped pigtails, while the oldest dominates the room with its sheer beauty. This is the exquisite Miroku Bosatsu, the Future Buddha rendered as a Bodhisattva pondering how to save mankind. It is believed to have been gilded originally and was probably a gift to Shōtoku from the Korean court in the early seventh century. Its soft, delicate features are certainly unlike contemporary Japanese images. The small, slim figure sits, elbow on knee, leaning forward slightly and head tilted in a pose of utter concentration. <end quote Travelotica>
Says author Ken Joseph Jr., in his book LOST IDENTITY: "The present Kōryūji Temple does not retain any of the original buildings. In fact, a Confucian scholar of the late Edo period, Ota Kinjo (1765 - 1825) commented about Kouryuuji: "This temple has the name of a temple, but it is not a Buddhist temple." Ota says the architecture of Kouryuuji must have been based on the Keikyo churches (大秦寺, Jp. = Daishinji) of Chouan (長安) in China. (Editor's Note: Chinese capital of Chang'an 長安 (Jp. = Chōan). Today, Chang'an is known as Xian (Jp. = Seian 西安), and is home to one of the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century -- a massive discovery of terra cotta statues and artifacts (outside link) dating back to China's Qin Dynasty (− 211-206). Likewise, Ota said that the unusual shape of the statue of Buddha in the temple was probably based on the icons in Keikyo churches. The characters used for "Uzumasadera" (太秦寺) are almost the same as the "Taishinji" (大秦寺) Keikyo churches of China, with the only difference being the extra "dot" in 太 (a character that means "great" as opposed to 大, which means "big"). Ancient records, however, indicate that the other name for Kouryuuji, "Uzumasadera", was also sometimes written as大秦寺. It's also important to note that the characters 大秦 were used in China to |
