Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera | |
---|---|
清水寺 | |
Kannon | |
Location | |
Location | Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto |
Country | Japan |
Geographic coordinates | 34°59′42″N 135°47′06″E / 34.99500°N 135.78500°E |
Architecture | |
Founder | Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, reconstructed by Tokugawa Iemitsu |
Date established | 778 |
Completed | 1633 (reconstruction) |
Website | |
www |
Kiyomizu-dera | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() "Kiyomizu-dera" in kanji | |||||
Japanese name | |||||
Kanji | 清水寺 | ||||
Hiragana | きよみずでら | ||||
|
Kiyomizu-dera (
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Circa_1880_detail%2C_from-_Adolfo_Farsari_-_Kiyomizu_Kyoto_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Circa_1880_detail%2C_from-_Adolfo_Farsari_-_Kiyomizu_Kyoto_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin, who was a priest from Nara (the capital of Japan from 710 to 784). He is said to have received a vision telling him to construct the temple next to the Otowa spring.[2][3]
In 798, the shogun Sakanoue Tamuramaro improved the site by including a large hall that was reassembled from the palace of Emperor Kammu (r. 781–806). The emperor had left Nara to escape the strong influence that the Buddhist monasteries had on the government there. During this period there was a strong rivalry between the Kofuku-ji and the Kiyomizu-dera temples, and both had influence around the region.[2]
Many of the temple's present buildings were constructed in 1633 on the orders of the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.[4] There is not a single nail used in the entire structure. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means "pure water".[5][6]
It was originally affiliated with the old and influential
Present
The expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the
The temple complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and "good matches".[5] Jishu Shrine possesses a pair of "love stones" placed 10 meters (30 feet) apart,[8] which lonely visitors can try to walk between with their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find true love.[9]
The complex also offers various talismans, incense, and
In 2007, Kiyomizu-dera was one of 21 finalists for the
Architecture
Kiyomizu-dera is located in the foothills of Mount Otowa, part of the Higashiyama mountain range that dominates eastern Kyoto. The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers views of the city. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many popular sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims.[12]
Beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers. There is also the Tainai Meguri, a dark tunnel said to represent the womb of Daizuiku Bosatsu (the bodhisattva Mahāpratisarā).[13][14]
Gallery
-
Kiyomizu-dera in autumn
-
Kiyomizu-dera in winter
-
Statuettes ofKsitigarbha(or Jizō) en masse
-
Otowa-no-taki, the waterfall where visitors drink for health, longevity, and success in studies
-
Kiyomizu-dera, Illuminated
-
Dougong architectural element, Kiyomizu-dera
-
Dragon sculpture at Kiyomizu-dera
-
Right to left: Kaisan-do (Founder's Hall), Kyo-do (Sutra Hall) and Sanju-no-to (Three storied Pagoda)
-
View of Kyoto and Niōmon from Kiyomizu-dera
See also
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
- List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto
- List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
- The Glossary of Japanese Buddhism for an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture
- Tourism in Japan
References
- ^ "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)". Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ a b "Kiyomizu-dera". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
- ^ a b Graham (2007), p. 32
- ^ Graham 2007, p. 37
- ^ a b "Kiyomizu Temple". 2007-04-07. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
- ^ a b c d "Kiyomizudera, Kyoto". Archived from the original on 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
- ^ "Kiyomizu-deploy". Archived from the original on 2023-07-12.
- ^ "恋占いの石". Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "japanvisitor.com". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
- ^ "Kiyomizu-dera Temple". Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ "The Finalists for The Official New 7 Wonders of the World". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
- ^ Graham 2007, p. 80
- ^ Mukri, Farha (3 April 2019). "From darkness to light at Japan's Kiyomizu-dera". The Hindu. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- ^ "Kiyomizu-dera temple is one of Kyoto's must-see attractions!". 13 June 2016.
Sources
- Graham, Patricia J. (2007). Faith and Power in Japanese Buddhist Art. Honolulu: ISBN 978-0-8248-3126-4.
- Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon (1956). Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869. Kyoto: The Ponsonby Memorial Society.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)