Raw data
Chinkôji was built to the East of the Kamo River, across from Rokudô and Toribeno, the Fifth and Sixth Ward Avenues of Heian-kyô (Kyoto). However, it may have been built before the Heian capital was established.
It became a sub-temple of Tôji monastery. The governor of Tango Province, Taira Masamori (1151–1185) and other notables in the late Heian period are known to have rented land from Chinkôji to cultivate crops. In exchange for gifts of silk, sake and fish, the resident monks gave them permission to build residences and private chapels. By 1112, Chikôji had 48 chapels and sub-temples.
- Piggott, ed. (2006: 272, 278)
Chinkôji is said to have been founded by Kishun Sôzu, and later rebuilt by Kûkai (774–835). In the Takamuradô hall there is a statue of Emma, lord of Hell. In his visualizations of hell, the scholar Ono-no-Takamura (802-–853) would start by imagining the Takamura Hall and end with Shô-Rokudô in Saga. In a ritual of August 9 and 10, pilgrims welcome the returning spirits of the dead.
- Kyoto City Council (1895: 113-4)
Today, there is almost nothing left besides the Emma Hall, near the better known Rokuharamitsuji temple. The hall is open only during the Bon festival between August 7 and 10. During this time, visitors “ring Chinkoji’s bell, which is believed to resound as far as the Other World.”
- http://www.japannavigator.com/junrei/reijo/5-ban.htm
Input by: Lizbeth H. Piel, Jul 06, 2010
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Chinko-ji monastery, JP.
Lat 34.9971 Long 135.7733
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Chinkôji. Alternative English spelling: Chinkô-ji, Chinkoji
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- Japan: Kyoto Prefecture
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- Rokudô - Kyoto City Council (1895: 113)
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx., Lat 34.9971 Long 135.7733 - based visual identification of Rokuharamitsuji monastery in maps.google.com, tmciolek, 8 Jul 2010.
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- Kiyomizudera - http://www.japannavigator.com/junrei/reijo/5-ban.htm
- Rokuharamitsuji - http://www.japannavigator.com/junrei/reijo/5-ban.htm
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
- Kyoto-shi (Kyoto City), Higashiyama-ku (ward), Nishirokujo-chô. - http://www.japannavigator.com/junrei/reijo/5-ban.htm
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Heian-kyô
- Kioto - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/JA/22/Kyoto.html
- Kyōto - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/JA/22/Kyoto.html
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly, Lat 35.0000 Long 135.7500 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/JA/22/Kyoto.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
- Shingon
11. Date-early
- Before 794 - Piggott (2006: 278)
12. Date-intermediate
[missing data]
13. Date-late
[missing data]
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
- A sub-temple of the Tôji monastery. - Piggott, ed. (2006: 272)
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
- Architectural, documents
16. Additional notes
[missing data]
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
[missing data]
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