Daiji-ji 大慈寺 | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Sōtō |
Location | |
Location | 1-7-1, Noda,
Minami-ku, Kumamoto Kumamoto Prefecture 861-4114 |
Country | Japan |
Geographic coordinates | 32°43′59.8″N 130°41′21.6″E / 32.733278°N 130.689333°E |
Architecture | |
Founder | Kangan Giin |
Completed | 1278 |
Daiji-ji (大慈寺), also known as Daijizen-ji (大慈禅寺), is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple in Minami-ku, Kumamoto, Japan. Its honorary sangō prefix is Dairyōzan (大梁山).
The temple was founded in 1278 by Kangan Giin with support of Kawashiri Yasuaki (川尻泰明), the local chief. [1] [2] Kangan Giin, a disciple of Dōgen and the founder of the Higo school of Sōtō Zen Buddhism. It has long been known as the leading Sōtō Zen temple in Kyushu. [3] The local scenery resembles that of Dàbēi shān (大慈山) in Mingzhou now Ningbo, China, where Giin practiced Zen Buddhism discipline. [3]
This temple has since been destroyed twice in the fire caused by war, and nothing of Giin's remains remain there. The current buildings are the Edo-period Hondō dating to 1779. [3]
The bronze bell, a 169 centimeter tall inside the main gate was built in 1269. [3]