Daikōzen-ji (Saga)

Daikōzen-ji (大興善寺) is a Tendai temple in Kiyama, Saga Prefecture, Japan. Its honorary sangō prefix is Komatsuzan (小松山).

A sando in the spring

History

The temple was founded by Gyōki in 717 A.D.[1] It was razed in 835 A.D., however, it was restored by the Buddhist priest Ennin in 847.[2] In the Kyōroku era around the year 1530 A.D., the temple was burnt down in a war. In 1542, however, the main hall was rebuilt by Tsukushi Korekado (筑紫惟門) who ruled the area.[3] Later, in the Edo period, Kiyama became a part of Tsushima Province, and Sō Yoshinari, the feudal lord of Tsushima Domain helped rebuilt the temple in 1624.[4]

The Eleven-Faced Kannon

The Statue of the Eleven-Faced Kannon (Guanyin or the Goddess of Mercy) is said to have been carved by a priest known as Gyōki. As a "hidden Buddha," it is concealed and can only be seen during the year of the horse every 12 years.[5]

The Garden
Azalea Garden at Daikōzen-ji
Autumn foliage on the grounds of Daikōzen-ji

The Chigiri-en (契園), behind the main hall, is a forested botanical garden at the foot of Mount Chigiri on the border between Chikushino in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kiyama in Saga Prefecture. In the gardens, in the latter half of April and the early half of May about 50,000 azalea plants are in bloom here in a whirl of color attracting hundreds of flower lovers.[6]

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References
  1. 1300年前（寺の始まり） [The beginning of the Daikōzen-ji Temple in the Nara period] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  2. 1200年前（焼失から大興善寺へ） [The Daikōzen-ji Temple in the Heian period] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  3. 500年前（中世を経て焼失・再興へ） [The Daikōzen-ji Temple in the Sengoku period] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  4. 400年前（天領・対馬藩の仏教寺院） [The Daikōzen-ji Temple in the Edo period] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  5. 十一面観世音菩薩（ご本尊・秘仏 [The Statue of the Eleven Faced Kannon, honzon and a hidden Buddha] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  6. 大興善寺契園（ちぎりえん） [The Chigiri-en Garden in Daikōzen-ji Temple] (in Japanese). Daikouzenji. Retrieved August 22, 2018.

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