is a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

of the Risshū sect in the city of

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...

, in

Nara Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayam ...

, Japan. The Classic Golden Hall, also known as the ''

kondō Kondō, Kondo or Kondou (近藤 "near wisteria") is a surname prominent in Japanese culture, although it also occurs in other countries. Notable people with the surname include: * , Japanese ballet dancer * Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist * Kond ...

'', has a single story, hipped tiled roof with a seven bay wide facade. It is considered the archetype of "classical style". It was founded in 759 by the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

Chinese monk

Jianzhen Jianzhen (; 688–763), or Ganjin in Japanese, was a Chinese monk who helped to propagate Buddhism in Japan. In the eleven years from 743 to 754, Jianzhen attempted to visit Japan some six times. Ganjin finally came to Japan in the year 753 and ...

during the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...

. Jianzhen was hired by the newly empowered clans to travel in search of funding from private aristocrats as well. Tōshōdai-ji is one of the places in Nara that

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

has designated as

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

" Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". A reflection written by Yan Wenjing on the hope for friendly Sino-Japanese relations describing the author's discovery of lotus flowers imported from China which had been planted around the portrait of Jianzhen in the Tōshōdai-ji is included as one of the oral assessment passages on the

Putonghua Proficiency Test The Putonghua Proficiency Test or Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi (PSC) is an official test of spoken fluency in Standard Chinese (Mandarin) intended for native speakers of Chinese languages. The test was developed in October 1994 by the Ministry of Educa ...

Building list

Golden Hall The Golden Hall (''Jindian'' or ''Jinding''), situated at the top of Tianzhu Peak (1612m), is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Wudangshan. It was built in 1416 during the Ming dynasty. According to local histories, the hall was forged in ...

–

National Treasure of Japan Some of the National Treasures of Japan A is the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (a special body of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scien ...

, built in the Nara period (710 to 794). * Korō – National Treasure of Japan, rebuilt in 1240. *Kōdō (Lecture Hall) – National Treasure of Japan, built in the Nara period. * Hōzō (Treasure House) – National Treasure of Japan, built in the Nara period. *

Kyōzō in Japanese Buddhist architecture is a repository for sūtras and chronicles of the temple history. It is also called , , or . In ancient times the ''kyōzō'' was placed opposite the belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The earliest ex ...

(Sutra Storehouse) – National Treasure of Japan, built in the Nara period. * Mieidō – Important Cultural Property. * Raidō – Important Cultural Property. *Shinden – Important Cultural Property. * Nandaimon

Gallery

File:Memorial-in-front-of-Tōshōdai-ji-Nara.jpg, Memorial in front of Toushoudai-ji File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref04s5s4290.jpg,

Shichidō garan ''Shichidō garan'' is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened t ...

File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref03n4592.jpg, Korō File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref13n4350.jpg, Raidō File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref08n4500.jpg, Hōzō and Kyōzō

References

External links

Toshodaii Temple, from The Official Nara Travel Guide

Toshodaiji Temple
Guide GoJapanGo Buddhist temples in Nara, Nara Religious organizations established in the 8th century World Heritage Sites in Japan National Treasures of Japan Historic Sites of Japan 8th-century establishments in Japan Religious buildings and structures completed in 759 8th-century Buddhist temples {{Japan-religious-struct-stub

Building list

Gallery

See also

References

External links