
was a
Rinzai
The Rinzai school (, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng), named after Linji Yixuan (Romaji: Rinzai Gigen, died 866 CE) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, along with Sōtō and Ōbaku. The Chinese Linji school of ...
Zen Buddhist
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
monk
A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
and teacher, and a calligrapher, poet and garden designer. The most famous monk of his time, he is also known as , an honorific conferred on him by Emperor
Go-Daigo.
[''Musō Soseki'', Kyoto University] His mother was the daughter of
Hōjō Masamura
was the seventh ''Shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura Shogunate, regining from 1264 to 1268. He was the son of Hōjō Yoshitoki, the second ''Shikken,'' and brother of Hōjō Yasutoki and Hōjō Shigetoki.
Life
Hōjō Masamura was born on Jul ...
(1264–1268), seventh
Shikken
The was a senior government post held by members of the Hōjō clan, officially a regent of the shogunate. From 1199 to 1333, during the Kamakura period, the ''shikken'' served as the head of the ''bakufu'' (shogun's government). This era was ref ...
(regent) of the
Kamakura shogunate
The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459.
The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Yori ...
.
Biography
Originally from
Ise Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today includes most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered on Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was .
History
The name of Ise appears ...
, now part of modern-day
Mie Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture an ...
, Soseki was a ninth-generation descendant of
Emperor Uda
was the 59th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897.
Traditional narrative
Name and legacy
Befor ...
.
[Papinot (1972:602)] At the age of four he lost his mother and was therefore put in the temple of Hirashioyama under the guidance of priest Kūa.
He entered a mountain temple in 1283, where he studied the
Shingon
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism. It is a form of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and is sometimes called "Tōmitsu" (東密 lit. "Esoteric uddhismof Tō- ...
and
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...
sects of Buddhism. In 1292 he took his vows at
Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
in
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...
, and was given the name Chikaku. In 1293 he dreamed that, while visiting two temples in China called in Japanese and he was given a portrait of
Daruma Daishi (the introductor of
Chan Buddhism
Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning " meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and Song ...
in China, commonly called ''Zen Buddhism'' in English) and told to keep it safe.
When he awoke, he concluded that Zen must be his destiny, so he converted
and went to study Zen at
Kennin-ji
is a historic Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, and head temple of its associated branch of Rinzai Buddhism. It is considered to be one of the so-called Kyoto ''Gozan'' or "five most important Zen temples of Kyoto".
History
Kennin-ji was ...
Temple in
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
under , , and others. For the most part, however, he practiced alone. Kennichi confirmed Soseki's enlightenment after a period of time. Later, in remembrance of the dream, he composed a new name for himself, forming his family name from characters meaning ''dream'' and ''window'', and his given name from the first characters of the names of the two temples appearing in his dream; it was this new name, Musō Soseki, by which he was to become famous.
[Reikizan Tenryū-ji](_blank)
Retrieved February 8, 2009.
In 1325 Emperor Go-Daigo requested that he come to Kyoto to become head priest of the great temple of
Nanzen-ji.
The following year he founded Zen'o-ji in his native Ise
He was later invited by Kamakura's
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
Hōjō Takatoki
was the last '' Tokusō'' and ruling Shikken (regent) of Japan's Kamakura shogunate; the rulers that followed were his puppets. A member of the Hōjō clan, he was the son of Hōjō Sadatoki, and was preceded as ''shikken'' by Hōjō Mototo ...
so, the following year, after establishing a temple in Ise province he went to Kamakura and stayed at
Jōchi-ji and
Engaku-ji
, or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture to the south of Tokyo.
Founded ...
. In 1327 with Nikaidō Dōun's support he founded
Zuisen-ji
is a Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect in Nikaidō's in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura, Japan.Kamiya (2008:98-102) During the Muromachi period it was the bodaiji, family temple of the Ashikaga rulers of Kamakura (the '' ...
, a temple destined to become an important cultural center in the region. Afterwards, he stayed at
Kyūkō-ji in
Kōchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kōchi Prefecture has a population of 669,516 (1 April 2023) and has a geographic area of 7,103 km2 (2,742 sq mi). Kōchi Prefecture borders Ehime Prefecture to the northwest and Tok ...
. He acquired creeds from both Hōjō Takatoki and Hōjō Sadaaki. After the fall of the Kamakura shogunate, he was ordered by the Emperor Go-Daigo to go back to Kyoto, where he founded
Saihō-ji and Rinkawa-dera.
It was in this period that he was given by imperial decree the name Musō Kokushi.
In 1345 of
Muromachi period
The , also known as the , is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi ...
, he founded
Tenryū-ji
, formally known as , is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Bud ...
in Kyoto, that is his most important work. After that, six years passed, and he died.
Musō Soseki and the Ashikaga
After Go-Daigo's
Kenmu Restoration
The was a three-year period of Imperial rule in Japanese history between the Kamakura period and the Muromachi period from 1333 to 1336. The Kenmu Restoration was an effort made by Emperor Go-Daigo to overthrow the ruling Kamakura Shogunate ...
failed and
Ashikaga Takauji
also known as Minamoto no Takauji was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate."Ashikaga Takauji" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. ...
became shōgun, like many other men of his time Soseki switched sides. He was ambitious and sensitive to power shifts, so he allied himself with the Ashikaga brothers, becoming their intimate and serving them well.
[Sansom (1977:101–102] He stayed with them for the rest of his long life, enjoying the support of both the shōgun and his brother
Tadayoshi, who played a pivotal role in his career. Musō helped the two Ashikaga organize a network of Zen monasteries, the so-called
Five Mountain System
The system, more commonly called simply ''Five Mountain System'', was a network of state-sponsored Chan (Zen) Buddhist temples created in China during the Southern Song (1127–1279). The term "mountain" in this context means "temple" or "mona ...
, and its subsidiary, the
Ankoku-ji network of temples, across
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. This helped create a national religious movement and solidify the shōgun's power.
In 1339, at Go-Daigo's death he opened
Tenryū-ji
, formally known as , is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Bud ...
in Kyoto to ensure the Emperor a prosperous afterlife.
The garden in front of the chief abbot's residence is one of his works, incorporating elements of the landscape in
Arashiyama
is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Katsura River, Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a Cultural Properties of Japan, nationally designated Monument ...
near Kyoto.
It is considered evidence of his genius as a landscape designer.
Musō, together with Ashikaga Tadayoshi and a merchant named Shihon are considered responsible for the reopening of trade between Japan and Ming China. As a result of the trading mission, the construction of
Tenryū-ji
, formally known as , is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Bud ...
was completed. The
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
Five Mountain Zen temple network was being established.
Musō Soseki's intellectual legacy
The temples of the Five Mountain System network of Zen temples were centers of learning of
Confucian
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...
metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...
, Chinese poetry, painting, calligraphy, printing, architecture, garden design, and ceramics,
[Dumoulin (2005:310)] and as such have left an indelible mark on the country's history and culture. At the very center of their birth stands Musō Soseki.
Soseki was an abbot at
Zenrin-ji, Tenryū-ji, Zuisen-ji and many other temples.
He taught Zen to a great number of disciples (the estimated number is over 10 thousand
), also leaving an enormous body of poetry and other writings.
One of his best known anthologies of zen teachings is . Among his students are
Gidō Shūshin and Zekkai Chūshin, literary figures who had a central role in the development of the
Japanese Literature of the Five Mountains.
Even though none survives in its original form, Soseki's Zen gardens have proven to be one of his most lasting contributions to the country's culture and image. To Soseki, designing new gardens and altering existing ones was an integral part of the practice of Zen.
[Johnson (1993:214)]
Soseki died in 1351 at the age of 77. Because he was given, both before and after death, seven different honorific names (like , , and calling him a national teacher by as many Emperors, he is known as .
Gardens by Musō Soseki
The following is a list of gardens known to have been by Musō Soseki or attributed to him.
[''Musō Soseki'', Jgarden.org] However, whatever Soseki built was destroyed during the
Ōnin War
The , also known as the Upheaval of Ōnin and Ōnin-Bunmei war, was a civil war that lasted from 1467 to 1477, during the Muromachi period in Japan. ''Ōnin'' refers to the Japanese era name, Japanese era during which the war started; the war ende ...
, and therefore any modern version is someone else's work.
Soseki Muso introduced "Zanzanjosui" 残山剰水 into Japanese gardens.
He also played a significant role in establishing karesansui枯山水, using the stonework to express an imaginary landscape rather than as a nature model.
*
Saihō-ji, better known as
Koke-dera in
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
–
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, and one of Japan's
Special Places of Scenic Beauty
is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultural ...
*
Tenryū-ji
, formally known as , is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Bud ...
in
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
– UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of Japan's Special Places of Scenic Beauty
*
Eihō-ji in
Tajimi,
Gifu Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...
– One of Japan's
Places of Scenic Beauty
is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultural ...
*
Erin-ji, in
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 787,592 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the n ...
– One of Japan's Places of Scenic Beauty
*
Zuisen-ji
is a Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect in Nikaidō's in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura, Japan.Kamiya (2008:98-102) During the Muromachi period it was the bodaiji, family temple of the Ashikaga rulers of Kamakura (the '' ...
in
Kamakura
, officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...
– One of Japan's Places of Scenic Beauty
*
Jōchi-ji
*
Engaku-ji
, or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture to the south of Tokyo.
Founded ...
in Kamakura
* Tōnanzen-in in Kyoto
* Rinsen-ji in Kyoto
*
Chikurin-ji in Kōchi
* Kakurinbo in Yamanashi
See also
*
Buddhism in Japan
Buddhism was first established in Japan in the 6th century CE. Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). During the Edo period (1603–1868), Buddhism was cont ...
*
List of Rinzai Buddhists
Notes
References
* Norris Brock Johnson
Zen Buddhist Landscapes and the Idea of Temple: Muso Kokushi and Zuisen-ji, Kamakura, Japan*
*
Musō Soseki'', JGarden.org, accessed on February 8, 2009
*
'', Kyoto University Web site accessed on February 8, 2009
*
', Chronological Table of Muso Soseki's life and activities (Japanese).
* .
*
*
History of Godaisan Chikurinjiistory of Godaisan Chikurinji
KakurinboKakurinbo
* Takei Jiro, Amasaki Hiromasa(May 31, 1998) Promenade on Garden History (Fifth edition) Showado Publishing.
* Yuki Kawahara, Yasuyuki Miyauchi "A Consideration of the Space Composition on the Garden, Designed by Muso Sosek ACase StudyinZuisenji-garden,Saihoji-garden—" 日本庭園学会誌 2007.18 (2007): 111-116.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muso, Soseki
1275 births
1351 deaths
Rinzai Buddhists
Zen Buddhist monks
Japanese Zen Buddhists
Japanese landscape architects
Buddhist clergy of the Kamakura period
14th-century Japanese philosophers