Xie Guoming

Chinese: 謝国明 (Xiè Guómíng)

Xiè Guómíng was a Chinese merchant active in early 13th century Hakata. He was prominent in the Hakata community, patronizing the establishment of the major Buddhist temple Jôten-ji (承天寺) and later being named jitô (steward) of an estate in the area.

Xie was originally from Hangzhou but settled in Hakata, took a Japanese wife, and became a rather prominent figure in the community. In 1233, he allowed the Japanese monk Enni to take up residence in his home. Enni sojourned in China from 1235 to 1241, but after his return, Xie and a number of other Chinese merchants arranged to purchase land from Hakozaki Shrine, on which to establish a new temple, Jôten-ji, with Enni as its first abbot. The following year, Enni and Xie organized to send some one thousand logs (valued at 30,000 貫 guan) to Hangzhou to help rebuild the Wanshou-si, a major Chan (Zen) temple there which had been damaged in a fire.

Xie also served as jitô for an estate called Oronoshima, controlled by Munakata Shrine.

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References

Richard von Glahn, "The Ningbo-Hakata Merchant Network and the Reorientation of East Asian Maritime Trade, 1150-1350," Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 74:2 (2014), 275.