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Created page with "right|thumb|500px|The main gate at Nanzen-ji *''Established: 1291, Emperor Kameyama'' *''Other Names'': 瑞龍山太平興国南禅禅寺 ''(zuir..."
[[File:Nanzenji.jpg|right|thumb|500px|The main gate at Nanzen-ji]]
*''Established: [[1291]], [[Emperor Kameyama]]''
*''Other Names'': 瑞龍山太平興国南禅禅寺 ''(zuiryuuzan taihei koukoku nanzen zenji)''
*''Japanese'': 南禅寺 ''(Nanzenji)''

Nanzen-ji is a Buddhist temple in [[Kyoto]]'s Higashiyama district, the head temple of the Nanzen-ji school of [[Rinzai]] [[Zen]]. It is ranked above the [[Kyoto Five Mountains]] (''Kyoto Gozan''; the five great Zen temples of Kyoto).

The temple traces its origins to [[Emperor Kameyama]]'s [[1264]] establishment of a villa he called Zenrinjiden. In [[1291]], the Kameyama then converted the villa into a Zen temple; its first head priest was Daimin-kokushi. Many of the temple's buildings were completed under the second head priest, Nan'in-kokushi.

The temple suffered considerable damage from fires in [[1394]], [[1448]], and [[1467]]; most of the buildings standing on the grounds today date to the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period]] (c. [[1573]]-[[1600]]).

Beyond the temple's main gate (''sanmon'') stands a second gate known as the Chokushimon (lit. "Imperial messenger gate"). Originally the ''hi-no-gomon'' of the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace]], it was granted to the temple by [[Emperor Meisho|Emperor Meishô]] in [[1641]].

The temple's two ''hôjô'' (abbot's quarters) have been designated [[National Treasure]]s. Originally built by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] around [[1585]] to serve as a new Seiryôden for the Imperial Palace, the ''Dai-hôjô'' ("Large Abbot's Quarters") was gifted to the temple in [[1611]] by [[Emperor Go-Yozei|Emperor Go-Yôzei]]. The shingled-roof structure is considered a valuable example of the ''[[shinden-zukuri]]'' architecture style, and faces the temple's front garden, said to have been designed by [[Kobori Enshu|Kobori Enshû]] around [[1600]]. The hall contains a [[Heian period]] sculpture of [[Kannon]] as its chief image of worship, and ''[[fusuma]]'' (sliding door) paintings by [[Kano Genshin|Kanô Genshin]] and [[Kano Eitoku|Kanô Eitoku]]. The ''ko-hôjô'' ("Small Abbot's Quarters"), meanwhile, attached to the ''dai-hôjô'', was previously a ''[[shoin]]'' (study) at [[Momoyama castle]]. It contains a famous sliding door painting by [[Kano Tanyu|Kanô Tan'yû]], depicting a tiger drinking from a stream.

Nanzen-ji has thirteen sub-temples (''[[tatchu|tatchû]]''), including Nanzen-in, Kôun-ji, Bokugo-an, Jishin-in, Shôteki-in, Shôin-an, Nan'yô-in, Shinjô-in, Kôtoku-an, Chôshô-in, Konchi-in, Kiun-in, and Tenju-an.

==References==
*Pamphlets available on-site.

[[Category:Temples]]
[[Category:Muromachi Period]]
[[Category:Edo Period]]
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