.jpg)
Tenryu-ji
The origins of the temple of Tenryu-ji spring right from the pages of political intrigue of 14th century Japan. A power struggle in 1336 between the imperial household and the shogun Ashikaga Takauji resulted in the expulsion of Emperor Go-Daigo from his palace in Kyoto. The Emperor finally sought refuge in a mountain retreat in Yoshino, south of Nara, where he was to die two years later. Shortly after his death, legend has it that the respected priest Muso Kokushi (“Soseki”) dreamt of having seen the spirit of the Emperor rising from the River Oi in the form of a fearsome golden dragon. Upon hearing the priest’s story, shogun Takauji was overcome with remorse for the way he had treated his former emperor. Fearing vengeful retribution for his actions, Takauji commissioned the priest to assist him with the foundation of a temple – an institution that would serve as a memorial to the emperor. Having conceived the idea, the shogun raised the necessary funds through re-establishing former trade networks with China. Construction began in 1339 and took four years to complete. Fittingly, the temple was called “Tenryu-ji”, the “Temple of the Heavenly Dragon”, in honour of Emperor Go-Daigo. As a Zen Rinzai Buddhist temple, Tenryu-ji prospered from the very outset and developed into one of Kyoto’s most important religious institutions. At the height of its success the temple could boast some 150 sub-temples. However, all of these original buildings were destroyed by a succession of fires and civil unrest. The present-day buildings all date from the early 20th century.
Date of Construction: Built by shogun Ashikaga Takauji between 1339 and 1343 on the site of earlier imperial complexes
Highlights: Delightful gardens, combining the traditional lake garden with a zen “karesansui” (“dry garden landscape”); Sung dynasty rock formations
- Introduction to Tenryu-ji - 4:48
- The Temple Garden - 4:29
- The Sung Dynasty Rock Formations - 2:46
