Konjiki-do Hall (Golden Hall) of Chuson-ji Temple in Iwate Prefecture is a part of the World Heritage Site of Japan, “Hiraizumi Temples, Gardens and Archeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land”, designated in 2011 by UNESCO and designated as the 1st Japan National Treasure Building in 1951.
Konjiki-do Hall is representing original Chuson-ji Temple building and was built in 1124 during the Heian Period by Kiyohira Fujiwara who was the 1st generation of Oshu Fujiwara family. There are several buildings in Chuson-ji Temple and the Konjiki-do Hall has only specially elaborated design and Kiyohira Fujiwara put the best technical arts at that time into the building to express Pure Land in detail.
The inner sanctum of the Konjiki-do Hall has gold leaf not only the exterior surface but also interior and has mother-of-pearl work by using turban shells, ivory and jewels. There is a statue of Amitabha in the center of dais for the Buddhist image having a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and a statue of Seiji Bodhisattva in the both sides. There are also six statues of bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, a statue of Dhrtarastra and a statue of Virudhaka. We cannot see such composition of the image of Buddha in other places.
There are still four dead bodies of Fujiwara family in golden coffins inside of the dais for the Buddhist image, the 1st generation Hiyohira who built Chuson-ji Temple, the 2nd generation Motohira who built Motsu-ji Temple, the 3rd generation Hidehira who let Yoshitsune Minamoto in Oshu region and the 4th generation Yasuhira.
Buddhist art in Japan came to the ripening stage in the end of the Heian period. As the 1st generation Kiyohira hoped to lead people to the Pure Land and to bring peace to this area, he built the Chuson-ji Temple in Hiraizumi.
You can see the glory of Fujiwara family and feel the Heian period if you visit Hiraizumi City in Iwate Prefecture.
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