Zentsū-ji Temple

Overview

Zentsū-ji (善通寺) is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect in Zentsūji, Kagawa Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku. Its full formal name is Byōbuura Gogakusan Tanjō-in Zentsū-ji (屏風浦五岳山誕生院善通寺). The temple stands on the site where Kūkai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, was born, and it was established by him in 807.

The temple is Temple 75 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, the 88-temple circuit that winds through the island. It is also one of the three temples on the pilgrimage that Kūkai himself visited and named in his own writings, the other two being Tairyū-ji and Muroto Misaki. In addition, Zentsū-ji is counted among the eighteen principal temples of the Shingon sect, known as the Shingon sect eighteen Motoyama.

History

Zentsū-ji was founded in 807, in the second year of the Daidō era (大同) of the Heian period (794–1185). Kūkai, born in 774 in what is now the temple grounds, returned to his birthplace after his studies in China and established the temple there. The founding date places the temple early in the Heian period, a time when esoteric Buddhism was gaining a foothold in Japan.

The temple suffered heavily during the Sengoku period, the war-torn 16th century, when its grounds burned down. Over the following centuries, many structures were destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly. The temple has nonetheless retained its role as a major pilgrimage site and a centre of Shingon practice.

What Stands There Today

The temple is divided into two precincts. The east precinct, called tō-in (東院), is centred on the Kondō Hall, the main hall of the temple. The west precinct, called sai-in (西院), contains the Mieidō Hall, which stands over the site of Kūkai's birthplace.

The oldest surviving structure on the grounds is the Shakadō Hall, which dates to around 1677. The Kondō Hall and other buildings are later reconstructions, reflecting the cycles of destruction and rebuilding that have marked the temple's history. The temple also houses the Zentsū-ji Treasure Hall, which preserves artefacts associated with the temple and with Kūkai.

The Name in Japanese

The temple's name is written 善通寺, read in kana as ぜんつうじ, and romanised as Zentsū-ji.

The name breaks down into three characters:

• 善 (zen) — "good" or "virtuous." This character carries the sense of moral goodness and is common in Buddhist contexts.
• 通 (tsū) — "pass through" or "communicate." In this name it suggests passage or connection, and it also appears in the place name Zentsūji.
• 寺 (ji) — "temple." This is the standard suffix for Buddhist temples in Japanese.

Taken together, the name is often understood as referring to a temple of virtuous passage, though the precise intended meaning is tied to the temple's history and to Kūkai's legacy. The reading of the second character, tsū, is the on-reading of 通; the character can also be read as tōri in kun-reading, but in this name it uses the Chinese-derived reading.

Visiting and Context

Zentsū-ji is located in the city of Zentsūji, which takes its name from the temple. The city sits in Kagawa Prefecture, on the northern coast of Shikoku. The temple's coordinates are 34.2251111, 133.7741389.

On the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Zentsū-ji follows Kouyama-ji, Temple 74, and is followed by Konzō-ji, Temple 76. Pilgrims walking the circuit in order arrive at Zentsū-ji after passing through the hills of Kagawa and continue on toward Konzō-ji. The temple's position as Temple 75 places it in the middle stretch of the pilgrimage, a point where many pilgrims have already walked several hundred kilometres.

The temple's dual precincts give visitors a chance to see both the main hall and the site of Kūkai's birth within a single visit. The Mieidō Hall in the west precinct is the focal point for pilgrims honouring Kūkai, while the Kondō Hall in the east precinct serves as the primary worship hall. The Shakadō Hall, as the oldest structure, offers a glimpse of the temple's early modern architecture. The Treasure Hall displays objects tied to the temple's long history.