Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai

Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai

Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai

The "Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai" was jointly funded by China and Japan and completed on May 21, 1994. It stands in mutual tribute to the "Memorial Hall of Masters Huiguo and Kūkai," which was built in 1984 at the site of the Qinglong Temple in Xi'an. On the right side of the expansive, flat green lawn stand two stone steles engraved with inscriptions detailing the construction process of the hall and listing the names of contributing organizations and individuals; on the left are symmetrically placed two more steles, one being a seven-character regulated verse titled "Ode to Chikan Town" by Mr. Yukimasa Arimoto, and the other four seven-character quatrains titled "Revisiting Chikan" written by Professor Shizuchi En of Koyasan University: "The lingering incense of Koyasan has yet to thaw, While peach and apricot blossoms along the Min River bloom fair. This journey is not for seeking spring’s delight, But to share the founding master’s earnest prayer. Seeking the Dharma, I braved a thousand miles, Drifting to Chikan, my very soul did melt. Thanks to the virtuous scholars of the Middle Kingdom, The esoteric teachings spread eastward and took root. Years have passed since we parted, yet spring returns anew, As swallows skim the beams, brushing off the old dust. The long stream remains as it was through the ages, Its legacy of hardship praised through generations. Willows cling to the east wind with tender grace, Amidst Chikan’s peach blooms, red with radiant hue. Relics echo through a thousand years of memory, In every fragrant thicket, tears fill my heart.” Following the straight pilgrimage path, we arrive at the main hall of the "Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai." Hanging above the hall is a plaque inscribed with the words "Memorial Hall of Master Kūkai," written by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. The main hall is divided into an antechamber and a rear chamber. Upon entering the antechamber, you will see two couplets on the pillars: "From ancient times to the present, this Way has been proclaimed; Good neighbors forge bonds, treasuring mutual respect." "And the enduring fruit of peace, where Qinglong’s grace nourishes Japan, Friendship blooms as Kūkai ascends to Chikan."

These couplets convey that the people-to-people friendship between China and Japan, which began with the arrival of Master Kūkai — a pioneer of cultural exchange — will endure forever; and that the bond of friendship between the peoples of the two countries will be forever sealed through the ties represented by Chikan in Xiapu, Qinglong Temple in Xi'an, and Koyasan's Kongōbu-ji Temple in Japan. At the center of the hall stands a 1.5-meter-tall statue of Master Kūkai, carved from sandalwood and transported from Japan. Master Kūkai is depicted wearing monk’s robes, with a serene expression, as if murmuring sutras. In front of the statue is a complete set of ritual implements including offerings, an eternal lamp, vases, an incense burner, and candleholders. Every time Japanese devotees visit, they use these implements to perform ceremonies, expressing their deep faith.

The two couplets convey the following messages: The enduring people-to-people friendship between China and Japan, which began with the arrival of Kūkai, a pioneer in Sino-Japanese cultural exchange, will continue forever; the bond of friendship between the peoples of the two countries will also be forever sealed through the roles of Xiapu Chian Shore, Xi'an Qinglong Temple, and Japan's Mount Kōya's Kongōbu Temple as symbolic ties of Sino-Japanese amity. At the center of the hall stands a 1.5-meter-tall statue of Master Kūkai, carved from sandalwood brought from Japan. Dressed in robes and with a serene expression, the master appears to be murmuring sutras. In front of the statue is a complete set of ritual implements including offerings, an eternal lamp, vases, incense burners, and candleholders. Every time Japanese devotees visit this site, they use these implements to perform religious ceremonies, expressing their deep faith.