Inauguration of the Master Ingen Statue and the Activation of the Brahma Bell at Kofukuji Temple, Nagasaki

On November 14, Kofukuji Temple on Toomeizan in Nagasaki held a ceremony to unveil the Master Ingen statue donated by China and to activate the Brahma Bell.The event was attended by Nagasaki Governor Hodo Nakamura, Chinese Consul General in Nagasaki Zhang Daxing, Chief Abbot of the Japanese Obaku Sect Hirodo Kondo, and Chen Xi, Chairman of the Japanese Huangbo Cultural Promotion Association, along with other guests from both China and Japan.The ceremony also included online participation from related individuals in China and Japan。

It was introduced that the Master Ingen statue was created by Chinese sculptor and director of the National Art Museum of China, Wu Weishan, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Kofukuji Temple’s founding. The statue will be permanently placed at the entrance of the ancient temple. The Master Ingen statue stands 3.28 meters tall, weighs 438 kilograms, and is made of bronze.This sculpture captures the spirit of Master Ingen, a renowned 17th-century monk, and is open for public viewing by visitors to the temple.The base of the sculpture is inscribed with the words "Master Ingen Statue" by Japan’s renowned seal engraver Shi Mura Myoseki. This unique collaboration symbolizes the shared hopes of the artistic communities of both countries for Sino-Japanese peace and cooperation。

Additionally, the "World Peace Bell," donated by Fujian Province in China and hung on the first floor of the bell and drum tower at Kofukuji Temple, was also inaugurated with its first ringing on the same day.The Master Ingen statue and the Brahma Bell will serve as symbols of Sino-Japanese friendship, passed down through generations。

Matsuo Hodo, the abbot of Kofukuji Temple, remarked, "We will honor the intentions of the Chinese people who donated to us and strive to ring the bell as a call for peace."

On the same day, Venerable Pufa, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China and Abbot of Yongquan Temple at Gushan in Fuzhou, entrusted a calligraphy gift to Nagasaki Kofukuji Temple。

Kofukuji Temple, built in 1620, is the oldest Tang-style temple in Japan and bears witness to the long history of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges.Originally, Kofukuji Temple was built as a Mazu temple by Ming Dynasty merchants to pray for maritime safety。

Kofukuji Temple was the first temple where Master Ingen, a great Chinese monk from Fuqing, Fujian, served as abbot after traveling to Japan to spread Buddhism. To this day, the temple preserves plaques, couplets, and other works handwritten by Master Ingen.In 1654, at the invitation of Kofukuji Temple's abbot Yiran Xingrong and the Chinese community in Nagasaki, the 63-year-old Master Ingen traveled to Japan with his disciples, landed in Nagasaki, and became the abbot of Kofukuji Temple.Subsequently, with the support of the Japanese Imperial Family and Tokugawa shoguns, Master Ingen established the Obaku sect of the Rinzai school in Uji, Kyoto. After the Meiji era, it became the Obaku school, one of the three major Zen schools in Japan。

Master Ingen’s journey to Japan not only spread Buddhism but also introduced Chinese philosophy, architecture, sculpture, calligraphy, printing, painting, carving, music, medicine, cuisine, and tea culture. Collectively known as "Huangbo Culture," these contributions played an important role in the history of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges。

It is reported that 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations.With the joint efforts of both Chinese and Japanese parties, the statue of Master Ingen will stand permanently at the 400-year-old Kofukuji Temple. This will not only enable more Japanese people and international visitors to learn about this chapter of Sino-Japanese exchange history but also embody the shared hope of both nations to use art as a bridge to touch hearts, enhance cultural exchanges, and strengthen the bond of humanity. (By Zheng Songbo)