FuQing Chamber of Commerce in Japan Participates in Commemorative Events for Master Ingen, Founder of the Obaku School

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, as well as the 350th anniversary of the passing of Master Ingen, the founder of the Obaku School. On October 23, a grand prayer ceremony and Sino-Japanese friendship celebration were held at Manpukuji Temple, the head temple of the Japanese Obaku School, located in Uji, Kyoto, to commemorate the "350th Anniversary of the Passing of Master Ingen。

Delegations from Manpukuji Temple on Obaku Mountain in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, the hometown of Master Ingen, and the Fuzhou Obaku Cultural Promotion Association attended the commemorative events in Japan. Other participating organizations included the Japan Obaku Cultural Promotion Association, the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association and its Yokohama branch, the Federation of Fuzhou Associations in Japan, the FuQing Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Kobe Fujian Association, the Kobe Dōjin Association, the Kansai Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, the Japan Fujian Overseas Chinese Business Association, and the Federation of Chinese and Overseas Chinese Associations in Ehime Prefecture。

On the morning of the 23rd, at Manpukuji Temple, the Obaku monk community from both countries, along with other participants, chanted sutras and offered prayers. They reflected on the history of Master Ingen and the monk community traveling to Japan and establishing a lasting legacy, prayed for the peace and friendship of the two nations, and wished for the end of epidemics, the elimination of disasters, and the happiness of people。

In the afternoon, the Japanese Obaku School hosted a Sino-Japanese friendship celebration, with Chinese Consul General Xue Jian from the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka attending related events。

Hirodo Kondo, Chief Abbot of the Japanese Obaku School, presented certificates of recognition to Chinese Consul General Xue Jian, Chen Xi, Chairman of the Japan Obaku Cultural Promotion Association, and Lin Wenqing, President of the Japan Obaku Cultural Promotion Association and the Fuzhou Obaku Cultural Promotion Association, expressing gratitude for their contributions to the temple's preservation。

Lin Wenqing and Chen Xi remarked, "Obaku culture has a long history and has written a unique chapter in the history of Sino-Japanese exchanges. The Obaku Cultural Promotion Associations of China and Japan, together with the overseas Chinese community in Japan, will continue to contribute to promoting mutual learning and friendly exchanges between the people of the two countries。

That evening, the Obaku Cultural Lantern Festival, themed "Bridging Sino-Japanese Friendship through Obaku Culture," was officially illuminated. The lanterns, crafted in Zigong, Sichuan Province, a renowned hometown of lantern-making in China, were co-organized by the Obaku Cultural Promotion Associations of China and Japan, the overseas Chinese community in Japan, and Manpukuji Temple。

In 1654, responding to an invitation from the "Chinese Temple" in Nagasaki, Master Ingen, a renowned monk from Manpukuji Temple on Obaku Mountain in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, traveled to Japan with his disciples. Supported and revered by the Japanese Emperor and the Tokugawa Shogunate, Master Ingen established a new temple in Uji, Kyoto, named "Manpukuji Temple," and founded the Obaku School, which later became one of the three major Zen sects in Japan。

During his time in Japan, Master Ingen and his disciples not only spread Buddhist teachings but also introduced Ming Dynasty thought, architecture, sculpture, calligraphy, printing, painting, music, medicine, cuisine, and tea culture to Japan. These contributions, collectively referred to as "Obaku Culture" in Japan, played a significant role in the history of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges。

On February 25 this year, to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Master Ingen's passing, the Imperial Household Agency of Japan awarded a certificate to the Japanese Obaku School, conferring the honorary title of "Master Yantong" on Master Ingen. This marked the seventh time the Japanese imperial family had bestowed a title on Master Ingen。