The Japanese Chinese Community Actively Responds to the Fundraising Initiative by Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji: "Commemorating the 350th Anniversary of Master Ingen’s Passing in 2022"

In 2022, marking the 350th anniversary of Master Ingen’s passing, Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji Temple has launched a fundraising campaign for the restoration of the temple. Recently, through the Huangbo Cultural Promotion Association, Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji issued a fundraising appeal to the Japanese Chinese community, sincerely inviting overseas Chinese to contribute with joy and generosity. It was also stated that the names of all donors and sponsoring companies would be inscribed on a plaque for public recognition and preservation。

This initiative has received widespread support from the Japanese Chinese community. Organizations such as the All-Japan Federation of Chinese Overseas Associations, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Promotion Association, the Japan Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce, the Japan Fuzhou Ten Counties Federation, the Japan Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce, the Fuqing Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Japan Fujian Economic and Cultural Exchange Association, and the Huangbo Cultural Promotion Association have all started donation drives among their members. Chen Xi, Chairman of the Japanese Huangbo Cultural Promotion Association and Honorary President of the Fuqing Chamber of Commerce in Japan, stated that they would unite with various Chinese associations to make a collective effort in supporting the restoration of the Buddhist halls at Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji Temple。

Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji Temple, located in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, was built in 1661. Covering an area of 200,000 square meters, it is a Buddhist temple constructed with the support of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period. It was founded by Master Ingen, a high-ranking monk from Fujian, China, who traveled to Japan. For over 100 years (until 1784), the temple’s abbots were predominantly Chinese monks who had traveled to Japan. Continuing this long-standing tradition, the Kyoto Overseas Chinese Association now serves as the supporting organization for Manpukuji Temple. Every year during the Obon Festival (Zhongyuan Festival), the overseas Chinese hold ancestor worship ceremonies at the temple. The cemetery on the mountain behind the temple is mostly owned by overseas Chinese and is managed by the Kyoto Overseas Chinese Association.Kyoto Obakusan Manpukuji Temple is one of the few remaining Tang-style temples in Japan. It houses 23 main buildings, along with corridors, plaques, and couplets, all of which are designated as national treasures of Japan。

Master Ingen designed and oversaw the construction of Manpukuji Temple. He is regarded as a great monk who traveled to Japan after Tang Dynasty Master Jianzhen, significantly influencing Japan. Master Ingen not only propagated Buddhism but also introduced China’s advanced culture and scientific knowledge of the time, profoundly impacting Japan’s economic and social development during the Edo period. In 2015, President Xi Jinping remarked during his meeting with a Japanese delegation of 3,000 members led by Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, “When I worked in Fujian, I was already familiar with the story of Master Ingen, the 17th-century Chinese monk, traveling to Japan。

Due to Master Ingen’s immense contributions to Japanese culture, he was bestowed the title of National Teacher by the Imperial Family before his passing. Subsequently, additional titles have been conferred approximately every 50 years. In 2022, marking the 350th anniversary of Master Ingen’s passing, Emperor Reiwa will traditionally confer a new title upon Master Ingen as a gesture of respect。