漢字の記憶が薄れていくことを避けるために、「脳を鍛える漢字」として「とと」の漢字を紹介した。禅寺の塔頭寺院を表す漢字で、室町時代に盛んに建てられた。「とと」は「たっちゅう」と読まれ、墓の上の塔の頂上に建てられた寮を意味する。大徳寺は五山の一つで、一休宗純が住職を務めたことで知られている。大名や豪商たちの支援で再建され、茶道の支持を受けるようになった。明治時代に廃仏毀釈運動により塔頭が取り壊されたが、今でも24ヶ寺の塔頭が現存している。
Do you ever think, “What was that kanji?” Even if you try to remember a little, you might end up giving up with a “Oh well,” and feel like your memory is fading. However, it is said that remembering things helps to train your memory.
In the 198th installment of “Kanji that Train the Brain,” we introduce “toto.” A sub-temple of a Zen temple. It is said to have been actively built in the Muromachi period. Reading and writing will deepen your knowledge of kanji.
What is the name “Toto?”
Can you read “toto”? Not “tsuini”…
The correct answer is… “tacchu.”
The Shogakukan Digital Daijisen describes it as “residences built by the disciples of important priests in Zen Buddhism to honor their virtues on top of the graves in temples.” A tatsumi refers to a sub-temple of a large temple, named after its location at the top of the temple.
It is said that when a high priest of a large temple retired, his disciples continued to protect these small temples. Also, the word “to” means tomb, and it is also known as “tachuu” meaning tombstone.
What is the origin of the kanji “toto”?
As mentioned earlier, the name “toto” is believed to come from the meaning of a tower at the top of a temple. It is said to be called “toto” because it was placed at the top (hoto) of the tower, which is a tomb of a high priest.
History of Daikaku-ji Temple
In the Muromachi period, many sub-temples of the Gozan (Rinzai sect temples) were actively built. Daikaku-ji Temple in Kita-ku, Kyoto is one of the temples listed as part of the Gozan. Daikaku-ji Temple is known for being served by Ikkyu Sōjun, but it also has numerous surviving sub-temples.
Daikaku-ji Temple was founded in the late Kamakura period by the warlord Akamatsu Norimura. In 1333, it was honored by Emperor Go-Daigo and listed as one of the Gozan. However, in the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu supported the dreamer Soseki Soan, leading to a conflict with Daikaku-ji Temple.
As a result, Daikaku-ji Temple’s position declined, and it decided to withdraw from the Gozan sect. Daikaku-ji Temple harshly criticized the Gozan sect, which had close ties to the shogunate, and established its own position specializing in Zazen. Ikkyu Sōjun, also known as Ikkyu-san, became the head monk at this time, and spread Daikaku-ji Zen in Sakai City.
Ikkyu’s missionary work was successful, and Daikaku-ji Temple, which was destroyed in the Onin War, was rebuilt by powerful merchants in Sakai and influential warlords such as Oda Nobunaga. Also, due to Ikkyu’s visit and practice of Zen by Murata Shuko, the founder of wabicha, Daikaku-ji Temple began to receive support from tea ceremony practitioners.
Subsequently, the tea ceremony became popular among the daimyo (feudal lords), and the support for Daikaku-ji Temple with tea ceremony connections increased further. It is said that during the Edo period, 56 sub-temples were built one after another connected to Daikaku-ji Temple.
Daikaku-ji Temple flourished with the devoted faith of the feudal lords. However, in the Meiji era, due to the rise of anti-Buddhist movements, sub-temples were demolished. Nevertheless, 24 sub-temples are still in existence, and Daikaku-ji Temple continues to attract attention as a treasure trove of important cultural assets.
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As mentioned above, did this introduction to “toto” help expand your knowledge of kanji? Daikaku-ji Temple’s existing sub-temples house numerous world-renowned national treasures and gardens. Some of the sub-temples are open to the public, so it might be a good idea to visit them during a long vacation.
By: Maho Toyota (Kyoto Media Line)
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