Virtual Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Houn-ji Temple

 

     An Lushan rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in winter 755, and quickly reached and captured Luoyang.  An's forces advanced on Chang'an, the capital, on July 14th, 756.  Emperor Xuanzong (685-762) fled with Consort Yang Guifei (719-756).  The following day, the imperial guards accompanying the emperor forced the emperor to kill Consort Yang.  After her death, according to a legend, the emperor carved an image of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.  The 40 centimeters tall image crossed the East China Sea somehow sometime, and arrived at a cave in Chichibu.  About half a millennium later, Houn-ji Temple was founded in front of the cave.  The temple claims it also keeps Yang Guifei's mirror.  The Rakuyo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #20 Yokihi Kannon-do Hall also has the legendary statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses, which is said to have been carved modeling Yang Guifei.

Address: 432 Arakawashiroku, Chichibu, Saitama 369-1912

Phone: 0494-54-0108