ANOTHER IDEOLOGY OF LAND RECLAMATION

Chôgen, Ôbe Estate, and Sayama Pond

Ôyama Kyôhei

Kyôto University

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Estates and Villages

• Chôgen restored Ôbe estate in Harima & Sayama (irrigation) pond in Kawachi

• A study of Ôbe estate enables understanding of shôen system

• A study of Sayama pond illuminates medieval villages & their religious life

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Restoration of Sayama Pond, 1202

• 50 villages used Sayama pond for irrigation

• They asked Chôgen to repair it

Sayama Pond & the villages it served (from Ôyama Kyôhei, Nihon chûsei no mura to kamigami, Iwanami shoten 2012)

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Chôgen & Sayama Pond: Evidence

• Stone stele records Chôgen’s restoration of pond

• Stele refers to villages, not estates• Village was setting for people’s daily lives• (As opposed to estate which was political

unit)• Chôgen participated in people’s daily lives

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History of Sayama Pond

• Aqueduct made of cedar logged in 616 shows it existed in 7th century

• Restored by Chôgen in 1202 & again in 1608 by Hideyoshi’s retainer

• Location of 7th & 17th century aqueducts indicate that water flowed in same direction during both periods

• 1608: 70-80 villages shared water from the pond--from Kawachi, Settsu, & Izumi, as in Chôgen’s day

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Jôdoji on Ôbe Estate

• Jôdoji: 1 of 7 autonomous temples established by Chôgen

• Supported by lands on eastern portion of estate (middle terrace)

• Lower terrace to west: developed much earlier using Kako river water

• Chôgen developed middle terrace & made it into Jôdoji territory

• Lower terrace controlled by Tôdaiji

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Restoring Sayama Pond

• Sayama restored by labor of “clergy and laypersons, men and women, novices and children, beggars and outcastes” (from Chôgen’s stone stele, 1202)

• People from bottom of society--beggars & outcastes--participated

• Old stone coffins from burial mounds were linked to form aqueducts

• Stonemasons from China were associated with Chôgen

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Chôgen’s Good Works

• Chôgen left his mark on:– Tôdaiji– Heian-kyô, Iga province, Inland Sea region from

Settsu to Suô: partly through his 7 autonomous temples

– His influence extended to rest of E. Asia

• His “good works” intended to advance goal of peace & tranquillity in the realm

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Chôgen & Shingon Esotericism

• Sayama stele includes Sanskrit characters representing 5 elements & mantra of light

• Basis of his thought: Shingon esotericism and its practical spirit

• Enlightened ideology at dawn of medieval age--> Chôgen’s public works projects

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Monks and Public Works Projects

• As daikanjin, Chôgen solicited donations for Sayama pond restoration

• Assisted by Ban Amida Butsu, who was active on Mt. Kôya’s holding Ôta estate in Bingo province

• Similar figures, e.g. Mongaku (Kaseda estate in Kii province)

• Such religious figures embody an ideology of land reclamation

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