   is a buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the rinzai school of japanese zen. it is located in kita-ku, kyoto, japan. the "mountain name" (sangÅ) by which it is known is . the daitoku-ji temple complex today covers more than . ==history== daitoku-ji originated as a small monastery founded in 1315 or 1319 by the monk , who is known by the title daitÅ kokushi ("national teacher of the great lamp") given by emperor go-daigo.kodansha encyclopedia of japan, entry "sÅhÅ myÅchÅ." in 1325, the monastery was converted into a supplication hall for the imperial court at the request of the retired emperor hanazono. the dedication ceremony for the imperial supplication hall, with its newly added dharma hall and abbot's living quarters, was held in 1326, and this is generally recognized as the true founding of the temple.kodansha encyclopedia of japan, entry "daitokuji." like many other temples in kyoto during that time, the temple's buildings were destroyed by fire. in 1474, which was when kyoto was the scene of the onin war, emperor go-tsuchimikado designated ikkyÅ« sÅjun as the head priest. with the help of merchants of the city of sakai, ikkyÅ« contributed significantly to the temple's rehabilitation. from its earliest days, the temple experienced alternating periods of fortune and decline. this can be attributed to the rivalries and conflicts between daitoku-ji and other well-known zen temples, as well as between daitoku-ji and the political authorities.usui shiro. tr., stephen d. miller. a pilgrim's guide to forty-six temples, pp. 84-85. weatherhill, inc., 1990. isbn 0-8348-0211-2. daitoku-ji became particularly important from the sixteenth century, when it was predominantly supported by members of the military establishment, who sponsored the bui
1325_establishments Buddhist_temples_in_Kyoto Historic_Sites_of_Japan Important_Cultural_Properties_of_Japan Landscape_design_history_of_Japan National_Treasures_of_Japan Religious_organizations_established_in_the_1310s Rinzai_temples Special_Places_of_Scenic_Beauty