nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: Yakushi-ji Temple in Heijo-kyo lost a lot of buildings in a fire that broke out in 973, as well as in a fire caused by war in 1528 that was set by Junko TSUTSUI.
Japanese: 平城京の薬師寺は天禄4年（973年）の火災と享禄元年（1528年）の筒井順興の兵火で多くの建物を失った。
English: It has been controversial since the Meiji period that whether the East Pagoda and Honzon Yakushi Sanzonzo (three statues that comprise the Yakushi Triad) in Yakushi-ji Temple in Heijo-kyo were transferred from Moto-Yakushiji Temple in Asuka, or whether they were newly produced in Heijo-kyo.
Japanese: 平城京の薬師寺にある東塔及び本尊薬師三尊像が飛鳥の本薬師寺から移されたものか、平城京で新たにつくられたものかについては明治時代以来論争がある。
English: Although it is widely believed that the East Pagoda was newly established at Heijo-kyo today in the twenty-first century, the dispute has not been settled yet.
Japanese: 21世紀の現在では、東塔は平城京での新築とするのが、ほぼ通説となっているが、論争は完全に決着したわけではない。
English: In a notebook of history and materials in the Nara period, cited in "Yakushiji Engi" (The History of The Yakushi-ji Temple) compiled in the eleventh century, there is a description; 'Of four pagodas established in Yakushi-ji Temple, two pagodas are in the original temple.'
Japanese: 11世紀成立の『薬師寺縁起』に引用される奈良時代の資財帳に「薬師寺には塔が4基あり、うち2基は本寺にある」という趣旨の記載がある。
English: Koichi MACHIDA and others regard this description as an authority to believe that the East Pagoda and statues were not transferred from the original temple by interpreting the description as follows: Yakushi-ji Temple in Heijo-kyo and that in Asuka had two pagodas each until a certain period.
Japanese: ある時期までは平城と飛鳥の両薬師寺にそれぞれ2基の塔があったと解釈されることから、町田甲一らはこれを非移建説の根拠の1つとしている。
English: The fact that the existing East Pagoda has no traces of being dismantled and reconstructed strongly supports the theory that the pagoda was newly established after the temple was relocated to Heijo-kyo, as mentioned in "Fuso ryakki."
Japanese: 現存する東塔に、他所から解体移築した痕跡の見られないことからも、東塔については『扶桑略記』の記述どおり、平城移転後の新築と見る説が有力である。
English: However, it is difficult to say that the all the temple buildings in Yakushi-ji Temple at Heijo-kyo were newly established without including any of the old structures transferred from Asuka, because old style roof tiles similar to those found at the ruins of Moto-Yakushiji Temple have been excavated from the precincts of Yakushi-ji Temple at Heijo-kyo.
Japanese: ただし、平城薬師寺の境内からは本薬師寺から出土するのと同様の古い様式の瓦も出土しており、平城薬師寺の伽藍が全て新築で、飛鳥からの移築は全くなかったとまでは言い切れない。
English: Excavation researches revealed that the designs for the cloisters of Yakushi-ji Temple in the Heijo-kyo were changed in the course of construction from the initial single corridor (pillars form two rows) design to the double corridor (pillars form three rows, and passages are two lines) design.
Japanese: 発掘調査の結果、平城薬師寺の廻廊は当初単廊（柱が2列）として計画されたものが、途中で複廊（柱が3列、通路が2列）に設計変更されたことが判明している。
English: Therefore, there is also a theory suggesting that the initial plan to relocate part of the structures of Moto-Yakushiji Temple may have been changed in the course of construction.
Japanese: このことから、当初は本薬師寺の建物を一部移築しようとしていたものを、途中で計画変更したのではないかとする説もある。
English: As for the Honzon Yakushi Sanzonzo in the Kon-do Hall, attaching importance to the description in "Nihonshoki" of 'Mushadaie Festival was held at Yakushi-ji Temple in 688,' a theory suggests that those statues had already been produced by 688, and then they were later moved to Yakushi-ji Temple at Heijo-kyo.
Japanese: 金堂本尊薬師三尊像については、『日本書紀』に見える、「持統天皇2年（688年）、薬師寺にて無遮大会（むしゃだいえ）が行われた」との記述を重視し、この年までには造立されて、後に平城薬師寺に移されたとする説がある。
English: Yakushi-ji Temple had shown a wretched atmosphere in the Kon-do and Kodo Halls (lecture halls) until the mid twentieth century, both of which were reconstructed provisionally during the end of the Edo period,.
Japanese: 20世紀半ばまでの薬師寺には、江戸時代末期仮再建の金堂、講堂がわびしく建っていた。
English: Taking a leading part, Koin TAKADA known as an odd chief abbot, promoted the Hakuho Garan (the Buddhist temple of Hakuho culture) Reconstruction Project through Shakyo-Kanjin (soliciting for contribution in exchange for copying a sutra) since the 1960s.
Japanese: 1960年代以降、名物管長として知られた高田好胤（たかだこういん）が中心となって写経勧進による白鳳伽藍復興事業が進められた。
English: As a result, following the reconstruction of Kon-do Hall in 1976, the West Pagoda, Chumon (inner gate), a part of cloisters, Dai-kodo Hall (great lecture hall), etc. were reconstructed one after another.
Japanese: 1976年に金堂が再建されたのをはじめ、西塔、中門、回廊の一部、大講堂などが次々と再建された。
English: Reconstructed in the precincts of Kofuku-ji Temple as a provisional Chukon-do Hall (middle hall), the old Kon-do Hall exists now, even though its appearance has changed.
Japanese: なお、旧金堂は現在興福寺の仮中金堂として移築され、外観を変えながらも現存している。
English: The layout of this temple is referred to as 'The Yakushi-ji Temple style arrangement of temple buildings,' arranging Kon-do Hall in the center of the precincts, two pagodas in the east and west separately in front of the Kon-do Hall and Kodo Hall behind the Kon-do Hall, with cloisters surrounding these entire structures.
Japanese: 当寺の伽藍配置は「薬師寺式伽藍配置」と称されるもので、中央に金堂を配し、金堂の手前東西に塔を、金堂の背後に講堂を、またそれらを取り囲むように回廊を配している。
English: It was constructed in 1512, in the Muromachi period, which had originally been a gate of Yakushi-ji Sai-in (the western part of Yakushi-ji Temple).
Japanese: 室町時代・永正9年（1512年）の建築で、もとは薬師寺西院の門であった。
English: Honzon Yakushi Sanzonzo is enshrined in this hall, which is regarded as one of the most excellent Buddhist sculptures from the Nara period (Yakushi Sanzonzo is described later).
Japanese: 奈良時代仏教彫刻の最高傑作の1つとされる本尊薬師三尊像を安置する（薬師三尊像については後述）。
English: Called 'Yakushi Sanzon' like the Honzon in Kon-do Hall in the past, the statues have been called 'Miroku Sanzon' (the Maitreya Triad) in the temple after the reconstruction of Dai-kodo Hall.
Japanese: かつては金堂本尊と同様、「薬師三尊」とされていたが、大講堂の再建後、寺では「弥勒三尊」と称している。
English: Among several structures remaining in the precincts of the temple, this is the only structure constructed during the Nara period (Tenpyo era).
Japanese: 現在寺に残る建築のうち、奈良時代（天平年間）にさかのぼる唯一のもの。
English: This is the fourth highest pagoda after To-ji Temple five-storied pagoda, Kofuku-ji Temple five-storied pagoda, Daigo-ji Temple five-storied pagoda, all of which were built before the Edo period.
Japanese: 日本に現存する江戸時代以前に作られた仏塔としては、東寺五重塔、興福寺五重塔、醍醐寺五重塔に次ぎ、4番目の高さを誇る。
English: However, it is structurally a three-story pagoda because the first, third, and fifth roofs from the base are Mokoshi (pent roof).
Japanese: しかし下から1・3・5番目の屋根は裳階（もこし）であり、構造的には三重の塔である。
English: Openwork carving of the statue of a Flying Apsara was applied to the bronze Suien (the Water Flame) decorating the Sorin on the top of the pagoda, passing on to present generations the outstanding craftsmanship of the Nara period.
Japanese: 塔の先端部の相輪にある青銅製の水煙（すいえん）には飛天像が透かし彫りされており、奈良時代の高い工芸技術を現代に伝えている。
English: There is an inscription called 'Toto Satsumei' on the lowest part of the center Sorin pillar, which explains in classical Chinese the foundation of Yakushi-ji Temple and the purpose of producing Honzon.
Japanese: 相輪の中心部の柱の最下部には「東塔さつ銘」（「さつ」の漢字は木扁に「察」）と称される銘文が刻まれており、薬師寺の創建と本尊造立の趣旨が漢文で記されている。
English: As for the date of the pagoda's construction, there are two theories; one theory suggests that the pagoda was transferred from Moto-Yakushiji Temple in Asuka after being dismantled and then reconstructed, and the other theory suggests that the pagoda was newly constructed at the Heijo-kyo.
Japanese: 塔の建築年代については飛鳥の本薬師寺から移築されたとする説と、平城京で新たに建てられたとする説とがあった。
English: At present, as described in "Fuso ryakki," the latter theory--that the pagoda was newly constructed at Heijo-kyo in 730--has gained strong support.
Japanese: 『扶桑略記』の記述のとおり、天平2年（730年）に平城京にて新築されたとする説が有力である。
English: Initially, a series of earthen images were enshrined inside the first story of the East and West Pagodas, representing the Shaka Hasso (eight principal events in the lifetime of Buddha).
Japanese: 当初、東塔・西塔の初層内部には釈迦八相（釈迦の生涯の8つの主要な出来事）を表した塑像群が安置されていた。
English: The origin of this phrase is often attributed to the fact, 'Ernest FENOLLOSA visiting this temple during the Meiji period referred to the pagoda as frozen music.'
Japanese: 「明治時代に本寺を訪れたアーネスト・フェノロサが、この塔を指して「凍れる音楽」と表現した」と説明されることが多い。
English: However, the phrase 'Architecture is frozen music' had been used in Germany before FENOLLOSA used the phrase 'frozen music.'
Japanese: ただし、「建築は凍れる音楽」というフレーズはフェノロサ以前からドイツで使われていたものである。
English: The phrase ' frozen music' (erstarrte Musik) was used in the dialogue between Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Johann Peter Eckermann (on March 23, 1829).
Japanese: 「凍れる音楽」(erstarrteMusik)というフレーズはゲーテとエッケルマンとの対話（1829年3月23日）で用いられている。
English: Some people believe that the first appearance of this phrase was in "Philosophy of the art" of Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling (used in 1802-03).
Japanese: その初出はフリードリヒ・シェリングの『芸術の哲学』（1802-03年）とも言われている。
English: Koichi MACHIDA, Ryu TERASAWA and others criticize that the theory, "Ernest FENOLLOSA referred to the pagoda as 'frozen music'" is false.
Japanese: 町田甲一、寺沢龍らは、フェノロサが薬師寺東塔を指して「凍れる音楽」と評したとの説は誤りであるとしている。
English: These west and east pagodas resemble each other in design, but there are also differences; for example, the outer walls sustaining the pent roofs are white in the East Pagoda, while they are decorated with Renji-mado (window with vertical or horizontal wooden laths or bamboo) in the West Pagoda.
Japanese: デザインは東塔と似ているが、東塔が裳階部分を白壁とするのに対し、西塔は同じ箇所に連子窓を設けるなどの違いもある。
English: It is believed that the difference in height results from warping in the wood and subsidence of the foundation in the East Pagoda while 1300 years have passed.
Japanese: これは1300年の年月の内に、東塔に材木の撓みと基礎の沈下が起きたためである。
English: Namely, the reconstructed West Pagoda is so fresh that it has resisted deterioration, and therefore the West Pagoda appears to be a little higher than East Pagoda.
Japanese: 再建された西塔はそのような年月の経過を経験していないため、若干高く見えるとのことである。
English: According to Tsunekazu NISHIOKA, an engineer conserving culture properties and in charge of reconstructing the West Pagoda, the height of the West Pagoda and that of the East Pagoda will become equal 500 years later.
Japanese: 西塔の再建に当たった文化財保存技術者西岡常一によれば、500年後には西塔も東塔と同じ高さに落ち着く計算とのことである。
English: The predecessor of the Toin-do Hall was the Tozen-in Temple built under the instruction of Imperial Princess Kibi during the Yoro era (717-724) for Empress Genmei.
Japanese: 元明天皇のために皇女の吉備内親王が養老年間（717－724年）に建立した東禅院が前身である。
English: The Great Tang of the Western Regions painting,' a wall painting 2.2 by 49 meters (the total size of thirteen pieces), is decorating the insie of the temple, produced by a Japanese-style painter, Ikuo HIRAYAMA taking thirty years to complete.
Japanese: 日本画家平山郁夫が30年をかけて制作した、縦2.2メートル、長さが49メートル（13枚の合計）からなる「大唐西域壁画」がある。
English: The present main building of this shrine was donated by Hideyori TOYOTOMI in 1596, in the Momoyama period.
Japanese: 現在の社殿は桃山時代の慶長元年（1596年）、豊臣秀頼の寄進によるもの。
English: The principal statue in the group is Yakushi Nyorai, which is attended by Nikko Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of Sunlight) and Gakko Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of Moonlight).
Japanese: 中尊は薬師如来、脇侍に日光菩薩（にっこうぼさつ）と月光菩薩（がっこうぼさつ）を配している。
English: These statues have been famous from olden times as supreme masterpieces produced during the Nara period when Buddhist sculpture in Japan attained its original classical style while being influenced by the Six Dynasties of China and the Tang Dynasty China, which is proved by a dignified appearance of the principal statue, natural carriage of attendant statues, good proportion of each statue, and so on.
Japanese: 中尊像の堂々たる像容、脇侍像の自然な身のこなし、各像のプロポーションなど、日本の仏教彫刻が中国・六朝や唐の影響を受けつつ、独自の古典様式を完成した奈良時代の作品のなかでも最高傑作の1つとして古来名高いものである。
English: Various motif such as a grape-patterned arabesque, exotic portraits and four gods (Seiryu [Blue Dragon], Byakko [White Tiger], Suzaku [red Chinese phoenix] and Genbu) having the roots in Greece, Persia, India, and China and others are carved on the pedestal of the principal statue, which can be regarded as the traces of the Silk Road.
Japanese: 中尊像の台座には、シルクロードの軌跡とも言うべく、ギリシャ、ペルシャ、インド、中国などに淵源をもつ葡萄（ぶどう）唐草文、異国風の人物像、四神（青龍、白虎、朱雀、玄武）などの意匠があしらわれている。
English: As mentioned in the section of 'History,' there are indecisive three theories over the issue concerning the production age of these statues: the first theory suggests that these statues had already been completed by 688, the second theory suggests that they were produced in 697 because there is a record in "Nihonshoki" that Kaigan-hoe (ceremony of "Kaigan", enshrining newly built Buddhist image and to put a spirit as opening eyes to Buddhism) was held at Yakushi-ji Temple in 697, and the third theory suggests that these statues were newly produced after the relocation to Heijo-kyo.
Japanese: 制作年代については、「歴史」の項で述べたように持統天皇2年（688年）には完成していたとする説、『日本書紀』に持統天皇11年（697年）、薬師寺にて仏像の開眼法会を行った旨の記録があることから、この時に制作されたとする説、平城京移転後の新造とする説があり、決着をみていない。
English: Each statue is a small-sized sculpture of over thirty centimeters in height, produced as a Shintai (an object of worship housed in a Shinto shrine and believed to contain the spirit of a deity) of Hachiman-gu Shrine, the Chinju-sha shrine of Yakushi-ji Shrine.
Japanese: いずれも像高30数センチの小品で、薬師寺の鎮守八幡宮の神体として作られたもの。
English: This portrait was produced as the Honzon of Kichijokeka-e (reverence for devotional meetings) on the basis of the "Golden Light of the Most Victorious Kings Sutra," regarded as one of very few valuable paintings produced during the Nara period.
Japanese: 『金光明最勝王経』所説に基づき、吉祥悔過会（きちじょうけかえ）の本尊として制作されたもので、数少ない奈良時代の絵画遺品として貴重なものである。
English: A halo depicted behind the Kichijoten's head shows that the portrait is a Buddhist painting, but at a glance, it appears to be a Bijinga (Beautiful Woman Picture) from the Nara period.
Japanese: 頭部の背後に光背（後光）があることからこれが仏画であることがわかるが、一見すると奈良時代の美人画のように見える。
English: BUNYA-no-Mahitochinu had the Buddha's footprints copied in stone as a memorial of his dead wife, which was brought to Japan by KIBUMI-no-Honjitsu who had copied the footprints during Tang Dynasty.
Japanese: 黄書本実（きぶみのほんじつ）が唐で写し持ち帰った仏足跡を文室浄三（ぶんやのまひとちぬ）が夫人の追善のために写させたものである。
English: It was introduced along with Bussoku-seki, but it is uncertain as to whether the inscription and the stone was made as a set from the first.
Japanese: 仏足石とともに伝来したものだが、元来一具のものであるかどうかは定かでない。
English: Twenty-one poems including a poem praising the Buddha's footprints were engraved by using Manyo-gana (early Japanese syllabary composed of Chinese characters used phonetically) on the 194cm tall stone monument.
Japanese: 高さ194cmの石碑に仏足跡を称える歌など21首の歌を万葉仮名で刻む。
English: Every poem engraved on the stone monument has one more verse than the common thirty-one syllable (5+7+5+7+7) Japanese poem, namely thirty-eight syllables of '5+7+5+7+7+7' called the 'Bussokusekka style.'
Japanese: ここに刻まれた歌はいずれも通常の和歌より1句多い「五・七・五・七・七・七」の歌体になり、これを「仏足跡歌体」と称する。
English: *In the temple, 'Yakushi Sanzon,' these statues, have been renamed 'Miroku Sanzon' as of 2003.
Japanese: ※寺では2003年より本像の呼称を「薬師三尊」から「弥勒三尊」に変更している。
English: The standing wooden statue of Eleven-faced Kannon (designated as Important Cultural Properties in 1897, 165.5cm in height) (deposited in the Nara National Museum)
Japanese: 木造十一面観音立像（1897年重文指定、像高165.5cm）（奈良国立博物館寄託）
English: The standing wooden statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon (designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1902, 191.5cm in height) (deposited in the Nara National Museum)
Japanese: 木造十一面観音立像（1902年重文指定、像高191.5cm）（奈良国立博物館寄託）
English: The standing wooden statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon (designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1921, 180.3cm in height) (deposited in the Tokyo National Museum)
Japanese: 木造十一面観音立像（1921年重文指定、像高180.3cm）（東京国立博物館寄託）
English: Addition: a number of fragments of earthen images, twenty-five pieces of the remains of wooden statues, one earthen pagoda, the remains of two Wado-kaichin silver coins, one jade bead
Japanese: 附塑像断片一括、木像残欠25箇、土塔1箇、和同開珎残片2箇分、硬玉丸玉1箇
English: The remains of Moto-Yakushiji Temple in Kashihara City, designated as a Special Historic Site, while the old precincts of Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara City are designated as a historic site.
Japanese: 橿原市の本薬師寺跡は特別史跡に、奈良市の薬師寺旧境内が史跡に指定されている。
English: Revering the portrait of Kichijoten as Honzon, the temple provides visitors with Hoyo (memorial service) so that they can pray for Kissho Shofuku (for good luck) and universal peace, and ask forgiveness for their sins, etc. throughout the year.
Japanese: 吉祥天女画像を本尊として、1年の吉祥招福・天下泰平・滅罪消滅などを祈願する法要。
English: As the anniversary of Xuanzang's death falls on February 5, Hatsu Genjo Sanzo-e is held on January 5 regarding the day as the first monthly anniversary of the death of the year.
Japanese: 玄奘三蔵の命日が2月5日なので、初めての月命日として1月5日に初玄奘三蔵会を行う。
English: Fixing the monthly festival day of Yakushi-ji Temple on the eighth day every month, Yakushi-ji Temple holds Dai-hannyakyo Sutra Tendoku Hoyo (a memorial service reading part of the "Dai-hannyakyo Sutra" to followers) on January 8 as the day of Hatsu Yakushi Ennichi (the first monthly festival of the year).
Japanese: 薬師寺では毎月8日を薬師如来の縁日と定め、1月8日は初薬師縁日として大般若経転読の法要を行なう。
English: On the expiration day of Shusho-e Kichijo-keka Hoyo, followers pray to Kichijoten for Kissho Fukutoku throughout the year while holding a tea ceremony and burning incense.
Japanese: 修正会の結願の日に1年の吉祥福徳を吉祥天に祈願し、茶会を開き、また香をたく。
English: The Shuni-e in Yakushi-ji Temple is also called 'Hanae-shiki' (literally, flower ceremony), because ten kinds of artificial flowers are offered to the Honzon, which has become a special feature of Nara in spring.
Japanese: 薬師寺の修二会には十種の造花が本尊に供えられるところから「花会式」と呼ばれ、奈良の春の風物詩となっている。
English: This is a Buddhist memorial service to pray for national prosperity and a huge harvest, etc. and also the place where state examination is held to become an official monk.
Japanese: 国家安泰や五穀豊穣などを祈る法要であり、また官僧の任命の為の国家試験の場でもあった。
English: This event provides elementary and junior high school students with an opportunity to study etiquette through activities that they can hardly experience in real life, such as reciting sutras, copying sutras, listening to a sermon made by priests.
Japanese: 小・中学生が集まり、お経を唱えたり、写経、お坊さんの法話など普段できない生活を体験し、礼儀作法を勉強する。
English: Following the Ominugui of the statues of Yakushi Nyorai, Nikko Bosatsu and Gakko Bosatsu in Kon-do Hall, the statues in Dai-kodo Hall, Toin-do Hall and others receive the ritual of Ominugui one after another.
Japanese: 金堂薬師如来像・日光菩薩像・月光菩薩像のお身拭い後、大講堂、東院堂など各諸堂でも引き続きお身拭いが行なわれる。
English: Seven Great Temples of Nanto are the seven major temples that existed in Heijo-kyo (Nanto, Nara) and its surrounding areas in the Nara period and were protected by the Imperial Court.
Japanese: 南都七大寺（なんとしちだいじ）は、奈良時代に平城京（南都・奈良）及びにその周辺に存在して朝廷の保護を受けた7つの大寺を指す。
English: Since Horyu-ji Temple is located in Ikaruga, some theories exclude Horyu-ji Temple as one of the seven and instead count Toshodai-ji Temple.
Japanese: しかし、法隆寺は斑鳩に所在しているため、この法隆寺の代わりに唐招提寺を入れて南都七大寺とする説もある。
English: Another theory excepts Saidai-ji Temple from the list and adds venerable Gufuku-ji Temple (present-day Kawahara-dera Temple) from a historic point of view, which suggests that the listing of great temples started from four temples and expanded later.
Japanese: また、歴史的経緯（四大寺から数を増やしていったとする見地）からして西大寺の代わりに由緒ある弘福寺（現在の川原寺）を加える説もある。
English: Kofuku-ji Temple is the head temple of the Hosso sect, one of the Nanto rokushu (the six sects of Buddhism which flourished in ancient Nara), located in Noborioji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture.
Japanese: 興福寺（こうふくじ）は、奈良県奈良市登大路町（のぼりおおじちょう）にある、南都六宗の一つ、法相宗の大本山の寺院である。
English: This temple is associated with the founder of the Fujiwara clan FUJIWARA no Kamatari and his son FUJIWARA no Fuhito, and it is the uji-dera temple (temple built in order to pray for the glory of a clan) of the Fujiwara clan.
Japanese: 藤原氏の祖・藤原鎌足とその子息・藤原不比等ゆかりの寺院で、藤原氏の氏寺である。
English: It was a dominant local force from ancient to medieval times, and neither the Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) nor the Muromachi bakufu were able to place a provincial constable in Yamato Province.
Japanese: 古代から中世にかけて強大な勢力を誇り、鎌倉・室町両幕府は大和国に守護を置くことができなかった。
English: The temple was originally Yamashina-dera Temple which was founded by Kagami no Okimi, the wife of Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-669), who was the founder of the Fujiwara clan, in Yamashina (Yamashina Ward, Kyoto City), Yamashiro Province in 669; at Kamatari's behest it has Shaka Sanzon statues (statues of the Shakyamuni triad) as its principal image, and was established in order to pray for cure of a disease he suffered from.
Japanese: 藤原氏の祖である藤原鎌足（614年-669年）夫人の鏡王女（かがみのおおきみ）が夫の病気平癒を願い、鎌足発願の釈迦三尊像を本尊として、天智天皇8年（669年）山背国（山城国）山階（京都市山科区）に創建した山階寺（やましなでら）が当寺の起源である。
English: In 672, during the Jinshin War, Yamashina-dera Temple moved to Fujiwara-kyo (Fujiwara Palace, the ancient capital of Fujiwara) and was called Umayazaka-dera temple after the place Umayasaka, in Takaichi-gun.
Japanese: 壬申の乱のあった天武天皇元年（672年）、山階寺は藤原京に移り、地名（高市郡厩坂）をとって厩坂寺（うまやさかでら）と称した。
English: When the capital was transferred to Heijo in 710, Kamatari's son Fujiwara no Fuhito (659 -720) moved Umayazaka-dera temple to its current location, Sakyo in Heijokyo, and named it Kofuku-ji Temple.
Japanese: 和銅3年（710年）の平城遷都に際し、鎌足の子息である藤原不比等（659年－720年）は厩坂寺を平城京左京の現在地に移転し、「興福寺」と名付けた。
English: Other doto (temples and pagodas) were built and improvements were made by emperors and empresses, and the Fujiwara family, at a later date.
Japanese: その後も、天皇や皇后、また藤原家によって堂塔が建てられ整備が進められた。
English: In 720, when Fuhito died, an administrative institution called the 'Office of Constructing a Buddha Hall in Kofuku-ji Temple' was established, and the construction of Kofuku-ji Temple, which had originally been a private temple of the Fujiwara clan, came to be done by the government.
Japanese: 不比等が没した養老4年（720年）には「造興福寺仏殿司」という役所が設けられ、元来、藤原氏の私寺である興福寺の造営は国家の手で進められるようになった。
English: Kofuku-ji Temple was counted among the four great temples of the Nara Period and the Seven Great Temples of Nara in the Heian Period, and was given special protection because it had a close relationship with the sekke (line of regents and advisers), Fujiwara-Hokke (the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan).
Japanese: 興福寺は奈良時代には四大寺、平安時代には南都七大寺の一つに数えられ、特に摂家藤原北家との関係が深かったために手厚く保護された。
English: In the Heian Period it held the real power of Kasuga-sha Shrine, owned most of the private estates throughout Yamato Province, and became the virtual kokushu (head of provincial governors).
Japanese: 平安時代には春日社の実権をもち、大和国一国の荘園のほとんどを領して事実上の同国の国主となった。
English: Due to the strength of its power it was called 'Nanto-Hokurei' together with Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei.
Japanese: その勢力の強大さは、比叡山延暦寺とともに「南都北嶺」（なんとほくれい）と称された。
English: Many sub temples called tatchu were built around the temple and there were more than one hundred at the height of its prosperity.
Japanese: 寺の周辺には塔頭と称する多くの付属寺院が建てられ、最盛期には百か院以上を数えた。
English: Above all, Ichijo-in Temple (founded by Josho in 970) and Daijo-in Temple (founded by Ryuzen in 1087) flourished as monzeki temples where children of the imperial family and sekkan-ke (the families which produced regents) entered the priesthood.
Japanese: 中でも天禄元年（970年）定昭の創立した一乗院と寛治元年（1087年）隆禅の創立した大乗院は皇族・摂関家の子弟が入寺する門跡寺院として栄えた。
English: Even when samurai governed during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the bakufu was unable to place a provincial constable in Yamato Province because it had enormous power and armed priests.
Japanese: 鎌倉時代・室町時代の武士の時代になっても僧兵等を擁し強大な力を持っていたため、幕府は大和国に守護を置けなかった。
English: It bowed to the Shokuho Government (the government of Nobunaga ODA and Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI; "shoku" and "ho" represent the initial letters of Oda and Toyotomi) in the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, and consolidated the chigyo of Kasuga-sha Shrine; Kofuku-ji Temple being determined to be more than 21,000 koku in the land survey of 1595.
Japanese: 安土・桃山時代に至って織豊政権に屈し、文禄4年（1595年）の検地では、春日社興福寺合体の知行として2万1000余石とされた。
English: There are many instances of fire at Kofuku-ji Temple but it was reconstructed on every occasion.
Japanese: 興福寺は、創建以来たびたび火災に見まわれたが、その都度再建を繰り返してきた。
English: The damage from the fire caused by the Taira no Shigehira battle during the Genpei War in 1180 was most extensive, this being known as Nanto Yakiuchi (the incident of Heishi's army setting fire to the temples in Nanto).
Japanese: 中でも治承4年（1180年）、源平の争いの最中、平重衡の兵火による被害は甚大であった（南都焼討）。
English: At this time, Shinen, who assumed the position of bettoshiki (the office of head administrator) right after its destruction by fire, together with Gedatsu Shonin Jokei, made great efforts to restore Kofuku-ji Temple.
Japanese: この時、興福寺再興に奔走したのは回禄直後に別当職に就いた信円と解脱上人貞慶であった。