Appointment of Enchin as an Attendant Monk by the Ministry of Civil Administration

Enchin was a Buddhist priest who lived during the early Heian period, which lasted from 794 to 1192. He was born in Sanuki Province in modern-day Kagawa Prefecture and at an early age he entered Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei to study the Tendai sect of Buddhism. In 853, he hitched a ride on a merchant ship and sailed to Tang-dynasty China to study Buddhism. He spent six years in China learning the secrets of Esoteric Buddhism. After returning to Japan, he founded Onjo-ji temple, also known as Mii-dera. After his death, he was granted the posthumous name Chisho Daishi. This is an official document issued by the Ministry of Civil Administration, a government body charged with supervising Buddhist priests. The document announces Enchin's appointment as an attendant monk responsible for carrying out Buddhist ceremonies at the imperial court.

Enchin was 38 at the time. While travelling in China in 853, Enchin asked Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, the Minister of the Right, to have this document written by a talented scribe. The result is on display here in the unconstrained air of the sharp, elegant characters and widely-spaced lines. When Enchin arrived in China, it is said that he showed this document to Chinese officials. They greatly admired it and some even transcribed it. This is also a valuable historical document for understanding Sino-Japanese relations and Enchin's activities around the time of his visit to China.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.