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Important Cultural Property

Biography of the Monk Enchin

智証大師伝
Biography of the Monk Enchin (智証大師伝)
PLATE IImage: Tokyo National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Heian period, 12th century · held by Tokyo National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Fact Sheet

Designation
Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Date
1101–1200
Location
Ueno, Tokyo
Catalogue ID
cobas-56772

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This is the biography of Enchin (814–891), an influential Buddhist monk who worked from Onjōji Temple, located east of Kyoto. The biography is a 12th-century copy of the original, which was written by the scholar-official Miyoshi Kiyoyuki in 902 based on documents collected by Enchin’s pupils.

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

Record & Sources

Cite this page: “Biography of the Monk Enchin（智証大師伝）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-56772. Tokyo National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/biography-of-the-monk-enchin/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.
Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)
  • Genre: Calligraphy
  • Material: Ink on paper
  • Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
  • Category: Calligraphy:Category:Diaries and journals
  • 員数: 1巻
  • 分類: 書跡
  • 品質形状: 紙本墨書
  • 法量: 本紙 縦29.5 長1235.3
  • 種別: 書跡:分類:古記録

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