Mount Hieizan
| Mount Hiei | |
|---|---|
| 比叡山 | |
The view from Kyoto with Cherry blossoms. (April 2005)
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 848.1 m (2,782 ft) |
| Listing | List of mountains and hills of Japan by height |
| Coordinates | 35°4′0″N 135°50′18″E / 35.06667°N 135.83833°ECoordinates: 35°4′0″N 135°50′18″E / 35.06667°N 135.83833°E |
| Geography | |
| Location | Honshū, Shiga Prefecture, Japan |
| Topo map | Geographical Survey Institute 25000:1 京都東北部, 50000:1 京都及大阪 |
Mount Hiei (比叡山 Hiei-zan) is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, Japan.
The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tendai (Chin. Tiantai) sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Hōnen, Nichiren, Dōgen and Shinran all studied at the temple before leaving to start their own practices.
The temple complex was razed by Oda Nobunaga in 1571 to quell the rising power of the Tendai's warrior monks (sōhei), but it was rebuilt and remains the Tendai headquarters to this day.
The Imperial Japanese Navy 19th Century corvette Hiei was named after this mountain, as was the more famous World War II-era battleship Hiei, the latter having initially been built as a battlecruiser.
Mount Hiei has been featured in many folk tales over the ages. Originally it was thought to be the home of gods and demons of Shinto lore, although it is predominantly known for the Buddhist monks that come from the temple of Enryaku-ji.
John Stevens wrote the book The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei, chronicling the practice of walking long distances – up to 52 miles (84 km) a day for 100 straight days, in an effort to attain enlightenment. The practice of walking is known as the kaihōgyō.
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Wikipedia