21st Century Necromancer-Chapter 888 - 882 Kiyomizu-dera

Chapter 888 -882 Kiyomizu-dera

After a good night’s rest, the group set out early the next morning, driving together to Kiyomizu-dera.

Kiyomizu-dera, constructed in 778 AD, is an ancient Buddhist temple, the oldest in Kyoto, and a national treasure of Japan.

According to the “Zoku Gunsho Ruiju,” which records the origins of Kiyomizu-dera, a monk named Kenjin, who was practicing in Nara at the time, dreamed of an elderly monk in white robes telling him to “go north in search of a clear spring.”

Following the guidance from his dream, Kenjin traveled north from Nara to Kyoto, where he discovered a waterfall formed by a spring on Mount Otowa.

By the waterfall, Kenjin encountered an elderly monk, the incarnation of Guanyin, who handed him a piece of spirit wood and instructed him to carve it into a statue of Guanyin.

From then on, Monk Kenjin took residence by the waterfall, building a hut there to continue his practice.

Two years later, Japan’s first Shogun, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, passed by while hunting and met Monk Kenjin. Moved by Kenjin’s teachings, Tamuramaro commissioned the construction of a Buddhist temple, choosing as its central deity the statue of the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Guanyin still enshrined at Kiyomizu-dera today.

Although Kiyomizu-dera has been preserved, it has undergone at least ten fires throughout its history. The temple has seen many ups and downs, with the current structure rebuilt during the Tokugawa Shogunate, funded by the third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu.

Fortunately, Kiyomizu-dera’s Eleven-Faced Guanyin, its main hall supported by 139 pillars, and the famous Kiyomizu Stage have retained their ancient character, earning the temple recognition as a national treasure of Japan. Its grandeur can even be glimpsed in numerous films, TV programs, and anime and video games.

Chen Yu and his group, of course, wouldn’t miss such a famous landmark when visiting Kiyomizu-dera.

However, their timing wasn’t ideal. The temple’s main hall, which houses the Eleven-Faced Guanyin, remains closed to the public outside of the Obon Festival, when it opens for worship. Thus, they couldn’t see the precious statue.

That said, no one in Chen Yu’s group was a devout believer with a strong desire to pay homage to the Guanyin statue. They didn’t feel regretful and instead began admiring the magnificent scenery of Mount Otowa from the Kiyomizu Stage.

The Kiyomizu Stage and the temple’s main hall are built on a cliffside halfway up the mountain. While the main hall rests on solid ground, the vast stage is entirely supported by 139 wooden columns. Whether viewed from above or below, its grand scale is awe-inspiring.

“Ah~! The scenery here is amazing!” Jounouchi Hiromi exclaimed, leaning against the railing of the Kiyomizu Stage as she stretched lazily. She then turned to Chen Yu with a playful smile, “Honey, take a photo of me!”

Chen Yu naturally wouldn’t refuse his wife’s request. He grabbed the camera and captured her posing in various ways.

Seeing Chen Yu taking photos of Jounouchi Hiromi, Qingdai and Tokairin Yuko wouldn’t be left behind. They also pulled their respective boyfriends to the railing for commemorative pictures.

As for the three single women—Kohinata Kaori, Misumi Mikoto, and Minami—while they didn’t have partners, they didn’t want to miss out on photo opportunities either. They roped in Inomata Naoki and Kube Rokuro to help take their pictures.

Meanwhile, no one wanted to intrude on Chen Yu and Jounouchi Hiromi’s sweet moments, as their affection for each other was too evident and enviable.

Chen Yu and Jounouchi Hiromi noticed Kohinata Kaori, Misumi Mikoto, and Minami’s antics and couldn’t help but chuckle together.

Chen Yu, eager to spend more quality time with his wife, didn’t offer to help the others. Instead, he held Jounouchi Hiromi’s hand, enjoying Mount Otowa’s breathtaking views from the railing.

“Honey, do you know that the Shogun who built Kiyomizu-dera, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, was Chinese?” Out of the blue, Jounouchi Hiromi brought up a historical topic with Chen Yu.

“It’s probably because he claimed to be a descendant of Liu Achi, a great-grandson of Emperor Xian of Han,” Chen Yu replied, as he had heard the story about Japan’s first Shogun with Chinese ancestry. “I recall the Japanese government officially acknowledged a few years ago that he was indeed of Chinese descent, a descendant of Liu Achi. Koreans even made a fuss about it.”

“Koreans are shameless!” Jounouchi Hiromi snorted disdainfully, clearly displeased with Korea’s habit of claiming everything as their own.

Watching his wife’s indignant expression, Chen Yu couldn’t help but laugh. He wrapped his arms around her to comfort her.

Chen Yu understood why his wife would be upset. In Japan, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro is regarded as a symbol of loyalty and valor, akin to the status of Guan Yu in China. He is revered as the Martial God and often referred to as Japan’s Guan Yu.

Unlike Guan Yu, who rose to prominence during the Qing Dynasty, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was celebrated during his lifetime. For over a millennium, every Shogun embarking on a major campaign would pay their respects to him first. During the Shogunate era, samurai families revered him as a paragon of virtue and a near-divine figure of faith.

A historical figure so significant to Japan having Chinese ancestry is not shameful—it’s factual. But for Koreans to declare him Korean and claim that his ancestor, Liu Achi, was a Korean spreading their advanced culture to Japan? Laughable.

In ancient times, such a statement might have even provoked Japan into declaring war on Korea. It’s no wonder the Japanese public found it unbearable.

It’s absurd when you think about it. Anyone knowledgeable about history knows that East Asia’s most advanced culture has always flowed outward from China. Whether it’s Korea, Japan, or even those “monkeys” in Southeast Asia, they were all once Chinese tributary states. Since when did Korea possess advanced culture to spread to Japan? freēnovelkiss.com

Historically, Korea wasn’t the self-proclaimed origin of all things as it is today. During the Ming Dynasty, Korea practically kowtowed to the Great Ming like a grandchild flattering its grandfather. They would send envoys to pay tribute during festivals and events. At one point, they banned marriages across the country to select women as tributes to the Ming, only allowing marriage after the tribute women were picked.

Offering Korean ginseng and gold was minor; historical records show that Koreans even confiscated shariputras from their temples to present to the Ming, stopping just short of burning their monks for more relics.

A country like that claiming everything as its origin is nothing short of a ridiculous joke.

Chen Yu, meanwhile, recalled how he stole half of the Nether River from Korea while constructing his Necromantic Space. The memory made him chuckle. He shared the story with Jounouchi Hiromi in a whisper, eliciting her playful scold, “Honey, you’re so bad! But I love it!”