The Site of Gakkoin School

The field spreads between the site of the Dazifu Government Office and Kanzeonji Temple,and now becomes a rice paddy.This area was formerly named "Gakugyou",and is supposed to be the site of Gakkoin School attached to the Dazaifu Government Office.
According to the code for the government officials, at the Gakkoin School in Dazaifu were placed professors of Confucianism,music and lows.
And an Official Gazette published in 781 told that in the Gakkoin School of Dazaifu were there about 200 and some students learning administration,medical skills,and arithmetic from 6 states under the jurisdiction of Dazaifu Government.
The Gakkoin School enjoyed the prosperity in those days.
The School of Dazaifu was established with the purpose for educating sons of top officials of the states in the jurisdiction of Dazaifu,and was compared to "Daigaku"(means University) in the central government.
According to "Shokunihongi"(means A Sequel to Japanese History),the Gakkoin School was famous for well-doing of the study for Chinese history and literature.
The School of Dazaifu was so famous that it could be compared with Daigaku at Heijyoukyo,the capital of Nara.
At the most prosperous time of the School,some houndreds students were enrolled at the School,and were strictly educated by the best professors of composition,music,and low.

By the way,the ground of Dazaifu has two phases.
The first one was the ground which accepted positively foreign culture as an entrance of the Continent of China.
The Second one was the ground which accepted those demoted from the central government.
It is able to estimate that the character of Gakkoin School changed drastically in terms of those two phases on the ground of Dazaifu.
It seems that the second phase came to the fore front,since the time when embassy to the Tang was abolished.
It is said that the Gakkoin School was founded by Kibino Makibi,but there is not any recorded evidence of the fact.

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