This model of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan, is exquisite but the temple and actual site are a modern-day marvel. Originally built in 1397 as a retirement home for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (r. 1368-1394/5 CE), the residence was converted into a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple after his death in 1408. It has been destroyed and rebuilt at least three times, the last one in 1950, when it was intentionally burned down by a novice monk. The bronze phoenix (meaning divine favor, virtue, and harmony) survived the fire as it was offsite being repaired. Since 1994, Kinkaku-ji has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site .
The Japanese website (http://bit.ly/39XtAl6) provides this observation:
"Unlike the gardens in Christianity, the gardens of Buddhist temples are backed by a Buddhist worldview, and along with the temples and temples, the gardens represent a Buddhist worldview. By visiting the temple and staying in the environment, you will be able to experience the Buddhist world more convincingly than the law and sermons…The visit to Kinkakuji Temple has been established as a unique means of missionary work due to the efforts of the people involved in Kinkakuji Temple and the achievements of its long history."
For additional information see: http://bit.ly/3oVFnV1 and https://bit.ly/3cNm4uH.
Literature: The Temple Of The Golden Pavilion, Yukio Mishima, 2010.
- Subject Matter: Miniature of the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan
- Inventory Number: 2015.43
- Collections: Sacred World Art Collection