, officially named , is a Zen

Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...

in Kyoto,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. It is one of the most popular buildings in Kyoto, attracting many visitors annually.Bornoff, Nicholas (2000). ''The National Geographic Traveler: Japan''. National Geographic Society. . It is designated as a National Special Historic Site, a National Special Landscape and is one of 17 locations making up the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which are World Heritage Sites.

History

The site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a villa called ''Kitayama-dai'' (北山第), belonging to a powerful statesman,

Saionji Kintsune was a ''waka'' poet and Japanese nobleman active in the early Kamakura period. He is designated as a member of the . He was also a major contributor to the ''Shinchokusen Wakashū'' anthology. In 1222AD he was appointed as the Chancellor of th ...

. Kinkaku-ji's history dates to 1397, when the villa was purchased from the Saionji family by '' shōgun'' Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and transformed into the Kinkaku-ji complex. When Yoshimitsu died the building was converted into a Zen temple by his son, according to his wishes.Scott, David (1996). ''Exploring Japan''. Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc. . During the Ōnin war (1467–1477), all of the buildings in the complex aside from the pavilion were burned down. On 2 July 1950, at 2:30 am, the pavilion was burned down by a 22-year-old novice monk, Hayashi Yoken, who then attempted suicide on the Daimon-ji hill behind the building. He survived, and was subsequently taken into custody. The monk was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was released because of mental illnesses (

persecution complex A persecutory delusion is a common type of delusional condition in which the affected person believes that harm is going to occur to oneself by a persecutor, despite a clear lack of evidence. The person may believe that they are being targeted by a ...

and schizophrenia) on 29 September 1955; he died of tuberculosis in March 1956. During the fire, the original statue of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was lost to the flames (now restored). A fictionalized version of these events is at the center of Yukio Mishima's 1956 book ''

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a novel by the Japanese author Yukio Mishima. It was published in 1956 and translated into English by Ivan Morris in 1959. The novel is loosely based on the burning of the Reliquary (or Golden Pavilion) of Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto by a young Bud ...

'', and another in the ballet '' RAkU''. The present pavilion structure dates from 1955, when it was rebuilt. The pavilion is three stories high, in height.Young, David, and Michiko Young. The art of Japanese Architecture. North Claredon, VT: Turtle Publishing, 2007. N. pag. Print. The reconstruction is said to be a copy close to the original, although some doubt such an extensive gold-leaf coating was used on the original structure. In 1984, it was discovered that the gold leaf on the reconstructed building had peeled off, and from 1986 to 1987, it was replaced with 0.5 μm gold leaf, five times the thickness of the gold leaf on the reconstructed building. Although Japanese gold leaf has become thinner with the passage of time due to improved technology, the 0.5 μm gold leaf is as thick as traditional Japanese gold leaf. Additionally, the interior of the building, including the paintings and Yoshimitsu's statue, were also restored. Finally, the roof was restored in 2003. The name Kinkaku is derived from the gold leaf that the pavilion is covered in. Gold was an important addition to the pavilion because of its underlying meaning. The gold employed was intended to mitigate and purify any pollution or negative thoughts and feelings towards death.Gerhart, Karen M. The material culture of Death in medieval Japan. N.p.: University of Hawaii Press, 2009. N. pag. Print. Other than the symbolic meaning behind the gold leaf, the Muromachi period heavily relied on visual excesses. With the focus on the Golden Pavilion, the way that the structure is mainly covered in that material creates an impression that stands out because of the sunlight reflecting and the effect the reflection creates on the pond.

Design details

The is a three-story building on the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure

gold leaf Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets (usually around 0.1 µm thick) by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades. The most commonly used gold is 22-kara ...

. The pavilion functions as a ''shariden'' (舎利殿), housing relics of the Buddha (Buddha's Ashes). The building was an important model for Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion Temple) and Shōkoku-ji, which are also located in Kyoto. When these buildings were constructed, Ashikaga Yoshimasa employed the styles used at Kinkaku-ji and even borrowed the names of its second and third floors.

Architectural design

The pavilion successfully incorporates three distinct styles of architecture, which are shinden, samurai and zen, specifically on each floor. Each floor of the Kinkaku uses a different architectural style. The first floor, called ''The Chamber of Dharma Waters'' (法水院, Hō-sui-in), is rendered in '' shinden-zukuri'' style, reminiscent of the residential style of the 11th century

Heian The Japanese word Heian (平安, lit. "peace") may refer to: * Heian period, an era of Japanese history * Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one ...

imperial aristocracy. It is evocative of the Shinden palace style. It is designed as an open space with adjacent verandas and uses natural, unpainted wood and white plaster. This helps to emphasize the surrounding landscape. The walls and fenestration also affect the views from inside the pavilion. Most of the walls are made of shutters that can vary the amount of light and air into the pavilion and change the view by controlling the shutters' heights. The second floor, called ''The Tower of Sound Waves'' (潮音洞, Chō-on-dō ), is built in the style of warrior aristocrats, or '' buke-zukuri''. On this floor, sliding wood doors and latticed windows create a feeling of impermanence. The second floor also contains a Buddha Hall and a shrine dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Kannon. The third floor is built in traditional Chinese ''chán'' (Jpn. zen) style, also known as ''zenshū- butsuden-zukuri''. It is called the ''Cupola of the Ultimate'' (究竟頂, Kukkyō-chō). The zen typology depicts a more religious ambiance in the pavilion, as was popular during the Muromachi period. The roof is in a thatched pyramid with shingles.Young, David, Michiko Young, and Tan Hong. The material culture of Death in medieval Japan. North Claredon, VT: Turtle Publishing, 2005. N. pag. Print. The building is topped with a bronze ''hōō'' (phoenix) ornament. From the outside, viewers can see gold plating added to the upper stories of the pavilion. The gold leaf covering the upper stories hints at what is housed inside: the shrines. The outside is a reflection of the inside. The elements of nature, death, religion, are formed together to create this connection between the pavilion and outside intrusions.

Garden design

The Golden Pavilion is set in a Japanese . The location implements the idea of borrowing of scenery ("shakkei") that integrates the outside and the inside, creating an extension of the views surrounding the pavilion and connecting it with the outside world. The pavilion extends over a pond, called , that reflects the building. The pond contains 10 smaller islands. The zen typology is seen through the rock composition; the bridges and plants are arranged in a specific way to represent famous places in Chinese and Japanese literature. Vantage points and focal points were established because of the strategic placement of the pavilion to view the gardens surrounding the pavilion. A small or roofed deck is attached to the rear of the pavilion building, allowing a small boat to be moored under it. The pavilion grounds were built according to descriptions of the Western Paradise of the Buddha Amida, intending to illustrate a harmony between heaven and earth. The largest islet in the pond represents the Japanese islands. The four stones forming a straight line in the pond near the pavilion are intended to represent sailboats anchored at night, bound for the ''Isle of Eternal Life'' in Chinese mythology. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design.''Eyewitness Travel Guides: Japan''. Dorling Kindersley Publishing (2000). . The Muromachi period is considered to be a classical age of Japanese garden design.“Pregil, Philip, and Nancy Volkman. Landscapes in History: Design and Planning in the Eastern and Western tradition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1992. N. pag. Print.”. The correlation between buildings and its settings were greatly emphasized during this period. It was a way to integrate the structure within the landscape in an artistic way. The garden designs were characterized by a reduction in scale, a more central purpose and a distinct setting.Boults, Elizabeth, and Chip Sullivan. Illustrated History of Landscape Design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons INc., 2010. N. pag. Print. A minimalistic approach was brought to the garden design, by recreating larger landscapes in a smaller scale around a structure.

Gallery

File:1930s Japan Travel Poster - 15.jpg, 1930s travel poster File:Kinkaku-ji entrance.jpg, Entrance and ticket booth File:Kinkaku-ji close up.jpg, Kinkaku-ji close up File:Kinkaku-ji 03.jpg, Interior File:Kinkaku-ji garden.jpg, Kinkaku-ji garden File:Golden Pavillion 2010 03 29 32.jpg, The lower pond File:Yōshū Chikanobu Kinkaku haiken.jpg, Toyohara Chikanobu File:Kyoto-Kinkaku-ji-White-Snake.jpg, White Snake Pagoda of Kinkaku-ji

Notes

References

* Boults, Elizabeth, and Chip Sullivan. ''Illustrated History of Landscape Design''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. * Gerhart, Karen M. ''The Material Culture of Death in Medieval Japan''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2009. * Pregil, Philip, and Nancy Volkman. ''Landscapes in History: Design and Planning in the Eastern and Western Tradition''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 1992. * Young, David, and Michiko Young. ''The Art of Japanese Architecture''. North Claredon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2007. * Young, David, Michiko Young, and Tan Hong. ''Introduction to Japanese Architecture''. North Claredon, VT: Periplus, 2005.

External links

Official site of Kinkaku-ji

Oriental Architecture – Kinkakuji Temple

Omamori Charms Amulets of Kinkaku-ji Temple
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kinkaku-Ji 14th-century Buddhist temples Religious buildings and structures completed in 1955 20th-century Buddhist temples Buddhist temples in Kyoto World Heritage Sites in Japan Myoshin-ji temples Special Places of Scenic Beauty Special Historic Sites Religious buildings and structures destroyed by arson Important Cultural Properties of Japan Rebuilt buildings and structures in Japan 1397 establishments