, officially named , is a

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

Buddhist temple in

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...

, Japan. 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 The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) encompasses 17 locations in Japan within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity. In 794, the Japanese imperial family moved the capital to Heian- ...

which are

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

History

The site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a villa called ''Kitayama-dai'' (北山第), belonging to a powerful statesman, Saionji Kintsune. Kinkaku-ji's history dates to 1397, when the villa was purchased from the Saionji family by ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamak ...

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the third '' shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate, ruling from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was Ashikaga Yoshiakira's third son but the oldest son to survive, his childhood name being Haruō (). Yoshimitsu ...

and transformed into the Kinkaku-ji complex. When Yoshimitsu died the building was converted into a

temple by his son, according to his wishes.Scott, David (1996). ''Exploring Japan''. Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc. . During the

Ōnin war The , also known as the Upheaval of Ōnin and Ōnin-Bunmei war, was a civil war that lasted from 1467 to 1477, during the Muromachi period in Japan. '' Ōnin'' refers to the Japanese era during which the war started; the war ended during the Bun ...

(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 and

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social wit ...

) on 29 September 1955; he died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

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 , born , was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, nationalist, and founder of the , an unarmed civilian militia. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. He was considered fo ...

's 1956 book '' The Temple of the Golden Pavilion'', 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. The pavilion functions as a ''shariden'' (舎利殿), housing relics of the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

(Buddha's Ashes). The building was an important model for Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion Temple) and

Shōkoku-ji , formally identified as , is a Buddhist temple in northern Kyoto, first founded in 1382 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, with the existing temple complex having undergone several periods of extensive reconstruction and rebuilding in the succeeding eras. ...

, which are also located in Kyoto. When these buildings were constructed,

Ashikaga Yoshimasa Ashikaga (足利) may refer to: * Ashikaga clan (足利氏 ''Ashikaga-shi''), a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Minamoto clan; and that formed the basis of the eponymous shogunate ** Ashikaga shogunate (足利幕府 ''Ashikaga bakufu''), a ...

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 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 ''Shinden-zukuri'' (寝殿造) refers to an architectural style created in the Heian period (794－1185) in Japan and used mainly for palaces and residences of nobles. In 894, Japan abolished the ''kentōshi'' (Japanese missions to Tang Chin ...

''. 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 Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

) style, also known as ''zenshū-

butsuden Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English ...

-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") Borrowed scenery (; Japanese: ; Chinese: ) is the principle of "incorporating background landscape into the composition of a garden" found in traditional East Asian garden design. The term borrowing of scenery ("shakkei") is Chinese in origin, a ...

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 An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...

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 The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...

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 , better known to his contemporaries as , was a Japanese painter and printmaker who was widely regarded as a prolific woodblock artist during the Meiji epoch. Names Chikanobu signed his artwork . This was his . The artist's was ; and it w ...

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