日本語 | English

■ We are featuring Stationery from Feb. 29 to Mar. 30.







Atom_feed
Rokuon-ji
What Does the Gold Show?
Date:31, Jan, 2018
Investigated and Written by Misaka Youhei
About our introductory articles


Hello, everybody. Today, I'm talking about "Rokuon-ji" (Deer Garden Temple). Now, I know most are unfamiliar with the official name, would like to use the popular name "Kinkaku-ji" (Temple of the Golden Pavilion).



Where is it standing? In Kyoto, Japan. Off the Sai-in station of Hankyu Railway, take the city bus for Kinkaku-ji, which would automatically bring you to the Zen Buddhist temple of popularity.



I guess it's almost unknown why the building's plated with gold foil. Let's get back to the time when it was built.

In 1397, Kinkaku-ji was originally built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who was almost in power during the Muromachi period of Japan. He strongly adored China, a suzerain of Japan at the time. China also recognized him as the King of Japan.

Look. The 1st floor of the 3 story building (Shari-den) isn't plated with gold foil.



Why? It's said the 1st floor means the Court noble, the 2nd does warriors including Ashikaga Yoshimitsu himself, and the 3rd China. The evidence that the 1st floor was built in Court noble style, the 2nd was Samurai style, and the 3rd was style of Zen from China.

It's supposed the building was built for showing that brilliant were China and the Samurai warriors accepted by China, not the Court.

It makes, therefore, me kind of think of the present relations between Japan and China.

Today, Japan-China relations is not good for America that Japan serves. What does it mean? If the East Asia is completely in peace, the U.S. Armed Forces will lose the right reason to be stationed in Okinawa, because there's no more the Soviet Union. So it can be considered that we, Japan and China, have to be moderately at odds for America.



That's only my opinion, and I believe there are few who think of Japan-China relations by looking at Kinkaku-ji. I'd like you to enjoy sightseeing there.







 

鹿苑寺
金閣寺の「金」から何が見えるか

東大寺
東大寺の「東」に何を想うか