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Kinkajuji


Kinkajuji
Photo Information
Copyright: Andrew Ooi (andrewooi) Silver Note Writer [C: 4 W: 0 N: 37] (202)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-18
Categories: Architecture
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-13 10:04
Viewed: 1205
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
From Wikipedia. Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺, Kinkaku-ji? Golden Pavilion Temple) is the informal name of Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺, Deer Garden Temple) in Kyoto, Japan. It was originally built in 1397 to serve as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, as part of his estate then known as Kitayama.[1] It was his son who converted the building into a Zen temple of the Rinzai school. The temple was burned down twice during the Ōnin War.

The Golden Pavilion, or Kinkaku, is a three-story building on the grounds of the temple. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha. On the roof is a golden hō-ō, or so-called "Chinese phoenix". The building is often linked or contrasted with Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion Temple, which is also located in Kyoto.

The Golden Pavilion is set in a magnificent Japanese strolling garden (kaiyū-shiki). The pond in front of it is called Kyōko-chi (Mirror Pond). There are many islands and stones on the pond that represent the Buddhist creation story.

In 1950, the pavilion was burned down by a monk, who then attempted suicide on the hill behind the building. He survived, but during the investigation after the monk's arrest, his mother was called in to talk with the police; on her way home, she committed suicide by jumping from her train into a river valley. The monk was sentenced to seven years in prison; he died of illness during his imprisonment in 1956. A fictionalized version of these events is at the center of Yukio Mishima's 1956 book The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.

The present structure dates from 1955. Recently, the coating of Japanese lacquer was found a little decayed, and a new coating as well as gilding with gold-leaf, much thicker than the original coatings, was completed in 1987. Additionally, the interior of the building, including the paintings, was also restored. Finally, the roof was restored in 2003.

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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • lybil Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 98 W: 146 N: 57] (863)
  • [2008-03-13 10:06]

Hi Andrew,
Such a peacefull ambiance and so well captured.
I like a lot the leafs of the tree over the roof of the pavilion.
TFS
Lybil

Hello Andrew,
a great photo of a wonderful site, very well done!
I like so much the sharpness and the saturations of the colours. Also the point of view is interesting; beauty the red tree too :)
Regards,
Davide

  • Great 
  • hgupta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 347 W: 4 N: 195] (1128)
  • [2008-03-13 10:21]

Hi Andrew,

Very nice capture of this beautiful architecture. Specailly beautiful is the presence redish leaves on the side creating magical environment. Nice colors and neat shot.
regards,

Hemant

Absolutely lovely.
Kinkakuji is beautiful, no matter what season you see it.
Wonderful colors. : D
-Carley

Hi Andrew ;

çok hoş renkler elinize sağlık

Önder Kahraman

hello Andrew,
nice capture of this wonderful site.the colours though a bit oversaturated are blending well to create a soothing photograph.
kind regards,
apoorva

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