Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, whose gold-leaf-covered pavilion stands beside a reflecting pond. Its official name is Rokuon-ji.
Golden Pavilion: The three-story pavilion at Kinkaku-ji, covered in gold leaf on its upper two stories. This celebrated building gives the temple its common name and distinctive appearance.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu: A Muromachi-period shogun who consolidated political power and supported the arts. He built the original villa on the site and arranged for its conversion into a temple.
1950 arson of Kinkaku-ji: The 1950 burning of Kinkaku-ji’s pavilion by a novice monk, which destroyed the historic structure. The fire ended the life of the original pavilion and prompted a full reconstruction.
Ginkaku-ji: A Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, known for its understated Silver Pavilion and gardens. Its restrained aesthetic contrasts with Kinkaku-ji’s conspicuous gold-covered pavilion.
Kyōko-chi: The large pond in Kinkaku-ji’s garden, dotted with small islands and stones. Its reflections make the pavilion and surrounding landscape part of one composition.
Kitayama culture: A Muromachi-period cultural movement associated with Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s court and northern Kyoto. The pavilion embodies the elite artistic culture cultivated at Yoshimitsu’s retreat.
1955 reconstruction of Kinkaku-ji: The rebuilding of Kinkaku-ji’s pavilion, completed in 1955 after the 1950 fire. The present pavilion is this reconstruction, rather than the medieval building.
Kiyomizu-dera: A Buddhist temple in Kyoto, famous for its wooden stage projecting over a hillside. Its dramatic timber architecture offers a different landmark image of Kyoto.
Japanese garden: A designed landscape that uses plants, water, rocks, and paths to evoke natural scenery. Kinkaku-ji’s pond garden frames the pavilion through carefully arranged views.
Muromachi period: A period of Japanese history from 1336 to 1573, marked by rule under the Ashikaga shogunate. Kinkaku-ji’s founding belongs to the political and cultural world of the Ashikaga shoguns.