京都（宿題②）

I have never been to Japan. However, I would like to visit Kyoto if I can go to Japan. Kyoto was the centre of economics and culture in Japan in the past. Due to the long history of Kyoto, much cultural heritage can be found in there, especially shrines. Unlike Tokyo, traditional cultures of Japan can still be found in Kyoto. I am interested in those traditional cultures, which is very different from the pop-cultures nowadays. Although both Tokyo and Kyoto are situated in Japan, their cultures are rather different from each other.

The following is a place I want to visit when I have been to Kyoto:

Kinkaku-ji (shrine) :

Brief Introduction:

Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺 Temple of the Golden Pavilion), also known as Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺 Deer Garden Temple), is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto. It is also one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a large number of visitors annually.

(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji)

My Comments:

Kinkaku-ji is golden pavilion temple. I am fascinated by its majestically impressive appearance. Also, I am interested in the design of shrines (temples) in Japan by comparing with that in China. The interesting point I found is that although Buddhism emphasizes the life should be simple and plain (without any desires), Kinkaku-ji was coated with gold-leaf. In addition, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (足利義満) use Kinkaku-ji as a place for meditation (in Chinese 禪修的地方). Is it a contradiction? Does this mean the Japanese nobles (or high social status people) was affected by the Chinese novels in that period? (because Chinese nobles consider gold as a symbol of wealth)

I think that most of the classmates are interested in the festivals (祭事) in Japan. Therefore, I would like to introduce a famous festival in Kyoto to other classmates. The festivals celebrated in Kyoto include Gion Matsuri (祇園祭), Aoi Matsuri (葵祭), Jidai Matsuri (時代祭), Gozan no Okuribi (五山送り火), but I would only introduce Gozan no Okuribi in this writing project.

Gozan no Okuribi:

Brief Introduction:

Gozan no Okuribi (五山送り火), more commonly known as Daimonji (大文字), is one of the iconic festivals of Kyoto, Japan. It is the culmination of the O-Bon festival on August 16th, in which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased family members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world—thus the name Okuribi (送り火) (roughly, "send-off fire").

The giant bonfires are lit and form giant Chinese characters, including Daimonji (大文字), Myō/Hō (妙・法), Funagata (舟形), Hidari Daimonji (左大文字) and Toriigata (鳥居形).

大

法

妙

舟形

(reference:: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gozan_no_Okuribi)

My Comments:

Gozan no Okuribi is a famous and special festival in Kyoto. I am very impressed by the name of the festival, Daimonji because a pokemon called ブーバー (in Chinese 鴨嘴火龍) is able to use a skill called Daimonji (in Chinese 大字燒), the name of which is the same XD. Besides, I observe that Japanese also respects their ancestors very much. However, the attitude towards phantoms of Japanese is a bit different from that of Chinese (Chinese believe that we should respect phantom, but keep a distance with them 敬而遠之). Is it the cultural difference between Japanese and Chinese?

ブーバー

source: http://pokemon.aucy.com/nds/pokemon.php?gamever[]=2&in=%E3%83%96%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC

Additional Information:

有些地域在「送火」時會將供品裝在盆舟或燈籠，點上蠟燭，放入河川大海，這叫「灯籠流し」 (To-ro-nagashi)，相當於中國的放水燈民族活動。鬼節期間，也有人在玄關裝飾「精霊馬」(Sho-ryo-uma)，用牙或竹子當四肢插在黃瓜和茄子比擬為牛、馬，黃瓜是馬，讓陰魂快快回來之意；茄子是牛，讓陰魂慢慢回來之意。

(reference: Miya 字解日本 十二歲時 茂呂美耶著 麥田出版)

Remark: This book is written in Chinese and for easy understanding, I type in Chinese only XD)

精霊馬