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The Temple Of The Golden Pavilion

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The Temple of the Golden Pavillion is an excellent psychological novel. In this book, we can see how a mind can be driven along to evil through obsession.

The main character of this book is Mizoguchi. He is the son of a poor rural priest. He is taken by his dying father to become an acolyte at the Temple of the Golden Pavillion. All throughout his childhood, his father had told him about the spledid beauty of this temple. Mizoguchi builds up an image of ideal beauty in his mind based on this Golden Pavillion. However, this ideal image causes him to feel disappointed in any supposed form of beauty, including women and even the actual physical Golden Pavillion. Nothing can live up to this image of supreme beauty.

As he enters university, he comes under the influence of Kashiwagi, a fellow student with a very bitter view of life. Under this influence, Mizoguchi's dark feelings bubble up inside him. One of my favorite parts is Mizoguchi and Kashiwagi's discussion of knowledge and action. Kashiwagi asserts that an unbearable life can be made bearable by just having the knowledge that it is unchangable. However, Mizoguchi argues that knowledge is a dead thing, and that only action to change to change an unbearable life can make it bearable. This attitude leads him to his final desperate attack.

I think that this book is particularly important in this age of terrorism. Often people ask why do terrorist do what they do, and they ask this because they don't understand the obsession (whether in ideal beauty as in this book, or with fundamentalist religion as in the case with terrorists), the hopelessness, and the desperation that they feel. I think if you read this book, you can understand how a mind is turned to evil acts through these means. Please read this book, if only to understand this point.

A previous reviewer complained that ther isn't much action in this book, and that is true, but that's no reason to give it a low rating. It's a psychological novel about the process of a mind on the road to evil, so naturally the main part of the story takes place in the mind. If you want a novel with exploding cars, you should try a Tom Clancy novel instead.

This novel is a good example of a theme that frequently arises in Mishima's work: the resentment of the object of desire. Mizoguchi, the protagonist, is overwhelmed by the beauty of the golden temple and learns to resent it through the guru-like counsel of a friend. Over and over, Mizoguchi feels overwhelmed and made insignificant by the beautiful things in his new life as a monk: the beautiful temple, sexual possibility, and ultimately, his autonomy, perhaps even his life. This book, arguably Mishima's best, may well have been another one of the author's suicide rehearsals, and the unforgettable psychological impact of the book is that of a legendary storyteller demonstrating his Hamlet-like "north-by-northwest" madness. Technically, this is an amazing book, dripping with evocative, beautiful imagery and reminds me of a movie in its directorial-like descriptive method, its forceful 'mis en scene'. Artistically, I suspect Mishima was trying to compete with his great literary forefather Kawabata by playing with western ideas of the apolonean, further fueling his hopelessness and his rage with his art and with himself, but that is a bit academic and beyond my ability to determine. Ultimately, I cherish this book for its tortured explanation of the harshness love and beauty cruelly impose, a feral scream quietly hidden in the drug-like beauty of a book.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, by Yukio Mishima, is a tragic story about Mizoguchi, the story's protagonist, and his struggle to come to terms with his existence. This novel does not attempt to teach us how or in what way we should live our lives; rather, it offers an insight into the mind of a deeply troubled young man whose existence he justifies by hating the outside world.
Told from the first-person perspective, I had trouble getting into the novel at first - I enjoy an intrusive narrator. After a few chapters, however, I was drawn into Mizoguchi's world of contrasts between evil and beauty. We learn that Mizoguchi stutters a lot and because of this he has been cast out of society at school. His stuttering, his feeling that he is unattractive, and some of the things he has done (such as stepping on a prostitute's stomach) cause him to believe that he is a terribly ugly and evil person. However, Mizoguchi would have himself be seen no other way. Since he has been cast out of the world, he comes to believe that the world is a beautiful and good place in which he does not belong. Yet Mizoguchi soon finds out that this perception of the word - one in which the world is a kind and beautiful place - is not entirely accurate. It is here that I believe Mishima's writing ability stands out among other writers. This is because he is able to show how people like Mizoguchi and Kashiwagi, who is met later in the novel, can see the destruction or defilement of something beautiful as a validation of their own existence.
For example, when Mizoguchi wished "that the Golden Temple was going to be bombed," (62) it was in order for him to remain ugly and evil in his own eyes. While the Golden Temple exists, he is able to find flaws in it - the phoenix looks more like a crow, it is made up of several different architectural styles and its shadow looks more beautiful than the actual building itself. This is not to say that the Golden Temple is not actually beautiful, but that it becomes more beautiful only when it is gone. Since he could then say that the Golden Pavilion was beautiful and that beauty did exist in the world, Mizoguchi could use that as a way to underscore his own ugliness.
With The Temple of the Golden Pavilion Mishima holds his own among the great writes of fiction. Just like any other book, it takes a while to start enjoying, but picks up once you do. It does not try to give us guidelines to live our lives by nor does it have a "The moral of the story is..." This is part of the reason why I enjoyed reading it so much - I did not feel as though there was some sort of a hidden meaning behind every detail of which I needed to be aware. Rather, it provides a detailed insight into the thought processes of a person who can only see himself from a negative perspective.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a book that stayed with me since I first read it, and in particular certain lines by Mizoguchi and Kashiwagi, two of the principal characters, are often so perfect in describing the events of life that I am again filled with admiration for Mishima's incredible philospohical and literary skills. The thing about Mishima, though, is that his protagonist will almost invariably be a young, introspective male - of course, this is a mirror image of Mishima himelf. I am reading "Confessions of a Mask", his "coming-out" autobiography right now, and it brought me back to thinking about the "Temple"; "Confessions" was one of his earliest books and it certainly set the stage for a work like "Temple" to come. It's clear from the autobiography that the themes of beauty (in particular masculine beauty), death, and war are Mishima's obsessions. Of the four Mishima novels i've read (Sound of Waves, Thirst for Love, Spring Snow, and the TOFTGP), some of these themes are always present. In every novel, too, he is using a different approach to them; in the Golden Temple, there is a heightened awareness of sprirituality and beauty of divine origin, i.e. the Golden Temple itself, the object of the acolyte Mizoguchi's obsession, which progressively takes over his life. ("Did I possess the Golden Temple, or was I possessed by it?")
It is hard to imagine Mishima's characters - like the stuttering teenage acolyte Mizoguchi of The Temple, with his keen aestheticism or his crippled friend Kashiwagi with his brilliant philospophical insights - in real life, whether it be Japan or any other country. Mishima's works, even his autobiography, are all surreal in nature. The "Temple" very effectively built up such an aura around the actual Golden Templein Kyoto that when I later saw a picture of it (it has been rebuilt since its destruction described in the book) I was very disappointed by its real image. It is certainly a beautiful building, but to me is not mysterious or hypnotic like it is to Mizoguchi. It is not alive, and certainly doesn't look like it can manipulate the hearts and minds of people, as it did with Mizoguchi. In general, Mishima's works, as was he - seem otherworldly. If this appeals to you, then his books, and this one in particular, will be unforgettable. Mishima's gift for beautiful, descriptive prose and powerful analogies shines through Ivan Morris's excellent translation. If you have never read a Mishima book, and are looking forward to a hypnotic/intellectual journey, "The Temple" is a great book to start with.
Also, the Everyman's Libraby edition is very good, with historical notes, an introduction by Donald Keene, thick paper and a built-in bookmark. Get it over the others.

If ever criticized, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima is chided most frequently for some of its seemingly mundane, superfluous and repetitive details and paragraphs. Many give up, or decide not to read it at all, since the text appears heavy and unmanageable from the very first page. However, after analyzing the book and enduring challenges, one should come to realize the book's deeper meanings.

Mishima's writing is filled with archetypes and symbols that reoccur throughout the novel which may seem repetitive, but are utterly paramount and necessary to encourage deeper thought within the reader. After studying a chapter or two, one can make connections using these archetypes as a guide to interpret the book. For example, the seasons and the weather reflect the state of mind of the protagonist, Mizoguchi. Descriptive words such as "brilliant" and "bright" are premonitions of future events. Other distinctly repeated archetypes include colors, water and fire (they are repeated for the sake of emphasis), which help the reader to stay intact with the extraordinary world that Mishima creates.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is famous for mind-boggling its readers. A way one can come to terms with the frequent juxtapositions in the book is by researching a little about the author's background. Then, one will realize that Mishima incorporated his own philosophies and experiences in the character of Mizoguchi (which resulted in an active voice in its narrations: almost as if Mishima was talking to you personally). This may explain why the book seems abstract yet realistic, absurd yet understandable. Some characteristics of Mizoguchi we can relate with--others are puzzling and enigmatic.

It is striking to think that the main happenings of the novel actually happened--a stuttering young monk did in fact set fire to the golden temple after becoming obsessed with its beauty, as cited in the introduction of the book. The plot is simple, and its synopsis can be predicted through reading the introduction and the blurb. Mishima focuses acutely on the insight of the distressed monk's mind, even forcing the reader to unexpectedly sympathize with the mentally "different" protagonist. This may be the reason why some readers find Mishima's book hard to understand, or not fruitful. A reader cannot expect to obtain anything productive out of this book simply from the plot alone. Its true value can be attained through reading the book proactively, with care.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion has become internationally accepted, possibly because of its universal philosophical messages, unique writing style, and also precisely for its absurdness. It is an esoteric piece of writing. It is loved by individuals (intellectuals) who are able to enjoy and appreciate quality writing while carefully deciphering its many conundrums; but it is dismissed by those... seeking a lighter read.

For more in-depth information and analysis, please visit:
http://goldenpavi.exblog.jp

During WWII, Truman's military made the conscious act of not bombing Kyoto. During restoration, one of Japan's most revered temples was set ablaze by a young Japanese man, a stutterer in training to become a Zen priest. The novel is an exploration of this shocking event, a symbolic mourning of Japan's young people turning away from its own cultural roots(??). (Although many other subjects are touched on).

Mishima, heralded as one of the great writers of Japan, committed public suicide during demonstration against American occupation. He was the "John Updike" of his generation I understand. His sharp criticism of Japan succumbing to Western values is evident in this book (the hospital-like order of the warfs where the U.S. Navy ships were docked).

Mishima provides a satisfying complexity on some difficult subjects (e.g., what is beauty), the pyschology of a young person bent on destruction (shades of the Oaklahoma city bombing). Despite the dark subject matter, the novel is full of enjoyable, lively characters who seem to enter at just the right moments to breath fresh life into the sometimes heavy narrative. (Note the opening speach of the Kashiwagi, the club-footed friend with a refreshingly clear, unique pungent logic.)

On the whole, Temple is deeply philosphical with startling twists and turns in observations, which kept me underlining passages. It is full of some of the best similies and analogies I've ever read. The "off-kilter" narration with deep self-questioning of motives reminded me a bit of Doesteovski's protragonist in Crime and Punishment.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt, almost an easy out, but perhaps Mishima, who seems to have a gift for concise observation, didn't wish to over-explain. Every paragraph seemed to count, and I don't think I can look at a Zen temple the same way again.

It is hard to tell whether Yukio Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is meant to be a harsh criticism of Japan's superficial and self-interested modern society or rather one man's confession of a life long obsession with masochistic beauty. A sickly youth, a passive War-time experience and a longing for a beauty that can only be found in self destruction blurs the Narrator's voice and that of the author into one form. This novel can only be read and understood through allegory due to Mishima's everything-but-subtle writing style. In doing so, Mishima's poetic prose capture the full on collision between traditional and modern Japan during and after World War II. Over the course of the text, the reader follows the Narrator in horrific delight as traditional Japan dies a slow death as symbolized by the Golden Temple.
As with many of his novels, Mishima insists on mourning beauty that has survived too long in the real world. When first confronted with the Golden Temple, the Narrator is shocked to find that the actual Temple pales in comparison to his personal vision of the perfection embodied by the Temple in his mind, "Then the Golden Temple, about which I had dreamed so much, displayed its entire form to me most disappointingly... The shadow was more beautiful than the building itself, " (24). For the Narrator, the Golden Temple symbolized all that is beautiful, precious and sacred in the world. Over time, the Temple in his mind became synonymous with the glory and beauty of Japan and its past. After his initial shock and disillusionment, Narrator comes to believe that the image of the Golden Temple which he held in his mind of was more beautiful than the actual Temple could ever be. It is only when faced with what seems like inevitable destruction that the Narrator is able to see beauty not only in the Golden Temple but also within himself.
The Narrator's stuttering and his insistence on his own ugliness is brought out in his description of the reality of the dilapidated Temple. Before coming to the Golden Temple, the Narrator saw his ugliness, stuttering and suffering as a sign that there must exist somewhere in this world a thing such as perfection and beauty. This masochistic way to cope with a depraved world backfires when the Golden Temple falls short of the Narrator's mental image. With nothing beautiful nor perfect in this world, all is suffering and there is no hope for the Narrator's redemption nor a glimpse of beauty. In response, the Narrator's disillusion takes on yet another form when his life takes on a new purpose.
Once he enters the priesthood, the Narrator soon comes to realize that maybe it is not the Temple that is ugly but rather that he has overestimated the world in which he lives, "It was quite natural that wars and unrest, piles of corpses and copious blood, should enrich the beauty of the Golden Temple. For this temple had been constructed by unrest... " (36). After realizing this, the Narrator starts to feel almost at one with the Golden Temple. Both are products of times of unrest and baseness. With the backdrop of World War II it no surprise that the Narrator's fascination with the Temple takes another masochistic form of beauty.
In the face of utter and inevitable destruction, the Narrator feels that by burning to ash with the Golden Temple both can together attain true, eternal beauty. The only way them to become beautiful is to escape from the tangible world into the world of formlessness, "Indeed, if things continued as they were, the Golden Temple was sure to turn into ashes. Since this idea took root within me, the Golden Temple once again increased in tragic beauty... This beautiful building was before long going to be turned into ashes, I thought. As a result, my image of the Golden Temple gradually came to be superimposed on the real temple... [as] a symbol of the real world's evanescence, " (42,45). This dream of beauty is again dashed to pieces when indeed the Temple is not burned down during the war. Having both lived beyond their only chance for poetic destruction, both the Narrator and the Golden Temple seem cursed to die the slow death of all real and ugly things.
If the Temple is seen as a symbol of traditional Japan, what idea is Mishima driving towards with this novel? What is meant when the Narrator chooses to burn the Temple down himself? In the end, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a picture of Japan in the post-war era. A traditional culture, which only can be seen as beautiful in the midst of war and the baseness of human nature, lives on in a country that obsesses over its own uniqueness, ignorant of the suffering out of which their proud history was born. This is Mishima's Nihonjinron. Just as the Narrator masochistically attaches his good intentions to the Golden Temple only to be let down, so too is the nature of those who follow the illusion of Nihonjinron. Mishima leaves the reader with the intention to tear down all the symbols of the past which have outlived their stay in this world. Only then can the tragedy of the loss of culture and the end of history in the face of modernity truly be mourned for all of it's beauty.

Having only read Mishima's Sound of Waves prior to this, I was pleased to find the same beautiful writing with an edgier subject matter...I found this book particularly notable. The first person narrative (by Mizoguchi, in the novel) provides contrast, in that most people will note the logical fallacies in the narrators thinking and conclusions - and yet we are given those fallacies as fact, as Mizoguchi takes them to be fact. This results in a startling perspective, given without moral censure, which in itself is very interesting. There is never a time when Mishima implies that anything Mizoguchi does is "wrong", something which is done in most books by western authors. All conclusions on right and wrong are left to the reader, which is refreshing in a time and a country where right and wrong are increasingly dictated by outside authorities. This freedom is handled very deftly, although some people may find it disturbing. The last point I like about this book is that, while it is based around a Buddhist temple and many of the characters are from within that world, the religion is never preached - instead, it is more of a background, something taken for fact because of where the novel is set and who it is about. All in all, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a remarkable book, and I recommend it strongly to anyone who considers reading it.

From all of mishima`s work The Temple... is one of his most extraordinary works, his linguistic use to describe psicological extreme situations and the sense of beauty surrounding them and innate to their being, aquires here an epic touch. Here mishima focuses also on certain specific issues such as the relations between art, destruction, and death wich are treated in The sea of fertility too. if you wanna have a complete view of mishimas work, in my opinion its fundamental to read The Temple of the golden pavilion.

This book affected me so much that I kept my mouth shut for a week (the amount of time it took me to complete the book). I couldn't eat, and I couldn't speak. Yukio Mishima's beautiful narrative paralyzed me the way the Golden Temple paralyzed Mizoguchi, the protagonist. A talented writer-philosopher, Mishima skillfully toyed with various aspects of beauty, fear, and faith, ultimately meltings them into one great encompassing theme that destroys the mystery behind what many of us lack: confidence. I strongly recommend this book to the artistically minded--especially those who has not found the courage to express themselves.