The Golden Temple. A Book for Reading in Japanese

"The Golden Temple" is the most famous work of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. It is based on a real event: in 1950, a monk burned the Golden Temple in Kyoto — and this destructive episode so impressed Mishima that he... decided to write his version of the event. The philosophical novel, with its subtle Eastern contemplation, picturesque landscapes, and colorful metaphors, tells of the search for beauty in this world — and the impossibility of attaining the Beautiful ideal. Young monk Mizoguchi, who has admired the image of the Golden Temple since childhood, has dedicated his life to the search for that very ideal. But sometimes, the quest for harmony with the external world leads to tragic consequences...