Reaction to Shrines and Temples of Nicco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reaction to Shrines and Temples of Nicco - Essay Example The Shinto religious outlook of Japan embodies a unique concept as it emphasizes man’s relationship with nature. Mountains and forests are regarded as objects of spiritual worship and accordingly temples have been constructed in nature’s background. From very early days, the Nikko mountain has been worshipped in the country. During the late 8th century, Shodo, a Buddhist monk constructed the first temples on the slopes of the Nikko mountain. The Nikko temples gained further importance as a sacred shrine in the Kanto region during the end of the 12th century when the Kamakura Shogunate was established in the same region. Gradually, the temples and Shrines of Nicco became a symbol of national sovereignty. In 1871, the Meiji Government decided to divide the Nikko religious buildings site into three divisions representing three different religious groups. These were the Futarasan-jinja and the Toshogu of the Shinto faith and the Rinno-ji belonging to the Buddhist ideology. This decision involved the movement and restoration of certain buildings at the Nikko shrine1. The Imperial Palace of the Forbidden City in Beijing is almost like a statement of the power and grandeur of the Ming dynasty. The formal structure of the Palace is a reflection of the strong authority of the rulers of this lineage. The Chinese civilization is one of the oldest civilizations of the world and the Imperial Palaces of both Beijing and Shenyang are a testimony to that grand cultural heritage. The Forbidden City is located at the centre of Beijing, to the north of the Tiananmen Square. The Imperial Palace is now known as the Palace Museum, since UNESCO has converted into a world heritage site. The Forbidden City bears the look of a formal place. Most of the important buildings in the palace complex are symmetrically arranged and are built down the centre, north and south of the City. In