Book "The Golden Temple" by Yukio Mishima

The Golden Temple (1956) is one of the most significant works of the outstanding Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, one of the masterpieces of Japanese literature and deservedly has the reputation of the most famous Japanese novel in the world. The basis of the book is a true story. On July 2, 1950, the public was shocked by the news of the arson of the famous Golden Temple in Kyoto. The arsonist is Mizoguchi, a stammerer from birth, a rejected young temple servant, fascinated by the beauty of the temple, whose feelings for the value of the material are admirable, wild, and painful. Overwhelmed by conflicting feelings and reflections, he decides to destroy the most beautiful structure that stands between him and life. And all this is richly interspersed with descriptions of Japan's history, architecture, religion, art, and other elements of its rich culture.