Beauty in Ruins: Mishima’s The Temple of the Golden Pavilion and the Post-War Permacrisis

Since the end of World War II, global society has grappled with economic crises and geopolitical upheavals, fostering an enduring sense of uncertainty and unease. In this climate of instability, literature proves to be a precious tool for understanding and navigating the profound tensions that shape our communities. This speech explores Yukio Mishima’s The Golden Pavilion, interpreting it as a literary reflection on the identity and cultural crisis experienced by the post-war Japanese generation. At the centre of the novel is the young monk Mizoguchi, whose act of destroying the Golden Pavilion – a powerful symbol of Japan’s historical grandeur – reveals not only his tormented bond with the temple but also the existential struggle of a generation caught between two irreconcilable worlds. Suspended in a liminal space, this generation is torn between a future that offers neither shelter nor hope and a past that lies in ruins. Trapped in an unending present, the temple’s beauty embodying timeless allure becomes a suffocating burden. Mizoguchi’s destructive act transcends personal tragedy, emerging as a symbol of a collective crisis that mirrors the emotional and cultural trauma of a war-scarred society. Through this lens, the act becomes a prism for examining broader themes of memory, identity, and transformation. In this light, The Golden Pavilion offers profound insights into Japan’s post-war permacrisis, prompting critical reflections on the enduring questions of memory and identity in times of upheaval. Mishima’s novel underscores the power of literature to illuminate the multifaceted nature of contemporary crises, offering a deeper understanding of the human condition in periods of turmoil, a perspective that holds particular relevance in today’s world.