teclahashimoto.com Kinkakuji Phoenix

The Golden Phoenix atop the golden pavilion of Kinkakuji. Notice the look of fierce determination on its face, like that of Tecla. Notice too the pyramid-like wooden platform it stands upon, also like Tecla. Mishima in his book makes much of the fact that this beautiful Golden Phoenix was reflected even more profoundly and gloriously in the pond of water below, giving it a double aspect (which we might describe as the phoenix's "spirit"); just as Tecla was also martyred at the side of a river (or in a dry riverbed, depending on which account you read), with her spirit acting as her glorious "double" as it rose up to heaven.

I once had a version of Mishima's Kinkakuji in the early 90's from Tuttle with a cover that brilliantly depicted an cartoon-like close-up version of this Kinkakuji phoenix with a wry grin on its face as the flames licked up from below--but, alas, the book has been lost to me and Google Images has nothing to show...