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The Byôdôin is a Buddhist temple in [[Uji]], near [[Kyoto]], devoted to [[Amida Buddha]], and famous for its Phoenix Hall (''Hôôdô''), the only major building in the complex which survives today.

The Byôdôin is a Buddhist temple in [[Uji]], near [[Kyoto]], devoted to [[Amida Buddha]], and famous for its Phoenix Hall (''Hôôdô''), the only major building in the complex which survives today.

The compound was originally a manor purchased by [[Fujiwara no Michinaga]] in [[998]]; his son [[Fujiwara no Yorimichi]] used it as a summer retreat for some time before converting it to a temple in 1052. The Phoenix Hall was built the following year.

The compound was originally a manor belonging to [[Minamoto no Toru|Minamoto no Tôru]] (d. [[895]]),<ref>Helen Craig McCullough trans., ''Tales of Ise'', Stanford U. Press, 1968, 201n4.</ref> and later purchased by [[Fujiwara no Michinaga]] in [[998]]; his son [[Fujiwara no Yorimichi]] used it as a summer retreat for some time before converting it to a temple in 1052. The Phoenix Hall was built the following year.

The Phoenix Hall, constructed in the ''shinzen zukuri'' style of [[Heian period]] mansions, with its large and completely ornamental wings, is said to resemble a bird which has just alighted. Situated in front of a lotus pond and housing a statue of Amida, it is meant to recall Amida's Western Paradise. Patterned after palaces seen in paintings of the Western Paradise, the structure, is in reality only one story tall, and consists of only one interior room - that which holds the Amida image. However, it is made to appear to be two stories, with walkways on the second story extending all the way down the wings, and watchtower-like elements at the corners of the wings, where they turn and progress forwards towards the pond.

The Phoenix Hall, constructed in the ''shinzen zukuri'' style of [[Heian period]] mansions, with its large and completely ornamental wings, is said to resemble a bird which has just alighted. Situated in front of a lotus pond and housing a statue of Amida, it is meant to recall Amida's Western Paradise. Patterned after palaces seen in paintings of the Western Paradise, the structure, is in reality only one story tall, and consists of only one interior room - that which holds the Amida image. However, it is made to appear to be two stories, with walkways on the second story extending all the way down the wings, and watchtower-like elements at the corners of the wings, where they turn and progress forwards towards the pond.