2.3 The Shrines and Temples of Nikko—National Treasure Carvings日光的神殿和庙宇——国宝级的雕刻宫殿

“日光的神殿与庙宇”指的是：东照宫神社、二荒山神社等2神社和轮王寺1寺院及其周边的遗迹，位于栃木县日光市，1999年被列为世界遗产。日光山内的庙宇神社建筑群可以概括为“两社一宫”，在这里具备日本国宝级别的殿堂、钟楼、鼓楼、山门等共一百零三处之多，全都分布在日光山内中禅寺湖边。神宫与神社之间，神社与神社之间阜道相通，钟鼓相闻，建筑群整体上精工细雕，样式华美自然，都具有浓郁的江户时代风格，同时各庙宇又持有自已的风格与特色，相映相辉，具有极高的审美价值。

其中两层结构的大门——“阳明门”尤为知名，据说门上无处不在的华丽色彩和精美雕刻，看到日落也不会厌倦，因而又得名“日暮门”。穿过阳明门往右来到通往里侧神社的长廊，可以看到头顶上的雕刻——“睡猫”。据传这是工匠左甚五郎的作品，已被指定为国宝。因该雕刻位于通往家康墓的门旁，故有说法认为它是为防鼠而雕刻。用于圈养神灵座驾的“神厩舍”中有八面雕刻，刻画了猴子从出生到怀孕的全部过程，通过猴子的一生比喻了人的一生。其中，最为知名的是“三猿”雕刻，刻画了猴子“不看、不言、不闻”的三种姿态。三只猴子分别用手捂着眼睛、嘴巴和耳朵，其寓意为“不看他人短处、不言他人是非、不闻他人过错”，而且之所以用猴子刻画，据说是来自“猿猴能为神马去病救灾”的信仰。

The "Shrines and Temples of Nikko" refer to the Toshogu and Futarasan-jinja shrines and the Rinnoji temple as well as their surroundings. The surroundings of Nikko have been known for ages as a holy place. The temples and other shrines in this area originate（起源）from the 17th century and attract attention because of their rich decorations.

The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate（幕府）, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. The shrine（神殿）is dedicated to the spirits of Ieyasu and two other of Japan's most influential historical personalities, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Minamoto Yoritomo. As many as 127,000 craftsmen were involved in constructing the shrine, using the highest level of technology available at the time. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of more than a dozen Shinto（神道教）and Buddhist buildings set in a beautiful forest. Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century.

The two-story "Yomei-mon Gate", decorated with brilliant（鲜亮的）colors and over 500 sculptures, is particularly famous. It is also called "Higurashi-mon (sunset gate)", because people spend all day long gazing at its beauty. If you pass under Yomei-mon, turn right and enter the avenue leading to the shrine at the back, you will see the "Sleeping Cat"overhead, a national treasure created by legendary master Hidari Jingoro. The story behind the carving is that the cat was to ward off mice, because it is situated near the gate leading to the grave of Ieyasu. In the "Shinkyusha (sacred stable)" for the horses serving God, there is a series of 8 carved boards on which the life of a monkey is illustrated, from birth to pregnancy, caricaturing（喻指）human life. One of the sculptures, the "Three Monkeys", is famous throughout the world for the "see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil" poses. The carved monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth, respectively, were inspired by the Buddhist teaching that if we do not hear, see or speak evil, we ourselves shall be spared from evil, and the theme was chosen here in the belief that the monkeys would protect the horses from disease.

In addition to these carvings, there is also one of an elephant, purely from imagination, in a warehouse called "Kamijinko". The Toshogu Three Sculptures are small, but incredibly beautiful, and there is always a crowd of people in front of them.

The "Shinkyo Bridge" acts as a gateway to the shrines and temples of Nikko and is one of the three most unusual bridges in Japan. According to legend, when a certain saint tried to cross the rapids（急流）of the Daiyagawa River, two snakes formed a bridge for him to walk across. An 8-year repair work program was completed in March 2005 and the bridge is now open to the public again. The arch-shaped bridge covered in vermillion lacquer supported by stone piers is most attractive in the fall when the mountain trees are a dazzling red and yellow.

Some must-see sights in Futarasan-jinja include the vermillion（朱砂）lacquered（涂漆的）shrine pavilion and the "Bakedoro (haunted garden lantern)" next to it. The lantern is rumored to change into a spooky（幽灵般的）shape when lit at night, and it still bears the scars from numerous sword strikes made by startled samurai warriors. Rinnoji is one of the temples representing the Tendai School of Buddhism along with Hieizan Enryakuji (Otsu City, Shiga prefecture) and Kaneiji (Taito-ku, Tokyo). The three gilded（镀金的）wooden Buddha statues, 8.5 meters high each, are enshrined within the main hall.

用英语畅谈The Shrines and Temples of Nikko黄金句

☺ The temples and other shrines in this area originate from the 17th century and attract attention because of their rich decorations.此处寺庙和其他神殿起源于17世纪，因装饰丰富而引起人们的关注。

☺ The Toshogu is the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868.东熙宫是德川家康的陵墓。至1868年幕府统治时代结束为止，德川幕府时代统治了日本长达250余年，而德川家康就是这一时代的创始人。

☺ One of the sculptures, the “Three Monkeys”, is famous throughout the world for the“see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” poses.其中有一幅“三猿”雕刻作品，以其“不看他人短处、不言他人是非、不闻他人过错”的姿势而闻名于世。

☺ In addition to these carvings, there is also one of an elephant, purely from imagination, in a warehouse called “Kamijinko”.除了这些雕刻之外，在名为“上神库”的仓库里还有一只完全靠想象雕刻出来的大象。

☺ According to legend, when a certain saint tried to cross the rapids of the Daiyagawa River, two snakes formed a bridge for him to walk across.传说，一位圣人想要渡过湍急的河流时，两条蛇架起了桥梁，助他渡过了急流。

☺ The lantern is rumored to change into a spooky shape when lit at night, and it still bears the scars from numerous sword strikes made by startled samurai warriors.传闻在夜里点亮灯笼，灯笼会变成幽灵的模样，而且灯笼上还留有受惊的武士剑击留下的无数伤疤。

用英语畅谈The Shrines and Temples of Nikko

Animal Carvings in the Shrines and Temples of Nikko日光的神殿和庙宇中的动物雕刻