· Web viewStory The meaning of this song is unclear. Here is my fictional, romantic...
3
Temple of the King Story The meaning of this song is unclear. Here is my fictional, romantic interpretation of it. This story tells of a medieval warrior class in Japan called the Samurai. They protect the people in the name of the Emperor. They believe that after one reaches the peak of one’s life, one then begins growing older and weaker with age, possibly even succumbing to dementia. They consider dying in this manner to be a shameful death. So their Code of Honor requires them to take their own life in a public ceremony when they reach the age at which they believe one’s life begins this slow descent towards a shameful death. The day when they reach this age is called their Day of Honor . This year is the Year of the Fox in their calendar. One particular Samurai warrior, the mightiest and most famous of all the Samurai warriors, has reached his Day of Honor. A ceremony is planned. Its commencement is signaled by the tolling (ringing to signify a death) of a great black bell located in a temple called the Temple of the King . Hearing the bell tolling and dressed in his finest battle clothes, he solemnly leaves his home for the last time and proceeds along the streets of the town to the Temple of the King. In front of the temple, the townspeople have gathered around a large circle drawn on the ground. He steps into the circle and draws his sword. Holding it over his head, he stands there silent. The townspeople are here to witness his last act in this world and to wish him well on his final journey. He holds the sword by the hilt in a reverse position with the blade resting against his abdomen. His hands are trembling slightly, knowing that his moment of death is at hand. He is not afraid but he is unsure. His mind is searching his memories. Has he ever been told what to expect at the moment of death? He can’t recall. In either case, there is no time to ponder it now. He knows that he will learn that answer very soon. It is a cloudy day. Everyone is waiting as he prepares himself. He sings a short prayer. Just after his prayer song ends, he drops down to both knees and thrusts his sword deep into his body in one swift motion. He initially feels pain but he is trained to ignore it. His vision goes black. The sudden heat on his face tells him that the clouds have parted, and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. He hears the rush of a thousand angel wings flapping in the air, as if they are carrying his soul up towards Heaven. And he feels as if it is the first day of a new life in the hereafter (afterlife). He moves his right hand outward in a final farewell, and his body vanishes from the circle, leaving only a clean, sharp sword on the ground. He feels his spiritual body and soul moving upwards. He pauses midway in the clouds inside a circle formed of many angels. He again thinks back on his religious beliefs and stories, trying to imagine what Heaven is going to be like. Suddenly his eyes open wide, and the angels around him know that divine realization has come to him. He is now prepared to complete the journey onward to Heaven. He understands that death is not the end, but just a new beginning. Back on Earth, in the empty circle he has left behind, his transparent, ethereal ghost appears momentarily before the people, his eyes bright and all-knowing. He smiles at them, and they at him. Then his spiritual form slowly dissipates and drifts upwards towards a higher “Temple of the King”. /home/website/convert/temp/convert_html/60945583e713122315030e71/document.docx Page 1 of 3
Transcript of · Web viewStory The meaning of this song is unclear. Here is my fictional, romantic...
Temple of the KingStory
The meaning of this song is unclear. Here is my fictional, romantic interpretation of it.This story tells of a medieval warrior class in Japan called the Samurai. They protect the people in the name of the Emperor. They believe that after one reaches the peak of one’s life, one then begins growing older and weaker with age, possibly even succumbing to dementia. They consider dying in this manner to be a shameful death. So their Code of Honor requires them to take their own life in a public ceremony when they reach the age at which they believe one’s life begins this slow descent towards a shameful death. The day when they reach this age is called their Day of Honor. This year is the Year of the Fox in their calendar.One particular Samurai warrior, the mightiest and most famous of all the Samurai warriors, has reached his Day of Honor. A ceremony is planned. Its commencement is signaled by the tolling (ringing to signify a death) of a great black bell located in a temple called the Temple of the King. Hearing the bell tolling and dressed in his finest battle clothes, he solemnly leaves his home for the last time and proceeds along the streets of the town to the Temple of the King. In front of the temple, the townspeople have gathered around a large circle drawn on the ground. He steps into the circle and draws his sword. Holding it over his head, he stands there silent. The townspeople are here to witness his last act in this world and to wish him well on his final journey.He holds the sword by the hilt in a reverse position with the blade resting against his abdomen. His hands are trembling slightly, knowing that his moment of death is at hand. He is not afraid but he is unsure. His mind is searching his memories. Has he ever been told what to expect at the moment of death? He can’t recall. In either case, there is no time to ponder it now. He knows that he will learn that answer very soon.It is a cloudy day. Everyone is waiting as he prepares himself. He sings a short prayer. Just after his prayer song ends, he drops down to both knees and thrusts his sword deep into his body in one swift motion. He initially feels pain but he is trained to ignore it. His vision goes black. The sudden heat on his face tells him that the clouds have parted, and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. He hears the rush of a thousand angel wings flapping in the air, as if they are carrying his soul up towards Heaven. And he feels as if it is the first day of a new life in the hereafter (afterlife). He moves his right hand outward in a final farewell, and his body vanishes from the circle, leaving only a clean, sharp sword on the ground.He feels his spiritual body and soul moving upwards. He pauses midway in the clouds inside a circle formed of many angels. He again thinks back on his religious beliefs and stories, trying to imagine what Heaven is going to be like. Suddenly his eyes open wide, and the angels around him know that divine realization has come to him. He is now prepared to complete the journey onward to Heaven. He understands that death is not the end, but just a new beginning.Back on Earth, in the empty circle he has left behind, his transparent, ethereal ghost appears momentarily before the people, his eyes bright and all-knowing. He smiles at them, and they at him. Then his spiritual form slowly dissipates and drifts upwards towards a higher “Temple of the King”.
/tt/file_convert/60945583e713122315030e71/document.docx Page 1 of 3
Temple of the KingLyrics (link)
01 One day in the Year of the Fox02 Came a time remembered well,03 When the strong young man of the Rising Sun04 Heard the tolling of the great black bell.0506 One day in the Year of the Fox07 When the bell began to ring08 Meant the time had come for one to go09 To the Temple of the King.1011 There in the middle of the circle he stands --12 Searching, seeking --13 With just one touch of his trembling hand14 The answer will be found.1516 Daylight waits while the old man sings,17 “Heaven help me!”18 And then like the rush of a thousand wings,19 It shines upon the one,20 And the day had just begun.2122 (Refrain)2324 There in the middle of the people he stands -- 25 Seeing, feeling --26 With just a wave of a strong right hand27 He's gone28 To the Temple of the King.2930 Far from the circle at the edge of the world,31 He's hoping, wondering,32 Thinking back from the stories he's heard33 Of what he's going to see.3435 There in middle of the circle it lies.36 “Heaven help me!”37 Then all could see by the shine in his eyes,38 The answer had been found.
/tt/file_convert/60945583e713122315030e71/document.docx Page 2 of 3
Temple of the King3940 Back with the people in the circle he stands --41 Giving, feeling --42 With just one touch of a strong right hand43 They know44 Of the Temple and the King.
Questions for the Students
1. Can you think of a different interpretation of this song?
/tt/file_convert/60945583e713122315030e71/document.docx Page 3 of 3
