Why do they do it?

• William Coaldrake suggests three reasons: -

• Practical – ephemeral nature of materials

• Religious – metaphor for death and rebirth – existential reafffirmation. Also ritual aspect to construction

• Political – the site became associated with the emperors and a statement of Shintoism in reaction to the new Buddhism in the 8th century. Imperial control was thus sanctioned by priestly authority and became the intermediary between the natural and the supernatural worlds

• SO THIS IS SPECIAL CASE!!