clique; group; (political) faction; wing; school; sect
stronghold; inner citadel; base; headquarters
prosperity; thriving; flourishing
to carry to extremes; to go to the end of something; to investigate thoroughly; to master
Buddhist temple; religious building; church; cathedral
former site (of something); site (e.g. of a demolished building)
to endure; to keep out (e.g. rain); to pull through; to get over; to surpass; to outdo
about; roughly; generally; on the whole; completely; quite
one hundred years ago; a hundred year previously
outbreak (e.g. of war); outburst; sudden occurrence
religion; religious affiliation; belief; religious activity
dispute; controversy; debate; argument; taking issue
to be defeated; to be beaten; to be unsuccessful; to lose
layman; believer; adherent; follower; laity
worship; adoration; admiration; cult
in the twinkling of an eye; in a flash
decline; fall; decay; withering
torrent; rapid stream; violently rushing stream
bubble on surface of liquid; ephemeral; transient
center; centre; middle; -centered; -centred; -focused
to throw away; to abandon
ruin; destruction; devastation; waste; decay
to continue (going along some trend)
arriving at the present; present-day; to arrive at the present day
at this juncture; after all this time; at this stage; now
(idle) curiosity; fancifulness; whimsy; (having) strange tastes
test of courage (e.g. at a frightening place such as a graveyard); dare
to amuse oneself; to make merry
recklessness; daredevilry; rashness; (arch.) long-lasting
young man; young woman; young people; youth; youngsters
the present; present time; as of; present tense; this world; this life
whole area; whole region; stretch (of land); tract; belt
silence; stillness; quietness
with a clatter; with a rattle; empty; bare; raspy (voice); gravelly; with a gargle
sound of footsteps; sense or sign that something is approaching
grounds (esp. of shrines and temples); compound; churchyard; precincts
echo; reverberation; response; reaction; repercussions
torch (made of pine, bamboo, reed, etc.); flambeau; torchlight
to pull; to tug; to draw (attention, sympathy, etc.); to attract (e.g. interest); to draw back (e.g. one's hand); to draw in (one's chin, stomach, etc.); to draw (a card, mahjong tile, etc.)
main shrine; inner sanctuary
front garden; front yard; vestibule (of the ear)
good; excellent; fine; nice; pleasant; agreeable
middle; centre; center; midpoint; heart