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<< County Introductions >> ★Japanese Chronology for Dry Landscape Gardens since the Kamakura era (13t

Submitted by Aska on Tuesday, 15 February 2022  Page Views: 1088

Multi-periodCountry: Japan Type: Modern Stone Circle etc

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Kōmyō zen-ji temple
Kōmyō zen-ji temple submitted by Aska : Site in Kyūshū Japan The inner garden. (Vote or comment on this photo)
The origin of Japanese gardens is thought to be the mountainous natural rock outcrop called “iwakura” (磐座 = stone pedestal) or the artificial stone circles (or enclosure, boundary) called “iwasaka” (磐境 = stone boundary) surrounding sacred areas, but the drastic change of significance of sacred stones towards luxury gardens, i.e. from worship and awe to appreciation and relaxation is a profound question. Here I introduce many of these peaceful sites that can be viewed on the Megalithic Portal.

The aesthetics of garden making seems to have derived from Chinese and Korean cultures in the Asuka era (7th C) but the Jōnokoshi sacred spring dating from the 4th-5th C already contains fine aesthetic stone settings. The palaces of Asuka, Heijō-Kyō (= present day Nara) (Nara era, 8th C) and Heian-kyō (present day Kyōto) (Heian era, 9th-12th C) contained their own imperial gardens respectively and in the latter era aristocrats also built gardens in their own villas. At that time the style of gardens had shifted to pond-dominated gardens with islands and bridges.

The term “dry landscape garden” (枯山水 = parched mountains and river) is described in the world’s first text book on gardening “Sakutei-ki” (作庭記 = notes on constructing gardens) compiled in the Heian era (9th-12th C) as a designated stone area in a pond-dominated garden. In the succeeding Kamakura era (12th-14th C), the authentic “dry landscape garden” aesthetic was imported with the Zen school of Buddhism doctrine, which emphasizes the significance of meditation, from Chinese Southern Song dynasty along with other Zen arts including the ink wash painting technique.
Zen school Buddhism in China gradually declined during the Ming dynasty while that of Japan developed even into several sects, and the Zen style gardens including “dry landscape garden” were also adopted by temples belonging to other schools, and nowadays even private residences, restaurants and hotels construct their own ones.

　The 1st master of Zen garden constructing was Musō Soseki (夢窓疎石 1275-1351 CE), a Zen priest, who built two gardens which are now UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyōto, amongst others. During the Sengoku (= civil war, 15th-16th C) era Sesshū Tōyō (雪舟 1420-1506 CE), an ink wash painter and Buddhist priest, built picturesque gardens in western Japan. In early Edo era KOBORI Enshū (小堀遠州 1579-1647 CE), a samurai artist, built strolling gardens for temples and castles. Before and after the World War II Mirei SHIGEMORI (重森三玲 1896-1975 CE) built modern dry landscape gardens for temples and private residences.
Yes, off course, there were (are) so many other famous or anonymus skilled gardeners in every successive periods.　

The most principal elements in dry landscape gardens are as follows :
  • Buddha triad (the principal Tathāgata and 2 adjutant bodhisattva) stone setting (三尊石)
  • Mt.Meru stone (須弥山石)
  • Mt.Penglai stone (蓬莱石)
  • Tortoise- and crane- (both are symbols of longevity) shaped islands (鶴島・亀島)
  • Cascade stone (枯滝)
  • Bridge stone (石橋)
  • Gravel water with raked ripples (砂紋)
A philosophical board game to construct dry landscape gardens is on sale.
Basic Resources :
  • 京都林泉協会 2002 日本庭園鑑賞便覧 : 全国庭園ガイドブック 京都:学芸出版社 ISBN:4-7615-2291-7 (lit: Appreciation manual of Japanese gardens : guidebook of gardens in Japan)
  • Alison Main et al. 2002 The lure of the Japanese garden. New York: W.W.Norton ISBN:978-0-393-73091-3
  • 中田勝康 2009 重森三玲庭園の全貌 京都:学芸出版社 INBN:978-4-7615-4089-0 (lit: All about Mirei Shigemori’s gardens)


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"★Japanese Chronology for Dry Landscape Gardens since the Kamakura era (13t" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: Japanese Chronology for Dry Landscape Gardens since the Kamakura era, 13th C and by Andy B on Tuesday, 15 February 2022
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Thank you so much Hatsuki for your introductory articles to Japanese stone site types. You have explained very well the relevance of these sites and opened up our understanding of Japanese prehistory and onwards.

Everyone please follow the links to the other articles and many hundreds of pages that Hatsuki has added over the years. There are many happy hours of exploring Japan and don't forget the links on our pages to more resources such as maps and aerial views.

Follow this link to see the sites Hatsuki has added and also try our interactive maps - Type 1: Country Map and Type 2: Live Map.
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