Zen
Gardens
What Really is a Zen Style Japanese
Garden?
August 12, 2009
John Stuart
Leslie
I was reading an article about Japanese gardens where the author got
all bent out of shape about how western culture mistakenly refers to “dry landscape” style
gardens in Japan as “Zen Gardens”. Their point was that the term “Zen Garden” has become
loosely defined only because historically, some Zen Buddhist Monasteries built karesansui
style gardens and therefore, all dry landscape gardens are “Zen style”. So I did some
research and found the following. See end of article for
sources.
Unlike other traditional gardens, there is
no water present in Karesansui (literally meaning ‘dry landscape’) gardens. Water is
symbolized both by the arrangements of rock forms to create a dry waterfall and by patterns
raked into sand to create a dry stream or to symbolize the ocean. The raked sand patterns mimic
waves on the water’s surface.
The rocks and gravel used are chosen for their aesthetic shapes, and mosses as well as small shrubs
are sometimes used to provide contrasting elements to the austere rock and
sand.
Karesansui Type
Ryouanji竜安寺
(Kyoto) Zen Garden
Photo courtesy ofJAANUS
The vertical forms using stone boulders suggest
mountains on islands in the ocean.
The word karesansui is found in the 11th
century garden manual * SAKUTEIKI and garden historians have designated Heian-period
rock arrangements as zenkishiki
karesansui.
Karesansui gardens were created similar to ink
monochrome landscape painting and like paintings, the gardens are meant to be viewed from a
single, seated perspective. In addition to the aesthetic similarities to Chinese painting, the
rocks in karesansui are often associated with Chinese mountains.
I have also read that the Ryoanji garden, is comprised
of 15 stones, laid out in five groups and that from any single vantage point, one cannot see all
15 stones at the same time. One must change viewing locations in order to see the hidden
stone(s). But again, some other stone will be hidden upon changing your position of view. This
design feature is something that a two dimensional landscape painting cannot achieve. I
therefore question whether
these gardens were designed to be viewed from a static position as suggested
above.
Given the multiple Chinese associations
of karesansui gardens, they are the preferred type of garden for Zen temples (Buddhism
having arrived from China in the 7c) and the best examples are found in the front or rear
gardens of Zen abbots' residences.
While Muromachi karesansui tend to use plants
sparingly, early Edo period gardens of this type often contrast an area of raked gravel with a
section of moss and larger plants along the rear wall.
The aesthetic consonance with abstract art largely
accounts for the resurgence of karesansui gardens both in Japan
and abroad in the 20 century.
This last point is well taken. As an experienced
landscape designer, I have consulted with hundreds of clients,
many of whom have expressed interest in “Zen type” gardens. Whether or not they even know the
symbolic meaning of a Karesansui type garden is beside the point.
Their motivation is usually that it fits into the
category of being a Xeriscape type garden,
that having low maintenance, no watering and no lawn. Further, they find the abstract simplicity
appealing. The boulders are therefore seen more as sculptural elements rather than as mountains or
islands in an ocean.
Clients such as the hypothetical scenario above has
taught me to first find out how much the client knows about garden symbolism, sacredness and
spirituality before I jump in and recommend the ”best spot for a meditation garden”. Heck, they
may have no idea what I mean by doing a “Zen Garden” either!.
Sources: Partial content for this article excerpted from
Japanese Architecture And Art Net Users System (JAANUS)
Related Articles:
Japanese Gardens: An
Introduction
John Stuart Leslie is creator
and founder of My Sacred Garden. A website that blends the mind, body &
spiritual lifestyle of the conscious consumer with the pursuit of gardens,
gardening, design and art. He holds a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture
and has been a landscape |
|
of My Sacred Garden. A website
that blends the mind, body & spiritual lifestyle of the
conscious consume
|
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