History Japanese garden Origins The idea of these unique gardens did not originate in Japan. It began during the Asuka period when Japanese merchants witnessed the gardens that were being built in China and became so inspired by the gardens that they would frequently import many facets of the Chinese culture back to their own country. Today, in many parts of Japan and the western part of the world the traditions of Japanese garden art still maintain their full intensity of expression and continue to inspire the many artists that aspire to create a personal Japanese garden of their own. Ise Jingu, a Shinto shrine begun in the 7th century, surrounded by white gravel Japanese gardens first appeared on the island of Honshu, the large central island of Japan. In their physical appearance they were influenced by the distinct characteristics of the Honshu landscape; rugged volcanic peaks, narrow valleys and mountain streams with waterfalls and cascades, lakes, and beaches of small stones. They were also influenced by the rich variety of flowers and different species of trees, particularly evergreen trees, on the islands, and by the four distinct seasons in Japan, including hot, wet summers and snowy winters Japanese gardens have their roots in Japanese religion of Shinto, with its story of the creation of eight perfect islands, and of the shinchi, the lakes of the gods. Prehistoric Shinto shrines to the kami, the gods and spirits, are found on beaches and in forests all over the island. Sometimes they took the form of unusual rocks or trees, which were marked with cords of rice fiber (shimenawa), and surrounded with white stones or pebbles, a symbol of purity The white gravel courtyard became a distinctive feature of Shinto shrines, Imperial Palaces, Buddhist temples, and zen gardens. Japanese gardens also were strongly influenced by the Chinese philosophy of Daoism, and Amida Buddhism, imported from China in or around 552 AD. Daoist legends spoke of five mountainous islands inhabited by the Eight Immortals, who lived in perfect harmony with nature. Each Immortal flew from his mountain home on the back of a crane. The islands themselves were located on the back of an enormous sea turtle. In Japan, the five islands of the Chinese legend became one island, called Horai-zen, or Mount Horai. Replicas of this legendary mountain, the symbol of a perfect world, are a common feature of Japanese gardens, as are rocks representing turtles and cranes.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 22:26:26 +0000
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