Studio: international art (84.1922)

THE JAPANESE GARDEN

For centuries the Nippon garden, in its
development, has been infused with reli-
gious ideas. The aesthetic law in the art
of gardening was formulated after a careful
study of long practice. That law requires
the main rock to be placed at a certain spot
in the garden, and the other rocks of re-
quired shapes and sizes are to be distri-
buted in their relation to the principal
rock according to the law, more or less
strictly adhered to. It is the same with
trees. When the relative position of one
rock to the other has become fixed, more
or less, according to the aesthetic law, in
order to augment that law and to save the
trouble of explaining why and how, master
gardeners of old have named different rocks
and trees, according to their position in the
garden, and many of these names are de-
rived from religion. One should not
be misled by the terms used to believe
that the gardens of the Nippon style are
based on the Buddhistic religion. But
because of religious terms employed to
explain the law of beauty, the mind of the
observer is easily turned to religious and
philosophical contemplation. Thus the
garden not only furnishes enjoyment to
the physical eye, but it also affords and
stimulates spiritual contemplation. a

Space does not permit a detailed ex-
planation of so complicated a technique
as garden construction. It must suffice to
say here that, generally speaking, there
should be (i) the main mountain in the
landscape gardening which should form a
ravine, with another where a waterfall is
formed, and there should be another hill
back of it; (2) the main mountain may
be drawn out to form an easy slope to
provide for a chin, a rustic resting place ;
(3) a path may be made along the edge of
the pond to suggest the road at the foot
of the hill; (4) sometimes a precipice is
created between the main mountain and
the hill that adjoins it; (5) the principal
mountain may be supported by subsidiary
ones on the back and on either side, semi-
circling the lake and projecting into it.
Such is the customary lay-out of the hills.
As to the rocks, though gardeners do not
always agree with the names, Sanzon-seki
(rocks representing the Buddhistic trinity)
should occupy the most prominent place
in the garden. There should be getsuin-seki

268

(moon shadow rock) on the distant hill top.
More in the foreground, facing the pro-
tecting rocks, there should be reihai-seki
(the worshipping rock). There are more
than a score of other specially named rocks,
and a multitude of nameless ones, used to
construct the garden. Stepping stones con-
stitute a very important factor, especially
in small gardens. a a a a
As to the trees, behind the main rock or
a group of rocks there should be planted
the principal tree, or group of trees.
Because of the important position they
occupy, they are called shomaki, or shoshin-
boku (right true tree) and should have an
excellent form. There should be a group
of trees called takigakoi-gi (waterfall en-
closing trees) partly to hide the waterfall
and to form a deep shadow necessary for
the sylvan retreat. A few branches should
extend across the front of the waterfall
partly to conceal the falling water. Sekiyo-

ENTRANCE TO A
HOUSE IN NAGOYA