Japanese Zen Gardens History

Buddhism

• The history of the Japanese Zen garden begins with the introduction of Buddhism to the country in the 6th century A.D.. Following the travels of Japanese monks to China, and their initiation into Zen Buddhism, Zen gardens began to materialize in Japan near the end of the Kamakura period, between 1185 and 1333.

Paintings and Kyoto

• In the 14th and 15th centuries, Japanese Zen Buddhist monks imported a series of Chinese landscape paintings that further inspired Japanese artists and monks. These paintings embraced the principle of yohaku-no-bi, meaning "the beauty of blank space." The 15th century saw the completion of one of the most famous Zen gardens, Kyoto's Ryoan-ij, the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon.

Considerations

• Zen gardens historically were most often part of a monastery. "Attached to the abbot's quarters, this style of garden was not meant for meditation (zazen), but more for contemplation," the website Portland Japanese Garden explains. "Care of the garden is part of the monk's practice." While zen gardens are also built in other settings, the aesthetic principle is always simplicity---regardless of location.