This tutorial covers the influence of Zen in Japanese art and architecture. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to identify and define today’s key terms, describe the elements within Zen gardens, identify examples of Zen gardens, describe elements of the Japanese tea ceremony, and identify examples of Japanese raku ware. This will be accomplished through the exploration of:
1. Period and Location: The Influence of Zen in Japanese Art and Architecture
This lesson covers a time spanning the 15th to the 17th century, specifically ranging from 1450 through the end of the 17th century, and focuses geographically on Kyoto, Japan.
2. Zen Buddhism
Zen Buddhism is much less rigid and much simpler in its structure than other forms of Buddhism. Zen is the Japanese word for meditation, although the ideas of Zen Buddhism originated in China, eventually making their way over to Japan and increasing in popularity during the 12th century.
At its very core, the overall goal is to achieve enlightenment through the rejection of worldliness. However, the means by which this is achieved is unique. Zen Buddhism rejects scriptures, devotional practices, etc., in favor of meditation. The belief is that the Buddha nature lies within everyone, but is clouded by ignorance. Meditation alone can lead to sudden awareness.
Zen Buddhism is a very individualistic approach to religion and a form of religion that remains popular in Eastern and Western countries.
did you know
The actor Richard Gere originally practiced Zen Buddhism, before switching to a Tibetan form.
term to know
Zen
Japanese, translates to absorption or meditative state; Zen emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment and personal direct insights through the Buddhist teachings.
3. Examples of Zen Gardens
3a. Zen Rock Garden at Ryoan-ji
Given the tenets of Zen Buddhism, it should be no surprise that Zen gardens are designed with the intention of aiding in the practice of meditation. The Zen Rock Garden at Ryoan-ji is an example of a tool designed specifically for use in meditation. The gravel and large stones can function as an aid in meditation, and the very act of raking the gravel into harmonious designs or imaginary forms such as islands in an ocean or river can aid in contemplation. Rock gardens such as this are tools for both passive and active meditation.
Zen Rock Garden at Ryoan-ji 1450 Kyoto, Japan
term to know
Zen Garden
A garden in the Japanese tradition in which the elements (rocks, plants, etc.) serve as an aid to meditation.
3b. Moss Gardens at Saiho-ji
The Moss Gardens of Saiho-ji are part of a larger complex that was originally created as a Pure Land Buddhism temple. It eventually converted to a Zen temple.
Moss Gardens at Saiho-ji 14th century Kyoto, Japan
The moss gardens shown here border a pond that’s shaped like the Japanese character for mind (below the image).
These gardens are also an example of dry landscape gardening. Similar to the mentality behind Chinese gardens, these were contrivances that were intended to appear natural. The entire area is a place of serenity, peace, and escape from the reality of the world, an embodiment of the spirit of Zen Buddhism.
4. Japanese Tea Houses and Tea Ceremonies
The importance of tea to the cultures of China and Japan is tremendous. Entire traditions have been developed around the activity of tea drinking. The Japanese tea ceremony is one of these traditions, which started in Zen temples in Japan as an exercise in meditation. The Momoyama period of 16th century Japan saw the ceremony reach new levels of involvement and refinement.
The most important tea master of this period was Sen No Rikyu. He helped define the ritualistic practices of the tea ceremony, and created the first independently-standing tea house in Japan, similar to the one shown below.
Japanese Tea House
The tea houses were very clean and simple in their design and layout. One of the most notable features is the use of straw mats called tatamis, as shoes were forbidden indoors. There is also tokonoma, with some flowers and a scroll that are displayed for one's contemplation.
step by step
The ritual differs in ways from place to place, but essentially follows these main steps:
Step 1: The process begins in a waiting room where the hands are washed and mouth rinsed.
Step 2: Next, participants enter the small, intimate room on their hands and knees through a small opening, which was intended to create a sense of humility and equality among the participants, as well as marking a change of environment from ordinary to ceremonial.
Step 3: There are a number of formal elements to follow that aren’t detailed here, but the next stages involve a small meal and a ceremonial drinking of the tea from the same bowl as all the other participants.
The use of vessels, such as the water jar which was fired with a Raku ware glaze shown below, during the ceremony was very important. So too was their aesthetic, which is intended to convey a refined rusticity called wabi. This was another idea of Sen No Rikyu, who felt the emphasis should be placed on inherent beauty rather than material worth—an important metaphor for the participants of the tea ceremony. The aesthetic also conveys the importance associated with age, a philosophical idea known in Japan as sabi.
Tea Ceremony Water Jar 16th century Raku Ware (Japanese pottery)
terms to know
Tatami
A traditional Japanese mat used on the floor and traditionally made of rice straw.
Tokonama
A Japanese term referring to a recessed space used to display objects in a room.
Raku Ware
A type of ceramic with a low fire glaze associated with traditional Japanese pottery.
Wabi
An aesthetic of refined simplicity influenced by Zen Buddhism.
Sen No Rikyu
A Buddhist teacher who profoundly influenced the development of the tea ceremony and tea house in Japan.
Sabi
The beauty that comes with age, could refer to a person who has grown wise with experience or an object that is weathered but beautiful.
summary
Today you learned about the influence of Zen in Japanese art and architecture. In addition to learning how to identify and define today’s key terms, you also learned how to briefly explain the tenets of Zen Buddhism. By exploring examples of Zen gardens, you learned how to describe the elements within them, noting that they were designed to aid in meditation. Lastly, you learned about Japanese tea houses and how to describe the elements of the Japanese tea ceremony, including the ritualistic use of Japanese raku ware.
Source: This work is adapted from Sophia author Ian McConnell.
Terms to Know
Raku Ware
A type of ceramic with a low fire glaze associated with traditional Japanese pottery.
Sabi
The beauty that comes with age, could refer to a person who has grown wise with experience or an object that is weathered, but beautiful.
Sen No Rikyu
A Buddhist teacher who profoundly influenced the development of the tea ceremony and tea house in Japan.
Tatami
A traditional Japanese mat used on the floor traditionally made of rice straw.
Tokonama
A Japanese term referring to a recessed space used to display objects in a room.
Wabi
An aesthetic of refined simplicity influenced by Zen Buddhism.
Zen
Japanese, translated absorption or meditative state. Zen emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment and personal direct insights through the Buddhist teachings.
Zen Garden
A garden in the Japanese tradition in which the elements (rocks, plants, etc.) serve as an aid to meditation.
