Ryoan-ji Rock garden in Kyoto, Japan

$4.95
0 ratings

Ryōan-ji is maybe the most famous rock garden in Japan.

Ryoan-ji was built on the grounds of a villa of the Fujiwara clan in the Heian period (794-1185). The deputy of the shogun and warlord Hosokawa Katsumoto bought the estate in 1450 and built his residence on it, together with the temple Ryōan-ji. It was destroyed in the Onin war but rebuilt in 1488 by Katsumoto's son Matsumoto. It is probable that the garden of the temple was also created at that time, but some scholars argue that it was built earlier by Katsumoto or later, for example, by Zen monk and garden designer Sōami, who also built the dry landscape garden of Daisen-in.

The temple burnt down in 1797, and the garden was recreated later. As a print of the year, 1799 shows, the garden today hasn't changed since that time.

Apart from little patches of moss around the stones, this garden has no plants. Behind the mud wall, a row of trees creates a green backdrop for the garden, making the light gray sand seem even brighter. The design is more complex than it seems at first – for example, is it impossible to view all 15 stones at once from any angle of the terrace. The composition is also a fine example of the delicate balance of mass and void and the skillful use of numbers and groups.

Contents:

Introduction

History of the temple

The Rock Garden of Ryoan-ji

Around the Rock Garden

Sub temples of Ryōan-ji

Around the pond

How to get there

Other temples near Ryoanji

15 pages

37 illustrations/pictures

6 MB / 24MB

2015

will be delivered as pdf and mobi

I want this!
$4.95

Ryoan-ji Rock garden in Kyoto, Japan

0 ratings
I want this!