The flowering of Far Eastern culture and philosophy as seen through the remarkable gardens they gave rise to. This classic work was one of the first to reveal the full meaning and symbolism of the gardens of China and Japan, and to treat them as serious works of art and material culture, rather than as quaint and pretty plantings. In spirit, the art of these gardens is akin to landscape painting; in form it is close to sculpture. Yet it is really quite different, a unique art based upon the choice and arrangement of natural materials in the creation of a scene that has the power to transform and inspire the viewer and gardener. Loraine E. Kuck begins her study with the naturalistic gardens of early China, progressing on to the gardens of Japan. She relates the development of gardens to the personalities who made them, to the historical background, to Eastern religion and philosophy, to the political events which shaped the culture of each period, to the arts in general and to painting, architecture and the tea ceremony in particular. Above all, her account brings alive a world in which mosses hold the warm promise of spring and hope in their velvet depths; in which the juxtaposition of pools and rocks invite meditation; where sunny slopes convey the calm of centuries and in which flowering cherry trees are viewed by moonlight, with tall lanterns throwing soft light on masses of flowers seen against the starry darkness of the sky. The work includes chapters on Heian gardens, the gardens of the Fujiwara period, the princely gardens of Tokugawa times and Zen landscapes, along with sixty-four pages of illustrations, including many rare photographs. Practical and inspirational, no other work so perfectly captures the spirituality, beauty and complex simplicity of these gardens that link heaven and earth.

"Revised and updated, Themes in the History of Japanese Garden Art presents new interpretations of the evolution of Japanese garden art. Its depth and much-needed emphasis on a practical context for garden creation will appeal to art and literary historians as well as scholars, students, and appreciators of garden and landscape art, Asian and Western."--BOOK JACKET.

Gain some new ideas along with the principles and history of Japanese stone gardening with this useful and beautiful garden design book. Japanese Stone Gardens provides a comprehensive introduction to the powerful mystique and dynamism of the Japanese stone garden—from their earliest use as props in animistic rituals, to their appropriation by Zen monks and priests to create settings conducive to contemplation and finally to their contemporary uses and meaning. With insightful text and abundant imagery, this book reveals the hidden order of stone gardens and in the process heightens the enthusiast's appreciation of them. The Japanese stone garden is an art form recognized around the globe. These meditative gardens provide tranquil settings, where visitors can shed the burdens and stresses of modern existence, satisfy an age-old yearning for solitude and repose, and experience the restorative power of art and nature. For this reason, the value of the Japanese stone garden today is arguably even greater than when many of them were created. Fifteen gardens are featured in this book: some well known, such as the famous temple gardens of Kyoto, others less so, among them gardens spread through the south of Honshu Island and the southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu and in faraway Okinawa.

Michael D. Fowler presents an interdisciplinary approach to investigating the sound world of traditional Japanese gardens by drawing from the diverse fields of semiotics, acoustic ecology, philosophy, mathematical modelling, architecture, music, landscape theory and acoustic analysis. Using projects - ranging from data-visualisations, immersive sound installations, algorithmically generated meta-gardens and proto-architectural form finding missions - as creative paradigms, the book offers a new framework for artistic inquiry in which the sole objective is the generation of new knowledge through the act of spatial thinking.

Getting started -- Designing a Japanese garden -- Elements of Japanese gardens -- Plants for Japanese gardens.

This collection of writings from Lafcaido Hern paints a rare and fascinating picture of pre-modern Japan Over a century after his death, author, translator, and educator Lafcaido Hearn remains one of the best-known Westerners ever to make Japan his home. Almost more Japanese than the Japanese--"to think with their thoughts" was his aim--his prolific writings on things Japanese were instrumental in introducing Japanese culture to the West. In this masterful anthology, Donald Richie shows that Hearn was first and foremost a reliable and enthusiastic observer, who faithfully recorded a detailed account of the people, customs, and culture of late nineteen-century Japan. Opening and closing with excerpts from Hearn's final books, Richie's astute selection from among "over 4,000 printed pages" not including correspondence and other writing, also reveals Hearn's later, more sober and reflective attitudes to the things that he observed and wrote about. Part One, "The Land," chronicles Hearn's early years when he wrote primarily about the appearance of his adopted home. Part Two, "The People," records the author's later years when he came to terms with the Japanese themselves. In this anthology, Richie, more gifted in capturing the essence of a person on the page than any other foreign writer living in Japan, has picked out the best of Hearn's evocations. Select writings include: The Chief City of the Province of the Gods Three Popular Ballads In the Cave of the Children's Ghosts Bits of Life and Death A Street Singer Kimiko On A Bridge

"Hakone Estate and Gardens, the jewel of the Silicon Valley, is 17 acres of landscape architecture designed as a hill-and-pond garden of ancient Japan. Visitors have unforgettable experiences at Hakone, from strolling in a bamboo forest to feeding the magnificent koi. ... The last private owners, six couples in partnership, sold Hakone to the City of Saratoga in 1966. The city established the Hakone Foundation in 2000 to conserve and enhance the gardens for the benefit of the public and to serve as a global forum for art, music, culture, and ideas."--Back cover

With extensive photographs and diagrams, this book explains the philosophy and practice of Japanese gardening. An important classic of gardening instruction, Japanese Gardens for Today is a practical down-to-earth explanation of the basic rules of Japanese garden design and care. It is sure to prove of great value to both the professional landscape architect and to the green-thumbed home owner, whether he is designing an entirely new garden or only seeking an illusion of spaciousness and rightness in a tiny courtyard or corner. Photographs of historic Japanese gardens and the private, modern gardens of Japanese homes are given alongside useful rule-of-thumb practices and techniques. The books wealth of drawings are fully integrated with clear, succinct text to present the first full and practical treatment of the subject ever published in English.

Will America suffer the same fate as Atlantis? Atlantis was God’s first large province created after Lucifer was cast from heaven, but not before the ultimate fallen angel, renamed Satan, rebelled, causing untold chaos, death and destruction in the universe. Eventually, the devil’s hatred of God’s creation, law and order carried over into this world to such an extreme, only God Himself could intervene. It came in the form of a “pole shift”; the great Cataclysm that sank Atlantis, killing millions and sending the fallen angels or “dark lights” scattering. But God knew history would repeat itself as our world is once again experiencing the devastating effects of when man doesn’t learn from his mistakes; as greed, corruption and abuse of power relentlessly continues. The turmoil on earth has always been a Spiritual War between the Forces of Good and Evil that began in the cosmos. Earth was created as a “schoolhouse” to provide lessons for those who lost their physical bodies but not their souls, in the great Universal Battle, due to Satan’s deception. This battle will be permitted to play out according to Bible prophecy, wherein ones will again be given the chance to choose whose side they’re on, Christ or the devil. When global order deteriorates, especially in America, to the point of no return as is happening now, God will need to directly intervene again just as He did before in the antediluvian era, by bringing Judgment in the form of another pole shift. Meanwhile, Satan, knowing his time is short, is working overtime to take as many souls with him to eternal damnation, doing so through earthly minions, those who’ve sold out and are doing his bidding. The Mark of the Beast of Rev. 13 is destined to become the devil’s greatest tool to make this happen. And it’s just around the corner. This book shares some of God’s best kept secrets such as an elaborate account of the War in Heaven and how it affects everyone; also the Levels Planet System, why Earth was created and how it’s actually an extension of God’s mercy, the truth of past lives, benevolent human-looking beings from other planets and living spacecraft, the lost continent of Atlantis and how it parallels with America, soul mates or the “marriage made in heaven,” who guides and missioned beings are and much more. But its greatest purpose is to warn and help people prepare for the future so all can make the right choice for God and live forever, not only on a purified earth, but also within the realms of our original homeland, the place where everyone’s from, the universe.

This book, filled with gorgeous photographs, explains the theory, history, and intricacies of Japanese gardening. The creation of a Japanese garden combines respect for nature with adherence to simple principles of aesthetics and structure. In Japanese Garden Design, landscape architect Marc Peter Keane presents the history and development of the classical metaphors that underlie all Japanese gardens. Keane describes the influences of Confucian, Shinto and Buddhist principles that have linked poetry and philosophy to the tangible metaphor of the garden in Japanese culture. Creative inspiration is found in the prehistoric origin of Japanese concepts of nature; the gardens of Heian aristocrats; the world-renowned Zen garden, or rock garden; the tea garden; courtyard garden; and stroll garden. Detailed explanations of basic design concepts identify and interpret the symbolism of various garden forms and demonstrate these principles in use today in Japanese landscape architecture. Topics include: Design Principles Design Techniques Design Elements Godspirit in Nature Poetry in Paradise The Art of Emptiness Spiritual Passage Private Niches A Collector's Park