Many people mistakenly equate Chinese and Japanese garden styles. In fact, they are completely different, although not without common elements. Today we will take a closer look at Japanese style..
The hallmark of the classic Japanese style is the stone structures. This is associated with the sacred Mount Fuji, and with the sacred stones from Japanese monasteries, and even the religion of the ancient Japanese, in the pantheon of which there were also stones. The Japanese preached the Shinto religion, which translates as «the spirituality of nature», but emigrants from China brought their culture — the ideas of Confucianism and the desire for harmony with nature. The two cultures intertwined and gave rise to the development of mythology, literature, philosophy of the Land of the Rising Sun, and also influenced gardening art. At first, the artificial hills created were very similar to elements of the Chinese style, but gradually the Japanese developed their own unique garden style..
The tendency towards minimalism and the limited territory of the country greatly influenced the gardens of Japan. Unlike the Chinese, they do not have a large green area. In fact, a Japanese garden is a picture of the world in a small area. It is characterized by miniature bonsai trees and undersized plants. Each element carries a certain symbolic meaning, which is derived from the amazing combination of ancient Japanese paganism, Buddhism and Confucianism. For example, a lotus in a Japanese garden is a symbol of wisdom, camellia is a symbol of caution, sakura is a symbol of spiritual beauty, and a pine tree is a symbol of longevity. A specialist in Japanese landscape design is not just a florist and decorator, he is a connoisseur of religion and history..
What to Consider When Designing a Japanese Garden? The semantic center of the composition is always the stones, symbolizing the masculine principle of Yang, and water, symbolizing the feminine principle of Yin. Trees also need to be arranged in a special way. The oak should be in the middle of the garden composition, and the maple should be on the west side..
In general, in the Japanese garden there is a certain dominant element, by which the territory is called — a garden of stones, seasons, water, etc. Such an element is always in the center..
