Day 5 - May 20 -Tenryuji Temple, Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park - May 20

Day 5 Photographs

Tenryuji Temple, Garden and Bamboo Forest

 A Little History

Tenryuji Temple is the most important temple in Kyoto's Arashiyama district located in the northwest region of Kyoto. Tenryuji was ranked first among the city's five great Zen temples, and is now registered as a world heritage site. Tenryuji is the head temple of its own school within the Rinzai Zen sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Built in 1339 by the ruling shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryuji was originally dedicated to the Emperor Go-Daigo, who had just passed away. The two important historic figures used to be allies until Takauji turned against the emperor in a struggle for supremacy over Japan. By building the temple, Takauji intended to appease the former emperor's spirits.

Tenryuji Temple interior

Viewing the Past

Many temples including Tenryuji featured a painted dragon on the ceiling in one of their main buildings to protect the temple complex from fire. Tenryuji's dragon was not able to completely protect it throughout the years. Many of Tenryuji's buildings, were repeatedly lost in fires and wars over the centuries -- a common occurrence with most of Japan's temples. As Hillary explained to the class, most of the temples contain a mix or artifacts, sculptures and buildings that have been replaced or rebuilt due to destruction in fire or wars. The difference in time period for the art and sculptures can be seen through observation of the paint (does it appear new or is it missing and flaking off?), the appearance of the wood (Is some of it newer? Does it look like a different type of wood?) and the sculptural style, especially apparent in faces (Does the face look simplified or is it detailed and very life-like?).  These visual clues can tell a visitor much about the history of the temple. In Tenryuji's case, most of the current halls, including the main hall (Hojo), drawing hall (Shoin) and temple kitchen (Kuri) with its distinctive small tower, date from the relatively recent Meiji Period (1868-1912).

Unlike the temple buildings, Tenryuji's garden survived the centuries in its original form. Created by the famous garden designer Muso Soseki, who also designed the gardens of Kokedera and other important temples, the beautiful landscape garden features a central pond surrounded by rocks, pine trees and the forested Arashiyama mountains.

Shakkei

In Japan, there is an old garden concept which means "borrowed scenery." Designer Soseki did not stop designing the Tenryuji garden at the hedge or the space after the hedge, he went beyond and incorporated the Arashiyama mountains into his garden. The article, The Lateral View, explains this Japanese concept well, "The hand of the Japanese reaches out and enhances that which is most distant." 

The Arashiyama mountains make a beautiful "addition" to the Tenryuji garden.

The Tenryuji garden central pond with shakkei.

Anything can become nature. To the Japanese this means the human touch. Shaping what is naturally present to make it more exposed, more observable. The Japanese make nature more observable by removing excess, planting just one or placing one rock carefully in a field of moss. This human touch or placement exposes the bark on the tree, emphasizes the bush next to the stream and makes obvious the surface of the rock. The Japanese touch removes the distractions so the observer can truly "see."

The Tenryuji Temple garden is largely unchanged since the 14th century.

A well-placed dramatic splash of color in the Tenryuji garden.

Mono No Aware

Nature and the contemplation of nature is important to Japanese people. This awareness of nature, the changing seasons and the cycle of life that highlights the beauty of the world is called mono no aware. The appreciation for nature reminds observers that change is the only constant. It reminds viewers of what is truly important in their lives.  

A view into the garden reminds visitors of the constant changing nature of life.

Views into the garden are important for mono no aware. The reminder of constant change should always be present in order to "remove the distractions" of everyday life. Much like the garden, the mind needs constant pruning or the human touch to keep it focused.

Yugen 

Tenryuji Temple is special since it has on it's north edge the Bamboo Forest. The Bamboo Forest is beautiful and mysterious. Yugen is defined as mystery and depth. The mystery can be complex or subtle. I would argue the Bamboo Forest has both. Yugen can be visual or conceptual and also refers to  a sense of darkness.

The forest appears on the north side of the temple. It isn't very big and opens into forested walkways that can take visitors into the forest or along the river. It is unique to the area, a specially crafted jewel. Simple and elegant. Not too long, not too short. Just perfect for appreciating it's beauty and wanting more - then realizing it needs to end. Much like the temple garden, distractions have been stripped away. No signage, even the fence lining the forest is a natural thing of beauty not to distract from the beauty of the bamboo. 

The Bamboo Forest.

The forest adds mystery or yugen to Tenryuji Temple.

Tenryuji Temple is the perfect temple in Japan to learn to understand Japanese aesthetics: one stands for the many, yugen and shakkei among other visual principles. This is the temple where I truly understood the Japanese human touch or shaping of nature. It took me awhile to understand how shaping nature by  removing parts of it was considered being in harmony with it. I can say that I am finally understanding the concept of removing distractions in order to observe or focus. As with many things in Japan, nature reflects the realities of the human. And, at Tenryuji one can see how the garden can be a reflection of a well tended mind.