MEMOIRS OF NARA NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL PROPERTIES NUMBER 17　Studies of Heian Period Gardens

 

　ENGLISH CONTENTS AND SUMMARY

 

　RESEARCH REPORT OF NARA NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL PROPERTIES No. 86

Independent Administrative Institution

Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Japan

 

CONTENTS

Introduction

 

ONO Kenkichi

An Overview of Heian Period Garden History and the Present Status of Research 3

HIRASAWA Tsuyoshi

An Overview of Gardens on the Nara and Earlier Periods as a Premise for Examining the Japanese Garden in the Heian Period 9

 

Part 1 Methodology of Heian Period Garden Research

 

SUZUKI Hisao

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Excavated Features 42

 

KYORAKU Mahoko

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Historical Materials: Gardens and Heian Aristocratic Society 52

 

KURATA Minoru

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Literature: From the Chapter “Butterflies” of The Tale of Genji 59

 

NAKA Takahiro

Heian Period Gardens Seen in Picture Scrolls 69

 

Part 2 Heian Period Garden Design

 

AMASAKI Hiromasa

Stones and Water in Heian Period Gardens 84

 

HIDA Norio

Garden Flora of the Heian Period 95

 

MIZOGUCHI Masato

An Outline of Heian Period Architecture and Gardens 103

 

Part 3 Aspects of Heian Period Gardens

 

KUNISHITA Tamiki

Gardens in the Nagaoka Capital: Detached Palaces and the Garden and Ponds Office122

 

ONO Kenkichi

Gardens at Early Heian Detached Palaces: Shinsen’en and Sagain 134

 

AMI Nobuya

Gardens of Early Heian Period Aristocratic Mansions 143

 

HIDA Norio

Inferring the Original Form of Sakuteiki 152

 

MOTONAKA Makoto

On Japanese Gardens of the Eleventh-Twelfth Centuries and the Scenery of Their Environs189

 

ONO Kenkichi

Lines of Development of Rinchi garan and Pure Land Gardens 204

 

AWANO Takashi

Gardens at Oshu Hiraizumi 215

 

TAKAHASHI Chinatsu

The Heian Period Concept of Yamazato Seen in Screen Poems 224

 

TANAKA Tetsuo

The Locations of Ponds in the Heian Capital 234

 

YAMASHITA Shin’ichiro

The Garden as a Ceremonial Site: Seen from Flower-viewing Parties in the Imperial Domicile and Ceremonies on Imperial Progresses 242

 

NISHIKI Hitoshi

Gardens in Waka Poems: Concerning the Relation of Gardens and Waka 260

 

SUMMARY

Introduction

 

An Overview of Heian Period Garden History and the Present Status of Research

ONO Kenkichi

 

In reviewing the 400 years of Heian garden history, it is useful to divide this period into three phases. During the early phase (from the end of the eighth to the mid-tenth centuries), when the ritsuryo system still functioned with effect, large-scale pond gardens were built in palaces and mansions related to the imperial family, making good use of the Heian capital’s abundant water supply and surrounding scenery. In the middle phase (mid-tenth to the latter eleventh centuries), which saw the strengthening influence of the Fujiwara family, the shinden style garden became established at aristocratic mansions, placing a pond in front of the main residential hall, and based on this attempts were seen at concrete representation of Amida’s Pure Land, with a pond in front of the main Buddha hall in a Pure Land garden. In the late phase (from the late eleventh to the end of the twelfth centuries), when retired emperors held power, gardens in the palaces of ex-emperors represented by the Toba detached palace were built combining characteristics of the shinden and Pure Land styles, while the prosperity of garden culture at Hiraizumi under the Northern Fujiwara should not be overlooked.

In addition to the documentary and pictorial materials, and surviving geographic features, on which Heian garden history research has been based, from the latter half of the 1960s studies based on excavated garden remains have assumed an important position. And in recent years, researchers who specialize in history and literature are increasingly taking up Heian gardens as objects of study, and greater breadth and depth in research are anticipated.

 

An Overview of Gardens on the Nara and Earlier Periods as a Premise for Examining the Japanese Gurden in the Heian Period

HIRASAWA Tsuyoshi

 

This contribution begins by summarizing the examinations made of gardens and similar spaces up through the Nara period by the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in its program of “Research on Ancient Gardens.” The program divides into a first phase, from fiscal 2001 to 2005, and a second phase from fiscal 2006 to 2010, with examinations made mainly through the Nara period in the first phase, and of the Heian period in the second. Some study during the second phase was also done on the Nara and earlier periods, and this is included in the summary. As these examinations relate particularly to the origins and definition of Japanese gardens, a review is made of the terms for “garden,” of drinking parties and banquets seen in Nihon shoki entries, of examinations of excavated garden features and of definitions for gardens, and these are summarized together with the results from recent years of examinations up through the Nara period made outside of the program. Based on the above, and placing particular emphasis on such perspectives as the articulation of space, conjecture is made on the origins and development of gardens in Japan, while taking account of archaeological work through recent years on Jomon period residences and monuments, Yayoi period agriculture and settlements, Kofun period rites and residences, Asuka period ponds, and Nara period gardens, thereby making observations on matters related to gardens up through the Nara period as a precondition for examining gardens of the Heian period.

 

Part 1 Methodology of Heian Period Garden Research

 

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Excavated Features

SUZUKI Hisao

 

Garden features that have been elucidated through excavation play an important role in research on Heian gardens. In this contribution, a number of garden features are taken up, centering on items excavated in recent years, and the following are noted.

 

1. Horikawain, one of the representative aristocratic mansions of the Heian capital, has been excavated, and it was shown that for this residence occupying two city blocks lying north-south, a garden was built not only in the northern main block but also in the southern one.

2. On the periphery of JR Kyoto station, corresponding to East Third Ward on Second Street of the Heian capital, garden remains making use of the abundance of spring water have been discovered one after another in recent years, and it has become clear that this area was dotted with mansions outfitted with gardens.

3. At Anrakujuin of the Toba detached palace, to the west of the pond a sturdy groundwork of river stones was made, on top of which a hall housing nine Amida statues was built, and a strong intent to unify the pond and Buddhist structures as one may be discerned.

4. At Kongoshin’in of the Toba detached palace, aspects of the relationship between structures and gardens of mansions in the Heian capital were drawn upon in constructing a Buddha hall and a large-scale garden.

 

Observing these as a whole, it was confirmed anew that in the construction of gardens in the Heian period, water that could be used for purposes such as ponds was indispensable.

 

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Historical Materials: Gardens and Heian Aristocratic Society

KYORAKU Mahoko

 

　The aims of this contribution are to review how gardens are recorded in ancient documents of the Heian period, and explore the possibilities of conducting research on garden history from the perspective of documentary history.

　In traditional documentary history, analysis questioning the meaning of imperial and palace gardens within the structure of the capital city has been undertaken, evaluating gardens in the context of the structure of rule, and taking them as one part of the political landscape. However, analysis of gardens at aristocratic mansions has lagged, and has not been linked well in all cases with research in other fields.

　Accordingly, aristocratic residential gardens of the Heian period's middle phase (the period of the Fujiwara regency) are taken up, and from an analysis of various actions involving them such as their making, management, and utilization, the garden as a place is considered. Activities of the aristocrats are analyzed, such as invoking political authority for ensuring water quality and the cleaning of ponds, the concern and behavior drawn out by the appearance of springs, service at banquets for admiring the cherry blossoms, and acts of gathering flowers that bring seasonal color to gardens.

　As a result, what takes place in gardens as seen in historical documents is the service of giving banquets and so forth, with the garden clearly functioning as a place reflecting the human relations of aristocratic society.

 

Heian Period Gardens Seen through Literature: From the Chapter “Butterflies” of

The Tale of Genji

KURATA Minoru

 

　An analysis is endeavored of the description of a garden taken from the first section of the chapter “Butterflies” of The Tale of Genji. The following points are indicated as characteristics of a garden described through the device of competition for superiority between spring and autumn.

 

1. Although gardens were ordinarily seen from buildings at that time, the narration is made based on the held of view from the south pond, looking toward the buildings.

2. That the chrerry, wisteria, and Japanese kerria are simultaneously in bloom means it is an ideal garden.

3. Moss is planted as ground cover.

4. An artificial hill adds a scenic touch as a cape on the pond, and an inlet is seen on the central pond.

5. In an age when boating was more a nighttime leisure, it is done during the clay.

6. The women’s waka, suggestive of a poetry competition while boating, praise the garden.

7. The garden is described in terminology used for the land of the immortals.

8. Bonfires are associated with the garden.

 

　The suggestion is added that through this type of analysis, research on literature can contribute to the study of garden history.

 

Heian Period Gardens Seen in Picture Scrolls

NAKA Takahiro

 

　This contribution discusses the usefulness of picture scrolls as documentary materials for research on garden history. First, an overview is made of how picture scrolls have been used thus far as data in garden history research. Next, based on a number of picture scroll scenes, observations are made on the actual conditions of Heian period garden design and use, and among the findings it is pointed out that (1) through comparative analysis with garden features detected in archaeological excavations, verification of the degree of realism possessed by garden depictions in picture scrolls is of great importance as a future research topic, (2) for pictorial works that can be characterized as narrative picture scrolls, since garden depictions often serve as pretexts for expressing the emotions of the characters appearing in the plot, it is possible to observe from detailed analysis of these the meanings held by the garden as part of the daily culture of ancient times, and (3) for interpreting Sakuteiki in particular, there is still room for further analysis of gardens depicted in picture scrolls.

 

Part 2 Heian Period Garden Design

 

Stones and Water in Heian Period Gardens

AMASAKI Hiromasa

 

　The stones and water of a garden are inseparably connected with aspects of its natural setting, such as the site location and its surrounding geology and topography. This is because the garden stones used were ordinarily selected from natural rock produced in the environs, and a conduit from a nearby river or a spring within the garden was relied on as the source of water for streams or ponds. Moreover, features such as the heights of waterfalls were determined by the topography as a matter of course. On the other hand, there are examples of garden stones regarded as superlative items that were brought from distant places, and where emphasis was placed on design, considerable effort was expended regardless of a garden’s particular location.

　Predicated on the above, with regard to garden stones and taking mainly the Heian period gardens of the Kyoto basin as the object of study, an examination is made of the compositional characteristics of the stone materials, their loci of production, and routes of transport. For stone material composition, chert was in highest proportion, and while these items were basically gathered from the vicinities of their respective gardens, where they were not local products it is concluded they were brought by boat from the surrounding regions. Also, at the garden at Motsuji temple in Hiraizumi, with regard to the selection and use of garden stones, it is clear that consideration was made for how rocks appear in the natural realm. Regarding water sources for garden ponds, a reevaluation is made, from the perspective of the drainage system of the Kyoto basin, and in particular the water veins of alluvial fans, of Mori Osamu’s thesis that ponds of the Heian capital relied mainly on springs. As a result, the distribution of ponds in the vicinity of Shinsen’en is seen to follow the Horikawa valley which extends between the Tenjin and Kamo river alluvial fans, and it is concluded that under-round water from both was very likely welling up as springs.

 

Garden Flora of the Heian Period

HIDA Norio

 

　In the early phase of the Heian period (794-960), the term senzai (garden flora) was born. At the start of the period, chrysanthemum-viewing parties were held on the ninth day of the ninth month, but gradually senzai awase, in which poems were composed about the trees and other vegetation planted in front of buildings, became the main form of gathering. That Japanese flowers replaced the Chinese fashion chrysanthemums is thought the result of Japanese ideas coming to receive more emphasis. From examples of the term senzai in the Gosen wakashu, it is seen that not only flowers but also trees were planted.

　Senzai awase were popular in the Heian period's middle phase (961-1085) as well. Judging from examples in The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book, the word senzai changed to mean the place where flowers were planted in front of a building, or the flowers themselves that were planted there. Items planted as senzai of the day included fringed rue (Ruta chalepensis), aster (Aster tataricus), patrinia (Patrinia scabiosifolia), large pink (Dianthus superbus), Japanese clover (Lespedeza), Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis), Amur silver grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus), and themeda (Themeda japonica). As many autumn flowers were included among senzai, making gardens in the form of autumn fields was also popular.

　In the final phase of the Heian period (1086-1191), flowers came to be planted everywhere in the garden, and as the literal meaning of senzai, planting items in front of a building, no longer fit the actual situation, the word hanazono (flower garden) was applied for places where flowers were planted.

 

An Outline of Heian Period Architecture and Gardens

MIZOGUCHI Masato

 

　In the Heian period, with the penetration of Buddhism along with regulations on the construction of temples in the capital the practice of converting private homes into temples was common. As a result, temples and aristocratic residences became highly similar in architectural style and spatial composition. Because the size of lots was touted by the city street grid it was difficult to make an adequate garden pond while securing sufficient space for ceremonies, and in order to conduct the latter there were cases where ponds were omitted, or conversely where ponds altered architectural composition. As a result, the actual spatial conditions for buildings and ponds comprising aristocratic residences were varied. Spaces where buildings and ponds were integrated wholes appeared at detached palaces or temples outside the capital where limits on lot size and usage were few. Also, as a form of garden architecture traditionally not given sufficient consideration, it is thought that many multistoried structures were perhaps built as facilities for amusement, and the existence of an architectural design similar to tea-ceremony arbors in buildings set up at gardens is pointed out.

 

Part 3 Aspects of Heian Period Gardens

 

Gardens in the Nagaoka Capital: Detached Palaces and the Garden and Ponds Office

KUNISHITA Tamiki

 

There were seven detached palaces at the Nagaoka capital (784-794), namely, the Shima Compound, South Compound, South Park, Inokuma Compound, Itabi Compound, East Compound, and Yamamomo Compound. In historic documents of the time it is recorded that seasonal banquets were held in the Imperial Domicile or in these detached palaces. From this it is thought highly possible that there were gardens at some of these detached palaces, although garden features have yet to be identified in archaeological investigations.

　In this contribution, the results of research on detached palaces are reviewed, and an examination is made with regard to hypothetical locations of gardens based on topographic conditions and archaeological findings. Next, features in the form of dikes found within the capital are examined. These are thought related to the Garden and Ponds Office which administered gardens, and observations are made on the role of this office in the capital. As a result of the above analysis, it is stated that while the gardens of the Nagaoka capital retained the traditional garden layout of the Nara period, there was the new development of those garden spaces comprising detached palaces within the capital becoming independent. The gardens at the start of the Heian capital continued this arrangement of detached palaces from the Nagaoka capital. Further, regarding a “north garden” area that has traditionally been supposed for the palace or the area north of the capital based on comparison with the imperial garden of the Tang capital Chang’an, it is pointed out that this was a facility established by the Office of Vegetable Gardens on the capital’s northern periphery within the city grid, and that no extensive imperial garden existed.

 

Gardens at Early Heian Detached Palaces: Shinsen’en and Sagain

ONO Kenkichi

 

Since the Nara period, palace gardens and detached palaces were used as places for seasonal rites and banquets, and were an important installation of the capital city accompanying the ritsury5 system. As Heian, the site where Emperor Kanmu relocated the capital, was blessed with more abundant spring water and superlative natural scenery compared with the Heijo capital of the previous period, detached palaces having large-scale pond gardens were built within and outside the Heian capital. In the early phase of the Heian period, Shinsen’en, adjacent to the greater imperial palace on its southeast, and Sagain, in the Heian capital's western outskirts, were representative detached palaces within and outside the capital, respectively. In this contribution, beginning with Shinsen’en and while referring to previous research the origins of its spatial composition are sought from an East Asian perspective, and based on similarity in composition with the imperial palace at the Bohai capital of Shangjing Longquanfu, the possibility is shown that the Xingqing palace at the Tang capital Chang’an was the ancestral form. Next, with regard to Sagain, in addition to pointing out that its locational characteristic of being surrounded on three sides by mountains is a miniature version of the Heian capital it self, with regard to the construction of its garden pond, Osawa no ike, the possibility is indicated that it was the product of the civil engineering skills of the Hata family, held to have played a great role in the relocation to Heian. Also, it is pointed out that both Shinsen’en and Sagain held important positions in the affairs of the state as based on the notion of monjo keikoku (that learning Chinese literature was indispensable to governing the country).

 

Gardens of Early Heian Period Aristocratic Mansions

AMI Nobuya

 

　Based mainly on the results of archaeological excavations, this contribution makes observations on gardens at aristocratic mansions of the Heian period, and the following is learned.

　For mansions in the early phase of the Heian period, ponds and other garden features are drawn into the central set of buildings. This is because gardens were not just for appreciation in daily life, but the garden space was important for enhancing the round of annual events that were conducted within the residence. This unification of the central buildings and garden space was what led to the creation of the shinden style garden. Also, ponds of the early phase took on a variety of forms due to the geological environment of the Heian capital, which is dotted with spots where water wells up from the ground. Places where such ground water flowed plentifully were dressed up as garden springs, and ponds with pebble beaches of a variety of designs were constructed. At these mansions, buildings were placed fronting onto the pond, showing that the structure of mansions in the Heian capital was diverse and open. Among the elements comprising these ponds of the early phase of the Heian period, there are many aspects seen to follow from an earlier age, and Sakuteiki may be called the systematization of these techniques and ideals in the Heian aristocrats' heightened sense of aesthetics with regard to garden building. In the gardens of the early phase of the Heian period, the garden form just prior to the formalization of the techniques and philosophy shown in Sakuteiki can be seen.

 

Inferring the Original Form of Sakuteiki

HIDA Norio

 

　Sakuteiki is known as the oldest book on garden building in Japan, but as the Tanimura text that was in the possession of the Kaga domain's Maeda family is regarded as the most important copy, it is generally thought of as Sakuteiki itself. But by comparing the Tanimura copy with Senzuisho, a recomposition of Sakuteiki made around the year 1200 by a figure named Keisan, and Arusho, excerpted from Sakuteiki around the fifteenth century, it is possible to infer to some degree the original form of the work.

　The results of thus comparing copies of Sakuteiki are as follows. The prose of the Tanimura copy is a mixture of kanji and hiragana, but the Sakuteiki originally was a mixture of kanji and katakana, including some portions written in kanbun, and probably close in orthography to Senzuisho and Arusho. From the use of kanji mixed with katakana, similar to the literary style of the period of rule by retired emperors, there is a strong possibility that the original came into being in the late phase of the Heian period. While comparison is difficult because Senzuisho is a recomposition, it is inferred that the overall composition was very close to the Tanimura copy. But whereas the Tanimura copy adds taboos regarding the standing of stones, the item on garden flora of Senzuisho is lacking. Also, there are tendencies to abbreviate technical topics and troublesome religious passages. If what is recorded in Senzuisho is reliable, the compiler of Sakuteiki was not Tachibana no Toshitsuna (d. 1094) but a retainer of his. From the compiler’s age, the original form of Sakutei is thought to have been completed around 1100.

 

On Japanese Gardens of the Eleventh-Twelfth Centuries and the Scenery of Their Environs

MOTONAKA Makoto

 

　Japanese gardens showed tremendous development over the eleventh and twelfth centuries, taking the design and structure of palace (residential) and temple gardens of the previous era as their starting point. In particular, the structure and design of the pond shoreline made with pebble beaches, which had emerged in the eighth century and then became firmly established in gardens of shinden style residences, also came to be used frequently as a device or method for giving expression to the Buddhist realm (Pure Land) in Pure Land gardens. Also, in the process of building gardens at aristocratic villas and temples constructed outside the capital, natural features and views came to take on importance as conditions for their location, and a new relationship emerged between the garden and its surrounding scenery. Further, through the application of Pure Land doctrine, this produced in Pure Land gardens anew perspective on interpretations of a sacred precinct, giving consideration to the natural features and topography of the temple environs as well.

　In this contribution, while discussing the new relationship that gradually developed between Japanese gardens and the scenery of their environs in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, it is pointed out for Hiraizumi, the political and administrative center of Japan’s northern region, that not simply the view offered by the mountains as seen from the Pure Land garden, but in terms of that view as the mountains were colored with the blossoming flowers in season, a tendency can be seen for the natural features and topography of the environs to be recognized as an important element in the spatial articulation of the political and administrative center.

 

Lines of Development of Rinchi garan and Pure Land Gardens

ONO Kenkichi

 

　A temple having its own delineated precinct, with an image hall as its nucleus that has a pond located in front, is defined here as rinchi garan (literally, “temple facing a pond”). This arrangement emerged in China from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang periods, as an iconic expression of the Western Paradise (Pure Land) of Amida Buddha, but it is regarded as only rarely being built as an actual temple. On the Korean peninsula as well, almost no definite examples of rinchi garan can be seen. In contrast to this, in Japan the form flourished. With the Amida Jodoin at Hokkeji temple of the Nara period as the first example, in the middle phase of the Heian period a variety of forms emerged, as seen in the narrow and deep Amida hall with a pond placed at its front at Muryojuin, the pond surrounded with Buddhist halls at Hojoji, and the central image hall with wing corridors having a pond spreading outward from it as the Amida hall at Byodoin. From the end of the Heian to the Kamakura periods, such rinchi garan were built in great numbers. As reason for this form taking hold in Japan, in the Heian period the Amida cult became popular, and it may be said that the aristocratic (shinden style) garden, already well formed in terms of design, was taken as a model for expressing the image of the Treasure Pond described in Pure Land scriptures. In principle, use of the term “Pure Land garden” should be limited to the rinchi garan or a garden accompanying it, which emerged and developed in Japan in dependently as an expression for Amida’s Western Paradise.

 

Gardens at Oshu Hiraizumi

AWANO Takashi

 

　At Hiraizumi of the Heian period's late phase, through the deep Buddhist devotion of three successive heads of the Northern Fujiwara family, Kiyohira, Motohira, and Hidehira, the temples of Chusonji, Motsuji, and Muryokoin were built, and together with the political and administrative center, formed an embodiment in this world of the realm of the Pure Land. With regard to the gardens built at Hiraizumi, this contribution reviews the results of research which have accumulated thus far in various fields such as garden history, the history of architecture, documentary history, and archaeology. Considerations are made in particular for the major Pure Land gardens, regarding the spatial characteristics of the temple compounds comprised of buildings and gardens, as well as relations with the surrounding scenery, and the following conclusions are obtained.

 

1. Pond features of the twelfth century at Hiraizumi were not independent entities, but had a hydraulic system drawing water in common from mountains such as Kinkeizan on the western side of Hiraizumi’s central district, which then passed through a number of ponds and finally flowed into the Kitakami river.

2. Pure Land gardens of Hiraizumi show their initial form at the Oike pond built by family founder Kiyohira at Chusonji, and the temple layout at Motsuji, made with an eye toward Kinkeizan by the second family head Motohira, began to put into practice the garden techniques recorded in Sakuteiki. At Muryokoin, built by the third head Hidehira, with a layout placing the Buddha hall to the pond’s west to recreate the Western Pure Land, and an alignment having the summit of Kinkeizan lying on the central axis of the pond and Buddha hall, the height of development was reached as a Pure Land garden united with the surrounding scenery.

 

The Heian Period Concept of Yamazato Seen in Screen Poems

TAKAHASHI Chinatsu

 

　In garden history the notion of yamazato (mountain village) is understood to be a tranquil area among the hills that is recreated in gardens such as the tea garden from the latter part of the Medieval period on. But the concept of yamazato extends back to the Heian period. In order to clarify the Heian view of yamazato, in this contribution examples are taken from byobu uta, poems written to accompany screen paintings, a genre popular from the end of the ninth to the mid-eleventh centuries, and their characteristics are analyzed. In light of the results, in may be inferred that the image of yamazato in screen paintings became fixed with the inclusion of elements such as cherry trees, autumn colors, snow, crenate deutzia flowers, cuckoo birds, mountain dwellers and their guests, and residences that are simple in appearance. The formation of this image was greatly influenced by the aristocracy’s coming to make frequent visits to actual mountain villages. At the same time, as drawings of yamazato were normally imbued with a sense of season or had a narrative composition, in the end it may be called an idealized place perceived through the cultural code of the Heian aristocracy.

 

The Locations of Ponds in the Heian Capital

TANAKA Tetsuo

 

　This contribution makes an examination of the locations of ponds in the Heian capital, based mainly on excavated examples. As a result, together with the vicinity of the Imperial Domicile in the eastern capital where mansions of the high aristocracy are many, a distribution is seen in a north-south direction centering on both East and West Second Columns. This distribution of ponds is thought related to the positions of the Kamo, Tenjin, and other rivers. Sources of water for supplying ponds were the rivers and waterways flowing above ground, and underground water that welled up as springs. When water from rivers and waterways was used for ponds, it was brought by conduit to the pond within the mansion, and when water from springs was used it was brought by a watercourse from the spring to the pond, or the spring was located at the pond’s bottom. In either case, being close to a river or underground water was a condition for the location.

　Also, looking over the Heian period as a whole, it is seen that ponds using springs with abundant flows of water existed from the early through the late Heian phases, ponds using old river channels and wetlands were frequently seen in the western capital in the early phase, and ponds were built in the late phase using places where old river channels had filled up and become wetland sediments.

 

The Garden as a Ceremonial Site: Seen from Flower-viewing Parties in the Imperial Domicile and Ceremonies on Imperial Progresses

YAMASHITA Shin’ichiro

 

　Research on Heian period gardens has been conducted until now from the fields of garden history, the history of architecture, and ancient documentary history, but research from the angle of considering the garden's role as a site for ceremonies has been rare. In this contribution, an examination is made from the perspective of the garden as a place where ceremonies were conducted, mainly in the early and middle phases of the Heian period, at the garden of the Imperial Domicile where various flower-viewing parties were held, and the gardens of temples and aristocratic mansions visited during imperial progresses.

　The first section of the paper points out that narrow spaces between palace buildings at the Imperial Domicile, where cherry and red-blossomed plum trees were planted and there were features such as streams, functioned as gardens, and that utilization of gardens as places for ceremonies, as represented by the flower-viewing parties in the east garden of the Seiryoden, became regularized in the Heian period.

　In the second section, as ceremonies attended by the emperor at temples or aristocratic mansions, a memorial service at the main hall of Hojoji in 1022, and the progress to the Jotomondai of 1008 are taken up. For the former, it is pointed out that the entire garden was used as a ceremonial site, that audiovisual effects were produced in the garden with majestic music and performances on boats, and that the garden spreading out in front of the buildings was utilized as a necessary and indispensible space. For the latter, it is shown that performances on boats were made in the same manner, and that at the end of the banquet the musicians were summoned to the forecourt, and effected a feeling of unity through an ensemble played together with the emperor and aristocrats on the palace floor above. In both cases, it is clear that the garden played an important ceremonial role as a site.

 

Gardens in Waka Poems: Concerning the Relation of Gardens and Waka

NISHIKI Hitoshi

 

　What was the purpose in making shinden style gardens? While there were probably various purposes and ways of utilization, consideration will be made in this contribution from the perspective of the garden as a “space for composing waka.”

　First, an examination is made of various waka poems to see how nature is cognized in waka, and how it is expressed. As a result, it is shown that even in instances where an actual scene or natural feature was viewed while composing waka, as they are based on conventional modes of expression there is a trend to fall readily into stereotypic form.

　Next, attention is turned to the senzai uta-awase (Senzai awase) which were held many times over in gardens, and a detailed examination is made. There are no examples of the term senzai being used in China, so it is thought to have been Japanese. The first example is seen in a song of the saibara genre from the beginning of the Heian period. Large gardens came to be made from that time in front of the main residential hall, and using that space, poetry parties and contests were frequently held.

　At the opening of Sakuteiki is an injunction to re-create the famous landscapes of the country in the garden. The garden became a space of man-made beauty where these were gathered from throughout the land, to be used for imagining such famous landscapes through its scenery, for composing poems.

　This contribution points out that among the various natures possessed by the garden, one of these is as a “space for composing waka,” and calls for the active participation of waka researchers in the study of the garden.

 

研究論集17

平安時代庭園の研究

－古代庭園研究II－

奈良文化財研究所学報　第86冊

2011年3月31日　発行