Asian landscaping

The art of the Asian landscape is multifaceted and multidimensional. Like any traditional art, it expresses ideas and values in relation to philosophy, spiritual teachings and the arts. It also proposes architectural, biological, environmental and artistic development, as well as its own, unique aesthetic.

By Asian landscaping, we refer to the gardens of Asia in general. In my faculty's Diploma in Asian Landscaping program, we place particular focus on those of India, China and Japan. Our primary purpose is to teach Chileans with a private or professional interest in the field. An integrated understanding of the field may help our students to reflect on their relationship/interaction with the world and nature, in order to re-evaluate this relationship on a theoretical basis.

Asian thought and arts have a holistic and intuitive vision of mankind and the world, therefore learning, from the Western perspective, can transform humans; that is, beyond merely supplying new tools to apply technical knowledge that is related to the creation and appreciation of gardens and their applications.

We know about India’s ancient gardens from textual references made during 3500 - 2500 BC. Subsequently, the Vedic tradition, based on the vastu-sastras or traditional architectural laws (1.500-800 BC), predominated. Gardens of the 6th to 2nd century BC were inspired by the Buddhist sutras. Finally, we have extant examples from the Mogul Empire, dating to the 16th-18th centuries, and the British empire of the 19th and 20th century. Many variants were born of these influences.

Traditional models, according to Hinduism, took into account the energy of the city, house and garden to create a balanced, prosperous and happy society. They had to balance the energies present in the location/environs, the construction garden’s process and human beings.

The gardens of China originated from period during which the Imperial Park was constructed (17th century BC). The park was reserved for hunting and shamanistic ceremonies. These ceremonies were performed by the emperor, who was the chief shaman. The Han Dynasty Park (2nd century BC - 2nd century AD) evolved into a replica of the Eastern Garden of Eden, with a lake and three islands due to the influence of Taoism. From the 8th century on, private gardens were designed for officials, poets and artists. This type of space was designed for entertainment and to inspire the artist to create. They also sought to inculcate a more cultured outlook in visitors. There were also gardens next to many temples. Many of these gardens still stand in northern and southern China.

The Chinese garden also integrated the cosmological energy and sacred science of Feng-shui, with the aim of creating a harmonious habitat conducive to a long and prosperous life.

Japanese gardens incorporated these Chinese influences with their Shinto beliefs that involved worship of nature and spirits. This resulted, during the 6th to 19th centuries, in three models with various historical styles. They differed in function and the use of space.

Thus, there were parks and gardens for the nobility, which had long paths and waterways, as well as the contemplation gardens with the water and dry land elements of Zen Buddhism. There were also tea house gardens. Chile’s principal example of these models is in La Serena. It is a modern garden that synthesizes all these influences.

The art of Asian gardening, with its cosmological references, expresses values and ideas through the use of myths and symbols in their design. These symbols are varied and express spiritual, ethical, psychological, life expectancy and social aspirations. Universal values such as immortality, enlightenment, purity, beauty, truth, love are present, as are honesty, respect, tolerance, longevity, prosperity, fidelity, equality, vitality and courage.

A person who is aware of such ideals will work on their personal development goals in order to be able to live and express these principles. Some may want to achieve in-depth transformation, while others may aspire to balance or harmony in the various aspects of family, social and community life. In this way, the garden becomes an instrument which facilitates the attainment of these various human aspirations. The garden is a tool for personal development, but it can also be an area of natural beauty and friendly atmosphere which has energies that help harmonize the exterior with the interior.