Shigemori Mireis View on "Picturesque Character of Stone Arranging by Sesshu"

Abstract

Shigemori Mirei (1896-1975), who was the famous scholar and gardener in Showa era based his theory about Japanese traditional gardens upon a great many on-the-spot investigation of gardens. He described four existing gardens at Jhouei-ji, Manpuku-ji, Iko-ji, and Kyu-kameishibou, as designed by Sesshu. The aim of this paper is to clarify Shigemori's understanding about "Picturesque Stone arranging by Sesshu". Through detailed investigation into his description in An Illustration Book on the History of Japanese Garden, vol.3, 4, and Japanese Garden History Survey, vol.5, 6, 7, we made it clear that Shigemori pointed out following three characteristics which show the influence of landscape painting of North Song (1) - (3), and two characteristics, which show the same style and touch peculiar to drawings of Sesshu (4) - (5) : (1) the right-handed movement of stone arrangement ; (2) the emphasis on lines of stone ridge ; (3) the form of stone arranging brought from a landscape painting ; (4) the slanted line to lower right from the stone in the center ; (5) the movement of stone arranging unique to Sesshu. Finally, the picturesque characteristics in these gardens are divided into three aesthetic category of plastic art : composition, form, and movement.