The Origin of the Karesansui in Sakuteiki Style

Abstract

The term Karesansui refers to a dry up garden, e.g. the garden of the Daisen-in and the Ryoanji ternples. However, the term seems to have originally meant exclusively a certain style of stone arrangement in a garden. The Sakuteiki or The Book of Garden, which is attributed to Tachibana Toshituna (1028-1094), and which is the very oldest text mentioning the term, defines Karesansui as a special element of a garden rather than a garden itself. Accodingly, it is generally believed that the Karesansui as described in the Sakuteiki laid the foundation of the establishment of the Karesansui garden in the modern sense, which is today regarded as one of the typical Japanese style gardens.
On the other hand, the origin of the Karesansui has not been clearly explained yet, although several interpretations have appeared.
This paper argues that the origin of the Karesansui as mentioned in the Sakuteiki can be seen in the Chinese garden of the Han period (Western Han 206-8 B.C.; Eastern Han A. D. 25-220), reviewing the Classical Records and considering the archaeological discoveries.