Read the garden in silence

Author: Cao Lindi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The Aesthetic Walk Series presents their respective full, intrinsic, and free lives, as the saying goes, "When all things are quiet, one finds beauty in them." At this moment, a touch of awareness, observing all phenomena, makes them seem as if reflected in a mirror—bright, clear, and each in its place. The starting point of quiet contemplation lies in emptying oneself of all attachments, with a mind free from hindrances, temporarily detached from worldly affairs. The birth of an artistic soul occurs in the moment of self-forgetfulness in life, known in aesthetics as "quiet contemplation." This book offers an essay-style "interpretation" of the artistic elements of Chinese classical gardens—the "literary works on the earth." The author gathers fragments of beauty, seeking inner elegance in quietude, striving to uncover the "subtle principles" embedded in the of the garden's scenery, and comprehensively exploring the Confucian spirit, the poetic essence of the Chu Ci, and the profound truths of Zen Buddhism contained within. Such include the literary heart of the garden, the clear sounds of mountains and water, poetic inscriptions on pavilions and terraces, the song of willows by the brook, and refined playthings and true appreciation. Exploring the deep-seated philosophical and cultural motivations behind the artistic beauty of the garden is the focus of the book. This is both the author's personal understanding of "reading gardens" and can help readers "spiritually roam" through the gardens, receiving spiritual nourishment from nature and culture, and cultivating their temperament.