Monday, October 29, 2007

Gardens- More Than Plant Life

While attempting to find an interesting topic on Chinese culture to write about, I will admit I found myself in the middle of writer's block...or maybe it would be better called blogger's block...who knows. Irregardless, I found myself stumped and wanting to find peace in my life. While endlessly searching through topics related to peace, tranquility, and serenity (all which I am trying to find in my own life right now), I stumbled upon Chinese gardens.

Chinese view gardens as an essential art form and part of life. The gardens are created to attain balance, harmony, proportion and variety in life. A fluid and intricate combination of natural items including rocks, water, trees and flowers are fused with artificial elements of architecture, painting and poetry. "The garden is an artistic recreation of nature; a landscape painting in three dimensions"... the beauty of a garden speaks loudly.

The intricacy of a Chinese garden is boundless, and speaks much louder than what meets the eye. Covered corridors can be found within the garden so people can enjoy the garden in both rain and snow. Detailed footpaths imaginatively patterned cover the ground. A common motif I find particularly interesting is a square within a circle, representing the belief of the heaven being round and the earth being square.

Plant life plays a large role in the harmony of the garden, representing the harmony in life. The lotus flower represents purity. The flowering plum is commonly found, representing the renewal of strength and will. Bamboo is commonly found for strong and resilient character.

A Chinese garden is where I could go to right now, and I think many people would be eager to find serenity in them as well during this time of year. The Chinese garden is a place for solitude and serenity with nature. A piece of poetic art, gardens are a place people find spiritual utopia and to search one's inner heart.

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