Click one of me (below) and listen to me while you go to Kyoto...
When you click the pictures to enlarge (which I highly recommend) you will lose the song. If you copy the URL into a second tab, looking at the other while allowing the music to play on this tab, you will enjoy it more. The music is key.
This first one (Koto & Shakuhachi) is seriously tha jam, really. It kicks into this total groove.
Enjoy, My Tomodachis... and welcome to the Far East.
Listening Pleasure.... play when the above is finished.
Hokusai... play thirdly.
KYOTO
Nestled in the mountains of Western Honshu, Kyoto has earned a worldwide reputation as Japan's most beautiful city. Kyoto is known as "the city of a thousand temples," but it actually has more — an astonishing 1,600 Buddhist temples, plus 400 Shinto shrines. Kyoto has more World Heritage Sites per square inch than any other city.
Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the emperor from 794 until the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when the capital was moved to Tokyo. Kyoto thus spent a millennium as the center of Japanese power, culture, tradition, and religion. During this time, Kyoto accumulated an unparalleled collection of palaces, temples and shrines, built for emperors, shoguns, geishas and monks. And thankfully, Kyoto was one of the very few Japanese cities to escape the Allied bombings of World War II.
The Silver Pavillion at Ginkaku-ji in Spring
(I think this place has some seriously magical sacred energy)
Ginkaku-ji, like Kinkaku-ji, is regarded as a branch temple of Shôkoku-ji (Rinzai Zen). Its official name is Tôzan (Eastern Mountains) Jishô-ji. The gentle hills that range along the eastern edge of Kyoto are called Higashiyama ("eastern mountains") and from ancient times have been regarded as possessing a feminine gentleness. The frequent subject of poetry, these mountains are a much appreciated part of the landscape of Kyoto. The peak called Nyoigatake (also known as Daimonjiyama) is well known as the site of the bonfire in the shape of the character dai ("great") visible from the city on August 16, during the Bon festival. Ginkaku-ji is located in the foothills of Daimonjiyama. The "Philosopher's Path," named after a favorite stroll of the philosopher Nishida Kitarô (1870-1945) and a famous route for viewing cherry blossoms in spring and fireflies in summer, runs past its front gate.
The Golden Pavillion (at Kinkaku-ji) Tranquility Pond in Autumn
(Enlarge all of us, we're all beautiful)
The Silver Pavillion at Sunrise
(the landscape is brushed, manicured sand)
The Silver Pavillion in Autumn
The Golden Pavillion in Autumn
The Golden Pavillion, 2nd FloorI love how the four guards, surrounding all four sides of the Divine Deity in the middle, are garishly growling at threatening entities, fire streaming behind them. There are also wide-open eyes surrounding their feet at the base, all as if to say, "Nothing shall get past us!!---for we fiercely protect the divine." And the Deity sits calmly, unafraid because it is protected.
Enlarge to see!
The Golden Pavillion (Kinkaku-ji) in Winter
The following poems are from two classic collections of Japanese verse, the Manyoshu and the Kokinoshu.
A poem from Monk Ryokan:
Our life in this world -
to what shall I compare it?
Its like an echo
resounding through the mountains
and off into the empty sky.
By Emperor Jomei when he climbed Kagu Hill to view the land:
Of many hills in the land of Yamato,
I climb heavenly Kagu Hill richly adorned with green foliage,
and stand on the summit to view my realm,
I see smoke rising on the open plain of land
and gulls taking off from the surface of the lake.
A splendid land, is this land of Yamato!
This beautiful and quiet poem was written by Prince Shiki on the occasion of the visit to the Palace of Naniwa by Emperor Mommu in 706:
On this cold and chilly evening,
when frost forms on the folded wings of the mallards
as they swim near the reedy shore,
My thoughts go back to Yamato.
Ki no Tsurayuki (c. 872-945): The night approaches
Ki no Tsurayuki was the foremost poet of his age. He was one of the editors of the Kokinshu and wrote one of the prefaces to the anthology. He was also the author of a travel diary, the Tosa diary.
In what way is the approach of night like autumn?
The night approaches,
darkness on Mt. Ogura
where the deer cry out
and in their voices calling
is it autumn on the wane?
In the classical age much of the verse was occasional poetry, and poetic exchanges were a necessary part of courtship. In this exchange the Lady Ishikawa has taken Prince Otsu's poem and cleverly rearranged it. She repeats in the forth line what Prince Otsu has repeated in lines two and five of his poem.
Ki no Tsurayuki was the foremost poet of his age. He was one of the editors of the Kokinshu and wrote one of the prefaces to the anthology. He was also the author of a travel diary, the Tosa diary.
In what way is the approach of night like autumn?
The night approaches,
darkness on Mt. Ogura
where the deer cry out
and in their voices calling
is it autumn on the wane?
In the classical age much of the verse was occasional poetry, and poetic exchanges were a necessary part of courtship. In this exchange the Lady Ishikawa has taken Prince Otsu's poem and cleverly rearranged it. She repeats in the forth line what Prince Otsu has repeated in lines two and five of his poem.
Here is a sensual and brilliant correspondence between Prince Otsu and Lady Ishakawa:
How does Lady Ishakawa turn Prince Otsu's complaint at having been stood up into a compliment which reassures him of her continuing love?
Gentle foothills, and
in the dew drops of the mountains,
soaked, I waited for you--
grew wet from standing there
in the dew drops of the mountains.
Lady Ishikawa (7th C. CE): Poem by Lady Ishikawa in response:
Waiting for me,
you grew wet there
in gentle foothills,
in the dew drops of the mountains--
I wish I'd been such drops of dew.
How does Lady Ishakawa turn Prince Otsu's complaint at having been stood up into a compliment which reassures him of her continuing love?
Gentle foothills, and
in the dew drops of the mountains,
soaked, I waited for you--
grew wet from standing there
in the dew drops of the mountains.
Lady Ishikawa (7th C. CE): Poem by Lady Ishikawa in response:
Waiting for me,
you grew wet there
in gentle foothills,
in the dew drops of the mountains--
I wish I'd been such drops of dew.
The following is where we spent our retreat. Shukubo means temple lodging. Ancient temples turned into places of retreat and meditation. One must honor the customs of the Buddhist way while residing within the shukubo. Finding them in cyberspace proved near impossible. These photos are from two separate temples.
Kyoto Lanterns
Rockou-in Rock Garden
Roanji Temple
Breakfast
Meditation Room
Roanji
Kamo River
Roanji
Roanji
A Bamboo forest we explored
The forest trail.
Fushimi InariFushimi-Inari Taisha (I'd watch this sans the music)
Kyoto Geisha girl
by Italia
"Love, in itself, has no boundary. Love is like water. It will flow and flow and flow, and no matter the size of the container, the shape of the container, it will flow into it. If the angle of the ground inclines, the water will rush down it. It is constantly in motion, and it is formed in all things. The earth is made up of over 75% water as are our bodies. Water is love. So what does that tell you about the earth and our bodies?"
-Lo Elle
No comments:
Post a Comment