Bonseki - Bonseki

Japanese: 盆石 - ぼんせき

This is a traditional art unique to Japan that creates a natural landscape by placing several natural stones on a black lacquered tray and arranging nine different kinds of sand of various sizes. The origin of bonseki has the following historical background.

[Katsuno Tomoko]

Origin and History

Since ancient times, Japanese people have tended to deify stones, and in the Nara period, there was a type of rock that was worshipped as a symbol of nature and the seat of the gods, called iwakura. In the Heian period, bonyo, a miniature garden, became popular. This is similar to the modern-day bonsai with stones. When Zen Buddhism was introduced from China in the Kamakura period, the Zen-specific view of nature, which is simple, austere, and elegant, led to the elimination of water, trees, and soil from gardens, resulting in the "karesansui" style garden. In the same way, water, trees, and soil were also omitted from bonyo, and the origins of bonseki were created. The bonseki of this period were simple, consisting of one or several stones with various sizes of sand scattered around them, and can be thought of as being similar in shape to modern-day suiseki. In the Muromachi period, bonseki came to be used as models for landscaping. Gardeners of the early Muromachi period, such as Soami and Zenami, were also excellent bonseki craftsmen. As they were repeatedly created with this practical purpose in mind, bonseki were elevated to the level of art that reproduced nature through the harmony between the immutability of the stone and the flow of the sand, and they became beloved by samurai and aristocrats. In the early Edo period, they were also incorporated into the tea ceremony, and were used as floor decorations in tea rooms. During the Kansei period (1789-1801) in the mid-Edo period, bonseki became so popular that many illustrations were published, and they spread among samurai and wealthy townspeople. They shed their simple role as stones for decorative purposes and began to take on pictorial compositions. At the time, there were eight main schools of bonseki, all of which were founded by feudal lords, tea masters, and landscape gardeners. Currently, there are three schools that are active in relation to these traditions: Enzan, Sekishu, and Hosokawa. Of these, the Enzan and Sekishu schools are primarily concerned with the tradition of classical landscapes, while the Hosokawa school, in addition to the tradition of classical bonseki, also produces various original bonseki and bonga.

[Katsuno Tomoko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

黒い漆塗りの盆上に、数個の自然石を置き、大小9種類の砂を配して、大自然の景観をつくりだす日本独特の伝統芸術。盆石の発生は、次のような歴史的背景がある。

［勝野友禧子］

発生・沿革

古代から日本人には石を神格化する傾向があり、奈良時代には、石を自然の象徴、神の座として崇(あが)める磐座(いわくら)というものがあった。平安時代になると、庭園を縮図化した盆養(ぼんよう)が愛好されるようになった。これは現在の石付き盆栽のような形式のものである。鎌倉時代に、中国から禅宗が入ると、簡枯洒脱(かんこしゃだつ)の禅特有の自然観から、庭園は水・樹木・土が省略されて「枯山水」の庭ができあがっていったように、盆養においても水・樹木・土の省略が行われ、ここで盆石の祖景ができあがった。この時代の盆石は、1個または数個の石の周りに大小の砂をまいた程度の簡単なもので、現在の水石のような形と考えてよい。室町時代になると、盆石は造園の際の雛形(ひながた)として使われるようになった。室町初期の相阿弥(そうあみ)、善阿弥(ぜんあみ)などの造庭家は、同時に優れた盆石師であった。このような実用性をもって、繰り返しつくりだされるうちに、盆石は、石の不変性と砂の流動との調和によって、自然を再現する芸術にまで高められ、武家や貴族に愛好されるようになった。江戸初期には、茶道にも取り入れられ、茶室の床飾りとして使われるようになった。江戸中期寛政(かんせい)年間（1789～1801）には、盆石の図版が数多く刊行されるほど盛んになり、武家や富裕な町人の間に広がっていった。単なる石の演出的意味から脱皮して、絵画的な構図をもつようになった。当時おもなものだけで八流派あったが、それらの始祖は、いずれも大名諸侯、茶人、造園家であった。現在それらの流れをくんで活動している流派は、遠山(えんざん)、石州(せきしゅう)、細川(ほそかわ)の三流派である。そのうち遠山流、石州流は古典景図の伝承を主としているが、細川流は、古典盆石の伝承とともに、さまざまな創作盆石を行って盆画(ぼんが)もある。

［勝野友禧子］

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