FROM THE GARDEN OF ZEN: May 2023

May 16, 2023

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Various spring flowers have bloomed and faded away one after another with very hasty steps. Now, as if to celebrate the grand finale of spring and to predict the coming of summer, the gorgeous flowers of a white peony are in full bloom majestically in the quiet garden.

The seasons are changing amazingly fast before my eyes, which always impresses on me the transitoriness of this world.

The peony is a deciduous shrub native to China, and its gorgeous flower is esteemed as the king of all flowers there. The color, the size, and the richness of its petals all suggest that it deserves such an honorific title.

These pale white flowers are swaying gracefully and sorrowfully in the gentle breeze, like a king who foresees his own fate to perish before long.

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Along the silent stone-paved pathway leading to the Kaisan-do hall, in the calm sunlight of the early afternoon, the colorful flowers of Botan (peony) are blooming as if to praise each other for beauty.

Kaisan-do is the temple hall commemorating its spiritual teachers. A wooden portait statue of Rankei Doryu (the founder of Kencho-ji, 1213-1278) is enshrined here, and, behind it, the tombs of Rankei Doryu and Mugaku Sōgen (the founder of Engaku-ji, 1226-1286) are placed. This building is regarded as the most spiritual place of this old Zen temple.

These peonies are grown by Unsui monks (monks undergoing Zen training) with their whole hearts as a part of the practice and as the beautiful offering to all worship-visiors.

The family crest of Mitsu-uroko (three drangon's scales) of the Hojo clan, which is the founding family of this temple, is printed on the white curtain hanged on the Suzan-mon gate.

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Yae-zakura (double-flowered cherry tree) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Shiran (Hyacinth orchid) flowers: Kencho-ji

Yae-zakura (double-flowered cherry tree) flowers: Ofuna Fower Center (Kamakura)

Peony flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

May 2, 2023

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

The abundant bright sunlight from the spring sky is bringing back the vigor of life to various living things after their winter dormancy.

Knowing that the cherry blossoms are about to fall in concert soon, these magenta flowers of Kaido are beginning to come into full bloom, like a diva of great beauty who tries to inherit the leading role on the spring stage.

As is well known, in China which is the place of origin of a Kaido tree, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang likened this elegant flower to his beloved beauty, Yang Kuei Fei, who was dozing off drunkenly in a bewitching manner in his quiet garden filled with the fragrance of lively spring air.

According to the eternal cycling of the seasons brought about by the universe, every seasonal flower blooms gracefully with all its might and then pretty soon fades away, leaving an evanescent shadow of an immortal beauty.

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Haku-un-boku (Styrax obassia) flowers: Engaku-ji

In the garden of the Hojo (main hall) of the old temple, the small white flowers of Haku-un-boku (white cloud tree) are fully blooming in clusters and floating like bright cirrus clouds in the deep blue sky.

A gentle breeze is slowly shaking these flowers to let them give off their pleasant fragrance around this garden.

Unlike the white clouds which are shortly swept away by the wind and vanish into the air, these white flowers will remain here for several days in a graceful manner. However, before long, these fragrant flowers will scatter one after another and fall to the earth like snowflakes to fade away.

Haku-un-boku (Styrax obassia) flowers: Engaku-ji

Hanamomo (Flowering peach trees) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center

In China, the place of origin of the Momo (peach tree), this tree is traditionally thought to have a miraculous power for averting misfortune and bringing prosperity and longevity, according to Shenxian thought (ancient Chinese folk belief in the existence of immortal mountain wizards). Its fruit was regarded as the mystical food for wizards, which could give them everlasting youth and life.

It is said that the Momo tree is imported to Japan as a fruit tree during the Yayoi Era (around 8 B.C. to around the 3rd century).

In Japan, during the Edo period (1603-1868), the Momo tree was bred as an ornamental flowering plant (Hanamomo). Many of its horticultural varieties grown today were also created during this period.