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| Work Title Ryoanji | |||
| Date Composed between 1983 and 1985. |
| Ensemble Type Variable |
| Instrumentation For any solo from or combination of voice, flute, oboe, trombone, double bass ad libitum with tape, and obbligato percussionist or any 20 instruments. |
| Comments Scores available for oboe (EP 66986b), voice (EP 66986c), flute (EP 66986d), double bass (EP 66986e), and trombone (EP 66986g), each with percussion obbligato. Also for orchestra (EP 66986f). In 1983, Cage began a composition-in-progress called Ryoanji, named after the rock garden in Kyoto, Japan. This garden is a collection of 15 rocks, placed in a landscape of raked, white sand. In the summer of 1983, Cage started a series of drawings entitled Where R=Ryoanji, using (by drawing around) 15 different stones. Around the same time, the oboist James Ostryniec asked Cage to write a piece for him, which resulted in the first part in a series of pieces entitled Ryoanji. Between 1983 and 1985, Cage added 4 more: for voice, flute, double bass, and trombone. In July of 1992, during an interview with Joan Retallack (with cellist Michael Bach present), Cage made sketches for a cello part he never completed. (See description in Retallack and Cage, Musicage – Cage Muses on Words, Art, Music.) These solos (in any combination or as solos) are always accompanied by a percussion part or a similar 20 member orchestral part. Each is a series of 8 songs, with the exception of the part for voice, which has 9. A song is created on 2 pages, each of which contains 2 rectangular systems. In each rectangle, Cage traced parts of the perimeters of the given stones. These curves are to be played as glissandi within the given pitch ranges. In some places, contours overlap, thus making materials impossible to play. In these cases, one or more tape recordings are used, with which the soloist plays a duet or trio. The percussion part is a single complex of 2 unspecified sounds, played in unison, wood and metal. The metres for these materials are twelve, thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen. The twenty musicians of the orchestra independently choose a single sound, which they then use for the entire performance. They should play in 'Korean unison', their attacks being close, but not exactly together. These parts are a series of quarter notes (as in the percussion part), which (different for each instrument) are to be played slightly before, slightly after, or more or less on the beat. The soloists represent the stones of the garden, the accompaniment the raked sand. |
| Dedicatee(s) Joelle Leandre (double bass and orchestra), Robert Aitkin (flute), James Fulkerson (trombone), Isabelle Ganz (voice), Michael Pugliese (percussion) |
| Publication Peters Edition EP 66986b-g |
Ryoanji Tea House
Ryōanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple) is a Zen temple and World Heritage Site in northwest Kyoto, Japan. It is best known for its Zen garden, a simple gravel-and-rock arrangement that inspires peace and contemplation.
- Ryoan-ji Temple's dry rock garden is a puzzle. Nobody knows who designed it or what the meaning is of the 15 rocks scattered across its expanse of raked white gravel. Some academics say they.
- Kyoto, Japan; Muromachi Period, Japan; C. 1480 CE; Current design most likely dates to the 18th century; Rock garden; Form. Zen Buddhism temple; A complex of 23 sub-temples.
History of Ryoanji
Ryoanji (H4-7), 2020 8,000 USD (3 Bids) 5 days remaining. 大雲山 龍安寺 Ryoanji.
The site of the temple was originally a Fujiwara family estate during the Heian period. The temple was founded in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto (1430-73), a military leader in the Muromachi period.
1450 In Kyoto, the Ryoanji Zen temple is built. It has a garden of fifteen rocks on raked white sand – an austerity to aid meditation. 1450 The wealthiest state on Africa's east coast, Zimbabwe, is abandoned after having suffered from overgrazing, eroded farmlands and a loss of timber.
The original temple buildings burned down during the Onin Wars (1467-77), in which Katsumoto was killed. The temple was reconstructed from 1488 to 1499, and Ryoanji's famous rock garden was probably constructed around this time. Further reconstructions and additions were made over the centuries.
The temple belongs to the Myōshinji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism. Rinzai Zen was introduced to Japan by the Chinese priest Ensai in 1191 and emphasizes the use of koans, paradoxical puzzles or questions that help the practitioner to overcome the normal boundaries of logic.
What to See at Ryoanji
Ryoanji is most famous for its karesansui (dry landscape) Zen rock garden, thought to date from the late 1400s. It is one of the most notable examples of the dry-garden style — some say it is the highest expression of Zen art and teachings and perhaps the single greatest masterpiece of Japanese culture. No one knows who laid out this simple garden, or precisely when, but it is today as it was yesterday, and tomorrow it will be as it is today.
The Zen garden is an austere arrangement of 15 rocks rests on a bed of white gravel, surrounded by low walls. The moss-covered boulders are placed so that, when looking at the garden from any angle, only 14 are visible at one time. In the Buddhist world the number 15 denotes completeness. So you must have a total view of the garden to make it a whole and meaningful experience, and yet, in the conditions of this world, that is not possible.
Unlike Stonehenge, the Pyramids, or Angkor Wat, Ryoanji can hardly impress you with technical achievement, religious imperative or sheer scale. Yet its quiet minimalism inspires contemplation and introspection.
Behind the simple temple that overlooks the rock garden is a stone washbasin called Tsukubai, which is said to have been contributed by Tokugawa Mitsukuni in the 17th century. It bears a simple but profound four-character inscription: 'I learn only to be contented.' This is the heart of Zen philosophy.
The main temple building is a meditation hall (hojo) furnished with tatami mats, sliding doors, and a small Buddhist altar. It opens onto the veranda that overlooks the rock garden.
The temple grounds cover 120 acres, including the scenic mountain backdrop, and are well worth a stroll, particularly the cool green moss gardens and large pond. Due to its large population of waterbirds, it is popularly known as Oshidori-ike, the pond of mandarin ducks. The pond has two small islands, the larger of which is has a small bridge leading across to a shrine to Benten, the Shinto goddess of good luck.
Ryoanji Temple Plan
On the rim of the pond is a beautiful little restaurant, Ryoanji Yudofuya, with tatami rooms and screens. Here you where you can eat yudofu or have an expensive beer and enjoy the view.
Quick Facts on Ryoanji
| Site Information | |
| Names: | Ryoanji |
|---|---|
| Country: | Japan |
| Status: | active |
| Visitor and Contact Information | |
| Coordinates: | 35.034519° N, 135.718236° E |
| Address: | Kyoto, Japan |
| Lodging: | View hotels near Ryoanji |
Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.Ryoanji Japan
References
- Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan - Yamasa Institute
Ryoanji Kyoto
More Information
- Reviews of Ryugen-in Temple - TripAdvisor traveler reviews of Ryoanji
- The Japanese Garden: Ryoan-ji - diagram and photos of the rock garden
- Zen Buddhism - ReligionFacts
- Photos of Ryoanji - here on Sacred Destinations
Map of Ryoanji, Kyoto
Below is a location map and aerial view of Ryoanji. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.