Part 2 READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

THE JAPANESE ROCK GARDEN

The karesansui, or Japanese rock garden, is a unique and beautiful form of landscape art. Often called ‘Zen gardens’, they are found in the temples of Zen Buddhism in Japan. The gardens are not large, and they are enclosed by walls. The main components are rocks and gravel, with a few plants. The rocks are placed in carefully selected positions in the garden, and the gravel is raked to create patterns that often suggest rippling water. The design of the garden is based on various principles, and the aim is to create a peaceful place for meditation and contemplation. The gardens are regarded as great works of art, and they have influenced garden design in the West, as well as the art of garden landscaping in Japan. However, the karesansui is not a modern phenomenon. The history of this art form goes back a long way.

The first rock gardens in Japan were probably inspired by the Chinese gardens created during the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). These gardens were designed to look like Chinese paintings of natural landscapes. They were intended to be viewed from a building, and they consisted of a pond and an island, with a bridge connecting the two. The gardens were built by the nobility in the capital, Kyoto, and they were a sign of a family’s status. The first truly Japanese gardens were built in the early 11th century, but they still had some of the features of the Chinese gardens. The pond and the island were still there, but the bridge was replaced by stepping stones, and there were more rocks. These gardens were also intended to be viewed from a building, not from within the garden itself.

By the 13th century, the influence of Chinese landscape painting was beginning to have an effect on the design of Japanese gardens. This was the time when Zen Buddhism was introduced to Japan, and the first Zen temples were built. The first rock gardens were built in these temples, and they were used by Zen monks as an aid to meditation. The garden was intended to be viewed from a single point, usually from a platform on the veranda of the temple. The gardens were not intended to look like real landscapes, but to represent the essence of nature’s principles. The garden’s aesthetic differs from that of conventional art forms like painting or sculpture. The beauty of the garden was in its simple, unadorned naturalness.

This shift in the garden’s purpose, from representing natural landscapes to aiding in meditation, prompted a change in design. The design of the garden was based on a number of principles. One of these was the idea of yohaku-no-bi, or the beauty of extra white. This refers to the use of empty space in the garden, which is as important as the rocks. Another principle was the idea of omomi, or the abstract quality of the garden. The garden is not supposed to look like a real landscape, but to suggest the spirit of nature. The most famous of all the Japanese gardens, and the best example of a rock garden, is at the Zen temple of Ryoanji in Kyoto. It was built in the late 15th century, and it consists of a rectangle of white gravel, surrounded by a low wall, with 15 rocks of different sizes placed on the gravel. The rocks are placed in five groups, and the gravel is raked every day by the monks. The garden is viewed from a platform on the veranda of the temple, and it is often said that only 14 of the rocks can be seen at any one time, no matter where the person viewing the garden is sitting.

The karesansui continued to evolve over the next few centuries. By the 18th century, the gardens were beginning to lose their spiritual significance, and they were being built in the gardens of the nobility. By the 19th century, the gardens were being built in the grounds of hotels and inns, and they were becoming a tourist attraction. This was the time when Japan was opening up to the West, and the gardens were being built to cater for the increasing number of foreign tourists. The gardens were no longer being built according to the principles of Zen Buddhism, and they were no longer being used as an aid to meditation.

The influence of karesansui extends far beyond its original temple setting. It is now featured in homes, parks, and public buildings worldwide. This art form, a powerful representation of Japanese aesthetic principles, has achieved international significance through its impact on Western garden design.

Questions 14-17

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.

14. What does the writer say about the main purpose of a Japanese rock garden?

to increase the status of a temple

to provide a calm environment

to show the artistic skills of the designer

to encourage visitors to the temple

15. The writer says that the first Japanese gardens

were built by monks.

were inspired by Japanese paintings.

were designed to be seen from a distance.

were open to the public.

16. What was the purpose of the first rock gardens?

to represent the principles of nature

to show the beauty of the rocks

to provide a place for people to sit

to represent a natural landscape

17. The writer says that the garden at Ryoanji

contains different types of rocks.

is larger than most rock gardens.

is viewed from a path in the garden.

was built by a famous gardener.

Questions 18-22 (暂缺)

Questions 23-26

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?

In boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE.	if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE.	if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN.	If there is no information on this