Sakuteiki facts for kids
Sakuteiki (作庭記, literally, Records of Garden Making) is a very old Japanese book. It is all about how to design and build beautiful gardens in Japan. This important book was written a long, long time ago, around the 11th century. People have translated it into English and French so that more people around the world can learn from its wisdom.
History of Sakuteiki
The Sakuteiki is thought to be the very first guide ever written on planning gardens. It is believed that a man named Tachibana Toshitsuna wrote this famous book.
For a while, during a time in Japan called the Kamakura period, people knew this book by a different name. They called it Senzai Hisshō, which means "Secret Selection on Gardens." Later, during the Edo period, it became known by its current name, Sakuteiki.
What the Book Teaches
The Sakuteiki book tells us a lot about how gardens were made during the Heian period in Japan. It describes five main ways to design a garden. Each style tries to copy a different natural scene:
- "Ocean Style" (taikai no yō) – This style makes a garden look like the vast ocean.
- "Mountain Torrent Style" (yama kawa no yō) – This style creates the feeling of a fast-flowing mountain stream.
- "Broad River Style" (taiga no yō) – This design mimics a wide, calm river.
- "Wetland Style" (numa ike no yō) – This style creates a garden that looks like a marsh or a pond.
- "Reed Style" (ashide no yō) – This design focuses on plants like reeds, often found near water.
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