A Zen Life in Nature

This book examines the design style of the medieval Japanese Zen monk Muso Soseki (1275-1351), who built gardens as places to meditate and to escape his busy public life. A Zen Life in Nature begins with a discussion of Soseki's rural upbringing and the spiritual background to it, his quest for enlightenment as a Zen monk and his role as mediator in the turbulent times that surrounded the Kemmu Restoration and the establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate. Other chapters look at the spiritual and cultural influences that are crucial to understanding Soseki's aesthetic and design sense and the development of his garden building. Finally, the book provides a detailed look at the beautiful Upper Garden at Saihoji, built by Soseki in 1339.