Dragon & Universe, Kyoto 妙心寺、龍安寺

Ryu, dragon, is a legendary animal that in Zen Buddhism is believed to be one of the eight deities that help following Dharma, one’s righteous duties or virtuous path. Being a water deity who prevents a fire, dragon is often drawn on the ceiling of a preaching hall, which also facilitates the teaching “fall like rain on all those who listen”.

Unryu-zu, a picture of a dragon in the cloud, painted on the ceiling of a Hatto Preaching Hall of the Myoshin-ji temple is stunning in many ways (http://www.rinnou.net/exhibition/ex_06.html). The 12.5 diameter painting is on the hanging ceiling up 13m high. The structure is supported by 44 large cypress pillars, 18 of which are inside the building. They are so called “shin-sari-zai” (the top of the trunk is removed to avoid possible break and distortion). The paining was completed over five years by artist Kano Tanyu when the Hall was built in 1615 to celebrate the temple’s 300th anniversary. All paints used were of natural materials- white (shells), black (soot ink), red and green (plants) and blue (rock) mixed with nikawa gelatin, which has not faded in its 350 year’s history.

The Dragon is almost like an Escher's illusionary structure – seen from the East, it looks ascending but descending seen from the West; its eyes follow you wherever you stand, thus the dragon is called "happo-nirami (glaring into 8 directions)". Looking up for a while, I was dazzled with a sensation of being flown up into the air, falling from the sky next minute and being nearly grabbed by the large craws of this incredibly dynamic figure. You could almost hear its flying with the swirling wind around - in Gagaku Japanese ancient music, ryuteki, a dragon flute, represents the sound of a dragon flying across the sky. It is one of the three wind instruments that represent the sound of the Universe: sho that represents “the sound of the light coming through the heaven” and hichiriki, the “sound of human voices”. Imagining as you stand in the middle of the Hall, you could float in the Universe.

You can feel the Universe in the famed Stone Garden of Ryoanji (1450), one of the many branches of Myoshinji, a square karesansui garden with 15 bolders placed in five spots. It is said to have been designed so that only 14 bolders are visible wherever you stand (except for one spot). Many theories exist regarding the design of this garden, including axis-symmetry with its center coinciding with the centre of the main structure. The essence of this garden, however, is the space of serenity, imagination and humbleness. Its pure simplicity allows a deep meditation that resonates with the philosophy expressed in the inscription carved on the edge of a tsukubai washbasin just around the corner: 吾唯足知 what one has is all one needs.