Wind Chimes and the Asian Aesthetic for Landscapes
No man-made landscape is quite so elegant as an Oriental Garden can be. While no two are exactly alike, they all share common traits as a result of certain aesthetic principles that can be found throughout the Far East. The aesthetic is not one of sculpting nature so much as managing it a little here and a little there, providing for growth as opposed to outright manipulating it. Consider, for example, the use of wind chimes, rather common for a Japanese or Chinese garden. Thus does Mother Nature make music while making her rounds. Belying their role as guardians, they beckon and charm far and wide!
Many Asian cultures believe in conforming to nature and letting her determine her own course. Everything is left alone, much as is possible. Gold fish in the pond. Wind chimes echo everywhere. Whereas such grounds in the West seem purposely created to match the midday sun’s strength, those of Asia celebrate the morning and evening calm. Chinese gardens do tend to be more extravagant, almost in the manner of a stereotypical French creation, as it were, whereas Japanese designs are more subdued, being more cerebral. But in general, a Western garden celebrates song while an Oriental one honors silence.
Chinese gardens are inclined towards majesty, while Japanese ones seem to prefer mystery. A Chinese imperial garden is designed to awe, while the Japanese temple garden seems perfectly natural, as if born fully shaped and cultivated. Yet they all try to keep interference with what’s natural to an absolute minimum. To be sure, a garden is by definition something created by human design. What’s different across Asia is the belief that nature ought to lead most decisions. Just like how wind chimes just clothe the wind, so is the Oriental garden to nature’s mystery and majesty.