A TRUE WORK OF ART

15 stones of various sizes are arranged in the space of mere 248 square meters. Their abstract layout leaves us questioning what did the artist have in mind?

Usually this stone garden is referred to as either a “Tiger taking the cubs over the stream” or “Seven-Five-Three” (auspicious numbers) garden type. Another explanation could be either islands in the sea or mountain peaks in the clouds. Some suppose, the stones spell out the character for “heart”— 心; others suggest that the stone clusters symbolise either Chinese Five Mountains of the main Zen monasteries or their Japanese equivalent. However, nobody knows for sure what the author’s intentions were. Some might see it as a Zen kōan riddle; furthermore, this garden sets the viewers’ imagination free.

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