Session 2 - June 14

[stubing]

Join us for the discussion session on Tuesday, 6/14 at 4pm PT :
https://usc.zoom.us/j/97179452925?pwd=SWxqSmVkWDBpWXA5K0dhamFMUkRZdz09

The Buddhist Thread: The Pagoda, the Monastery and the Zen Garden

 

 

Required reading

• Between Use and Katsura: The Forgotten Traditions of Japanese Architecture, by Vinayak Bharne

 

Experiments in Materiality - Architecture in Stone, Earth and Wood 

 

 

Required reading

• Behind the Culture of Wood, by Vinayak Bharne

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Amy Stamm]

Thanks so much, Professor Bharne, for elucidating how the changing perception of the Buddha from the original idea of the social reformer to a spiritual icon has been expressed architecturally and how the environmental conditions of each country have exerted their influence on design decisions, which in turn, influence the particular ways in which people interact with each other and with the idea of Buddhism and the Buddha.

Mark Twain’s poem seems to express the shifting meaning of the enormous statue of the Buddha at Kamakura as it is interpellated into the various religious frameworks that people carry with them to Kamakura. Twain uses a number of traditionally Christian terms, like “Judgement Day,” “heathens,” and “sins,” which don’t occupy conceptual space within Buddhism. It seems in the poem that there is a tension between the people encountering the Buddha “on their way to Judgement Day” and the Buddha, who sits unmoved by those who encounter him, practicing the principles of Buddhism, letting the world pass through and by him.

The discussion of Zen practitioners illustrated another way in which practitioners continue to shift and refine their practice of Buddhism and use their environments to do so, at the same time that shifting environmental conditions shift their methods of practice. It was interesting to learn about how economic upheaval changed these gardens into dry gardens and how the tea trade from China to Japan served both a ritualistic and physical (caffeine-induced) function in developing Zen Buddhist practice.

I’m wondering what your thoughts are, especially considering architecture, about how Buddhism’s focus on the present moment (like the Zen ink drawings express) and the Buddhist concept of not harming interact with climate change as a global and future-oriented issue. Are there attempts beyond constructing temples with more sustainable principles to relating the concept of not harming to a wider set of practices?

Also, I had a technical question. When you discussed the Shosoin, you wrote, “In the summer the heat contracted the logs letting in the breeze through the gaps; in winter the dampness expanded them keeping the interiors dry” (p. 16).  I’ve always experienced summer expanding wood and winter contracting it, so I’m wondering how these conditions worked.

 

[Richard Englar]

PBS has a great video, SECRETS OF THE FORBIDDEN  CITY, in which "NOVA joins a team of master crasftesman (today) to build a scale model of a typical palace in a seismic lab, then subject it to simulated earthquakes to shake out the secrets of how the Forbiddden City has withstood centuies of Violent tremors."

Essentially, the entire structure has no nails, bolts, screws, cement etc.-- just brackets that work miracles!

[Richard Englar]

I was especially nterested in the Analogy of the Water Buffalo, since my wife observes that I  lack the proper focus when thinking about important decisions; my mind wanders instead of soncentrating on the task at hand.

Regarding the task of making the Zen Garden impeccably clean, I would surmise that the student should simply have left things alone, since nature would make the garden perfect in its own way with maple leaves.  "If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand"-- sorry, I couldn't resist!!

 

[Taylor Bub]

The second reading (Behind the Culture of Wood) was fascinating to me.  I found it so interesting that throughout their history, Japan used almost exclusively wood to build shrines and other structures.  To see how they were able to construct such delicate features within their structures, like the sliding doors that can be moved with only the tip of a finger, and the shoji being made of extremely thin rice paper and wooden boards to seperate spaces within rooms is so interesting.  It makes me wonder, why if the ability to create such delicate and beautiful designs existed back then, why have we not seen it adopted into modern society; and it reminds me of the idea that older furniture/structures are much better constructed when compared to modern equivalents.  It was also fascinating to see that even today at the many Shinto shrines, only hand tools are used to rebuild within the sacred grounds, while outside of these areas, modern tools are used for cutting and preparing the wood to be used demonstrates a great balance of old and new.  

[Joanna Bourque]

I have many thoughts and questions relating to depictions of Buddha in art and architecture.

First, Buddha originally was not depicted in human form but as an empty space situated below a parasol or above a set of foot prints. I have seen relief carvings on structures from India relating stories from Buddha's life in such a way. In the third lecture, there was mention that Buddha's earliest devout followers viewed him as a social reformer rather than a spiritual icon. My questions pertaining to this: what was the initial reasoning for not depicting Buddha in human form, and was it related to the view that he was a man and not an entity to be worshipped?

Also in the third lecture, it was said that the large human form that has become an iconic representation of Buddha was developed over time in East Asia. My questions pertaining to this: when did it become convention to depict Buddha in human form, what was the significant influence behind this shift, and did it first occur in India or East Asia?

[clay dube]

Great suggestion Richard, the preview can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ORgu5ascc Those who use the PBS Passport (by donating to your local station) can probably still see the film there, but it is also available for purchase/rent at other sites.

[Betsy Ures]

I found the images and diagrams of different pagoda structures very interesting. Looking at the Chinese and Japanese pagoda design side by side, it didnt register that they were so different until this lecture. They have a similar profile, but utilize different material based on aesthetic preference and functionality. I think students would be able to look at them side by side, like is done in the lecture, and make observations about the differences and similarities. 

Additionally, the use of wood and appreciation of the natural world in Japan is very special. My elementary students may not have seen a large wooden structures like the temples and castles in Japan, but share a love of nature. We can discuss the upsides of building with wood and the downsides. A field trip to the huntington gardens would be ideal, but we could also take a virtual field trip. We can identify concepts to look for like: Zen brushstrokes, zen gardens, zen walkways, natural materials, etc.

Do any other elementary teachers have experience with teaching about East Asian architecture?

Thank you for the informative lectures! 

[Taylor Bub]

During our discussion in class we revisited last week's mention of the Japanese temples and comparing them to Eurocentric works of art liek La Pieta.  Professor Bharne mentioned how in Japanese paintings, we are able to see the subject from many different perspectives as opposed to only one viewpoint.  I think it would be interesting to discuss this with our students and how they all come from different backgrounds and different perspectives, and how we can see, experience and understand what we are learning from different angles.  I'm thinking of when I teach Psychology, maybe having students hold an in class discussion where they share what they understand about a particular topic (like mental health) and then at the end we can put together a whole class view of the subject that incorporates each different perspective.

[Taylor Bub]

I love your idea of incorporating the use of wood in Japanese architecture in your teaching practices.  I have never taught elementary school, but I imagine if you discuss positives and negatives of using wood, you could tie it into a small unit on conservation in science.  Students could potentially explore the benefits of utilizing other materials instead, and maybe they might brainstorm how they might create a different design that is more sustainable for larger cities.  I also was thinking about your idea for field trips, and there is a website https://virtualfieldtrips.org/ that allows students to view videos and go on a virtual field trip to different locations.  They only have a few locations in Asia, but this might be a cool resource for you!

[Marcos Garrido]

The Buddhist Thread: The Pagoda, the Monastery and the Zen Garden

I liked how the reading started with a discussion of the “Ise Jingu”, and its legacy in terms of architecture and religion; the connection between the two. I personally find it interesting how a temple that’s primarily made of wood, can still be standing more than 2,000 years later. Looking at this temple as evidence of Japanese architecture, would be unfair given the long history and different time periods that evolved in these past two millennia. During our discussion in class, I like how the questions became more focused on climate change and environment friendly construction and designs. 

Experiments in Materiality - Architecture in Stone, Earth and Wood 

This was my favorite part of the lecture. I like how we are looking at materials to build, and how each region or environment offers unique materials that become unique pieces of architecture. I was thinking especially about developing countries in places like West Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Local populations are rapidly adapting to a globalized world, and they are starting to consume products that a few decades ago were exclusive to the western world. This economic and population growth is forcing civilizations and governments to build and plan for the next generations. I am concerned with the lack of resources, especially water. How are we preparing as a species to provide a safe source of water and food for this growing population? Also, in terms of space, what materials can be best used to build complex structures that are environmentally friendly and also safe?

[Nia Gipson]

 I found this weeks topic really interesting in particular, the tension between the preservation of Japanese indigenous building proceses and pratices, and enviornmental sustainablity. We often consider indegnious wisdom and building pratices to be climate sensitive and thus more sustainable. In yesterday's conversation there was mention of the Pueblo people of the American southwest, as well as Mongolian Yurt building, and I am sure that everyone can think of other examples as well. Indeed, I have used examples of Shinto/Zen pratices in my class as an alternative perspective on nature as inspiration of being more sustainable as well in my environmental science class. What was new for me this week was the realization was just how unsustainable building with wood actually is with the constant rebuilding of large wooden structures. While, it seems like wood was a natural choice as a building material given how abundant it is, and how flexible a wooden structure is during a seismic event, and yet, it is still an unsustainable process.

[Amy Stamm]

I've wondered about that question, too. Why labor to create an endless cycle of arriving at the same place when you could simply appreciate all of the leaves? And since people, in this case, Zen masters, determine what aspects of the natural world they think are worthy of highlighting, what human hierarchies and values do those determinations reflect and perpetuate?

[Amy Stamm]

I really like this idea for a class. It seems like artists design or account for particular subjectivities, too, and many of my students wouldn't necessarily fit with those subjectivities, so it'll be interesting, if you do this class, to hear from your students about whether they felt like they could be part of particular artworks or that the artworks addressed them or took them into account in some way. I like your application of these concepts to the subject of psychology and mental health, too, which are organized very specifically in different contexts.

[Amy Stamm]

The points you both raise remind me of legal trends to recognize personhood for thing like rivers and mountains, trends that are gaining momentum in the face of global warming. Most of the rulings in favor of personhood for the natural world are based on indigenous understandings and a framework that considers perspectives that widen out from a human perspective, in terms of both space and time. Bangladesh is one country that recently recognized personhood for rivers, now framed legally as living entities that should be protected from harm. Equador was the first country to grant environmental personhood to the natural world, then Bolivia, and also New Zealand (thought its law is more limited than Equador's and Bolivia's). In New Zealand the ruling equates harming the protected river, which is seen as a Maori ancestor, to harming the Maori people. I think that subjecting legal frameworks to these new perspectives that center what decisions look like from a forest, field, mountain, or river's point of view, for example, will have some important implications for material usage and architectural design in the upcoming years as climate conditions worsen.

[Author]

Posts