| architecture |
| calligraphy |
| ceramics |
| clothing |
| comics |
| gardens |
| lacquerwork |
| literature |
| movies |
| music |
| painting |
| poetry |
| sculpture |
| tea ceremony |
| television |
| theatre |
| weaponry |
| thematic routes |
| timeline |
| the site |
context: gardens > flower arranging
Early History
Some say that ikebana, the art of flower arranging, is the heart of zen - the legend is that zen started when the Buddha did not give his usual sermon, but simply held up one flower. One acolyte got it, whatever it was, and that was the start of zen, of wordless meditation as a way to enlightenment.
When Buddhism came to Japan, flowers were offered at temples, certainly from at least the 7th Century. These were devotional offerings, not artistic creations, but this is the root of the artform.