2012 5 1
When cherry blossoms bloom never can one see the pathway of flowerbed every single moment abiding glorious beauty
Although the fresh green foliage began to cover the landscapes, I must yet again ponder upon the dignified impressions left of the cherry blossoms of April.
Cherry Blossoms is now well known to have originated from Jeju Island of Korea. Therefore, today, we see them all over the Korean peninsula. Such grandiose blooms are not a stranger to the front yard of my home in Pirun-dong Seoul planted during my childhood years. A few years back, another two Cherry Blossoms were planted outside of my home by the city, a random surprise.
Whilst living in Washington D.C., I was no stranger to walk among the crowds annually gathered to savor the galore of beauties at the widely famed riverside of the Jefferson Memorials Potomac Park where the Cherry Blossoms once donated by Japan has grown to 6,000 some bundle of trees. Crowds gathered in front of my home where the streets turned into the full bloom of such beauties in Bethesda Maryland at times would cause local police to regulate the inflow of sightseers.
And now on another Spring day, I am on my way to Kyoto from Seoul.
Kyoto for some reason seems quite familiar. Perhaps it's because Kyoto, once a nation of Asuka, Yoshino, Osaka, Sakai is where almost the entirety of our Korean population of ancestral Baekje have fled after losing the war 1400 some years back. This place Kyoto is rich in historical past, a millennium seat of government, has in its vicinity 2000 some palaces and temples.
This is where I saw the Cherry Blossoms and the harmony with the landscapes were simply breathtaking. Only an hour and a half distance from the long wintry weathers, one must not forget to glance at such beauties come Spring time again.
However, such desireful thoughts are not always as easy to schedules once the hectic agendas of daily life take on. If only one can chop off into two their daily task demands and is able to put aside all things which is truly a difficult timing to match indeed.
Somehow, I always end up arriving perhaps too early or after it all withered away. This time, however, I arrived to give the lecture on April 14 and the Cherry Blossoms were still in place although slightly withered. It was simply a marvel.
Among many moving spectacular sceneries, I would like to highly recommend few places but still if I could only suggest one, it would be this place that I frequent - Godaiji 高臺寺 in front of ryokan I usually stay.
'Neneno Michi' is the name of the road where the wife Nene of Toyotomi Hideyoshi upon his death had built in loving memory of him. She lived there for 17 years praying for him until it was her time and its garden is the ultimate magnificent masterpiece of art. It by far outstands all other Cherry Blossom beauties of Kyoto the most lovely mastery of all horticultural artistry.
Til today, I simply cannot forget the first time I saw its master scenery.
In the midst of dimmed soft spot lights in the quietest of evenings, so many people were kneeling down on wooden floors each glancing at the splendor of just one Cherry Blossom tree in front. Silently still for hours, it seemed.
Mysterious was such refined elegant gestures of those seating there even to the gentle breeze of the wind or even one flower blossomed at the end of a lowered branches.
A long time has passed and I once again gazed upon one tree of the Cherry Blossom.
Such harmony between the creators hand and the hand of horticulturist is supreme mastery of the art. Adding to this is the modest residential architectures as if withholding the breath of our ancestors past that best holds in unity under its wings the garden landscapes of such magnificent yet gentle galore. At last, the freezing temperatures and frozen hearts of the bitterly cold winter have faced the brilliant light. Moreover, if you add the depth of the welcoming eyesight of the passer-bys who can explain such beautiful scenery of life.
I am hoping that you can all someday meet this perfect time to grasp the beauty and so I write again the "Godaiji Story"
Such a waste for only one to see Such a waste to leave Kyoto
Such a waste to leave this world
Heianjingu Sakura - Kyoto 2012 4 7
|
|
