Ikebana

Ikebana, the art of flower arrangement, is connected with the spreading of Buddhism in Japan. From the 6th century high bouquets (rikka, lit. "standing flowers") were put in Buddhist temples on both sides of the altar. They symbolized the holy mountain of Buddhism and were considered a gift to Buddha. A new type of flower arrangement, hagaire ("arranging flowers in a natural way") appeared in the 16th century when tea ceremony became popular in Japan. It was then that Sen-no Rikyu combined the art of ikebana with the tea ceremony and created a special style - tyabana ("tea and flower"). In the 20th century a new trend called moribana, which fits the conditions of a European interior, appeared under the influence of the western civilization. Its typical feature is arranging flowers in low and flat vases. The Japanese art of arranging flowers based on Zen Buddhism principles rests on three lines symbolizing the Sky, the Man and the Earth. The stem which symbolizes the Sky and forms the core of a bouquet is called primary or sin.  The second stem which symbolizes the Man and which is called soe must equal to two thirds of the sin's height and bended in the same direction. The third stem, tai, which symbolizes the Earth is the shortest one; its height is two-thirds of that of soe. Greens and grasses can be added to this composition, but the three stems must always be there. All stems are fixed in kendzane, a metal support with needle-like shanks, and then are placed in a carefully chosen vase. In Japan there are different schools and styles of ikebana, but the main principles are common for all of them.

Girls arranging bunch of flowers. Japan. The Japanese. Late 19th cent.		Bunch of flowers arrangement. Japan, Tokio. The Japanese. 1920s.