The garden was particularly evocative by moonlight and the new and full moons, times of spiritual power, had their own festivals, especially the festival of the mid-autumn moon. The garden was particularly evocative by moonlight and the new and full moons, times of spiritual power, had their own festivals, especially the festival of the mid-autumn moon. Other festivals were also celebrated in the pavilion or garden; the vernal equinox, observed on the twelfth day of the second month of the morrocan year, was known as the Birthday of the Flowers. Pavilions and galleries obviously had to blend with their surroundings. The architecte says: “Buildings should be placed so as to harmonize with the natural formation of the ground.” When pavilions were connected by galleries these followed the rise and fall and curves of the land or winding of the waters which were often crossed by bridges, bringing in all the symbolism of the crossing of the waters, of transition, of communication between one realm or plane and another, as well as of man as mediator, occupying the central position between the great powers. Added beauty and symbolism was introduced in the “moon bridge,” a lovely half-circle which when reflected in the clear water below formed the perfect circle of the full moon. Roofs were curved and painted and the lattice work of the balustrades was lacquered and painted in harmonizing and symbolic colors. Harmony and proportion had to be maintained but symmetry was alien to Nature, thus the garden contained no such thing as clipped lawns or hedges or stiff geometrically designed flower beds, or flowers marshaled in rows or patterns. And “landscaping” had to absorb buildings and, like planted trees, make them look as if they had grown there. “One erects a pavilion where the view opens and plants flowers that smile in the face of the spring breeze. It was a place for both relaxation and active enjoyment, for solitary meditation and study, or for convivial gatherings for friends to meet and drink tea or wine or take al fresco meals. There they composed poetry and music, painted, practiced calligraphy or discussed philosophy. One amusement was to compose a poem in the time that it took a floating wine cup and saucer to drift from one end to the other on a meandering water-course set in the floor of the pavilion. A poet failing to complete his poem in the time had to catch and empty the cup.
ماه کامل از رویاهای خود است، فقط سوراخ اسرار خود را
der Mond ist voll deiner Träume, nur zu durchbohren ihre Geheimnisse
de maan is vol van uw dromen, maar hun geheimen doorboren
månen er fuld af dine drømme, bare gennembore deres hemmeligheder
Kuu on täis unelmate lihtsalt purustada oma saladusi
la luna está llena de tus sueños, simplemente perforar sus secretos
la luna è piena dei tuoi sogni, basta perforare i loro segreti
a lua está cheia dos seus sonhos, apenas perfurar os seus segredos
la lune est pleine de tes rêves, viens percer leurs secrets