Zen Gardens and the Water Dividing Stone

The "Water-dividing Stone" is placed at the bottom of a Japanese garden cascade where the torrent splashes evenly. (Mizuwake-ishi)

The mizu wake stone is symbolic of the mythical carp that, through unwavering effort, climbed to the top of the waterfall to become a dragon, a regular teaching parable in the Soto Zen monastery.

This stone is essential for all wonderful cascades...the sound it makes as water hits it is reason enough to place one there!