The Mystical Origins and Inclusiveness of Garden Moon Gates
And where you can find these unique works of outdoor art
In my post “How to Use Different Parts of Speech to Power Up Your Poetry,” I mention how much I appreciate the connections I enjoy via social media with far-flung friends, family, and other writers. One of my long-time online friends I hope to meet in person some day is Karen Simpson, author of the novel Act of Grace and an aficionada of all things related to creative writing, quilts, horses, and history.
Recently Karen Simpson shared a post by The Fabulous Weird Trotters website that included multiple photos of circular structures called moon gates and read “Moon gates look like a passageway to another world.” When I shared that post, another friend shared a link to this article, “Bermuda’s Mystical Moongates.”
Apparently moon gates originated in China as inviting entrances to the gardens of the upper class. From what I’ve read, these circular openings were designed as a welcoming gesture to visitors that reflected some Chinese nobility’s wish to appear inclusive and open-minded despite class distinctions. A Wikipedia post on moon gates states moon gates are considered “a traditional element in Chinese gardens” that are usually part of a garden wall and have certain design elements that reflect Chinese culture.
