Higashiyama Bunka
Encyclopedia
The Higashiyama Period (東山時代) also known as the period of "Higashiyama Culture" or , is a segment of Japanese culture originated and promoted in the 15th century by Shogun
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
, after he retired to his villa in the eastern hills (Higashiyama) of Kyoto
.
of Zen Buddhism and the concept of wabi-sabi
(beauty in simplicity), Higashiyama Bunka centered on the development of chadō
(Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana
(flower arranging), Noh
drama, and sumi-e ink painting. Much of what is commonly seen today as traditional Japanese culture originated or developed in this period. Higashiyama Bunka is often contrasted with , the "Kitayama Culture" from earlier in the Muromachi period
. In this comparison Kinkaku-ji
, representative of Kitayama Culture is compared with Ginkaku-ji
, representative of Higashiyama Culture.
Yoshimasa's retirement villa became known as the temple Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) after his death. It is situated in Kyoto's Sakyō-ku
, and was the center of the Higashiyama cultural outgrowth in a number of ways. The Pavilion is revered for its simple beauty, the silver having never been added. The rock garden next to it is likewise one of the most famous in Japan, and praised for its Zen and wabi-sabi aesthetics. It is a quintessential example of the idea that only the trained expert should be able to recognize the subtle beauty within art and architecture; the beauty of the object should not be underscored and emphasized, but gently hidden. The retired shogun also invited many artists, poets, and court nobles to his villa, encouraging the development of their arts.
The Tōgudō building includes a shoin-style room called the Dōjinsai. It originally had a fireplace built into the floor, and due to this, the Dōjinsai is considered the earliest extant example of a room designed for use as a tea room.
There were many architectural innovations in this period, exhibited in the Ginkaku-ji in particular, which would later become core elements in the shoin style of 17th century architecture. One of these elements was the tokonoma
, a small alcove in which scrolls are hung, and flowers or other small articles are placed to enhance the aesthetic feel of the room. The great ink-painter Sesshu spent much time at the Ginkaku-ji, and this period also saw the birth of the Kano school
of Japanese painting as well as an early version of chanoyu tea ceremony. Tea ceremony would be further formalized by Sen no Rikyu
in the 16th century.
In the history of this period, a few specific dates are noteworthy:
File:Sesshu - View of Ama-no-Hashidate.jpg|"View of Ama-no-Hashidate
" by Sesshū
File:Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses.jpg|"Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses", a hanging scroll by Kanō Masanobu
File:Tosa Mitsunobu 001.jpg|"Seikōji engi emaki" by Tosa Mitsunobu
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
was the 8th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1449 to 1473 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimasa was the son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori....
, after he retired to his villa in the eastern hills (Higashiyama) of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
.
Outline
Based largely on the ideals and aestheticsAesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
of Zen Buddhism and the concept of wabi-sabi
Wabi-sabi
represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"...
(beauty in simplicity), Higashiyama Bunka centered on the development of chadō
Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...
(Japanese tea ceremony), ikebana
Ikebana
is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as .-Etymology:"Ikebana" is from the Japanese and . Possible translations include "giving life to flowers" and "arranging flowers".- Approach :...
(flower arranging), Noh
Noh
, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...
drama, and sumi-e ink painting. Much of what is commonly seen today as traditional Japanese culture originated or developed in this period. Higashiyama Bunka is often contrasted with , the "Kitayama Culture" from earlier in the Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
. In this comparison Kinkaku-ji
Kinkaku-ji
, also known as , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient...
, representative of Kitayama Culture is compared with Ginkaku-ji
Ginkaku-ji
, the "Temple of the Silver Pavilion," is a Zen temple in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the construction that represents the Higashiyama Culture of Muromachi period....
, representative of Higashiyama Culture.
Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Kamigyo-ku.It is located in the north-east corner of Kyoto city. In the east it borders the city of Ōtsu in Shiga Prefecture. In the south Sanjō Street separates it from...
, and was the center of the Higashiyama cultural outgrowth in a number of ways. The Pavilion is revered for its simple beauty, the silver having never been added. The rock garden next to it is likewise one of the most famous in Japan, and praised for its Zen and wabi-sabi aesthetics. It is a quintessential example of the idea that only the trained expert should be able to recognize the subtle beauty within art and architecture; the beauty of the object should not be underscored and emphasized, but gently hidden. The retired shogun also invited many artists, poets, and court nobles to his villa, encouraging the development of their arts.
The Tōgudō building includes a shoin-style room called the Dōjinsai. It originally had a fireplace built into the floor, and due to this, the Dōjinsai is considered the earliest extant example of a room designed for use as a tea room.
There were many architectural innovations in this period, exhibited in the Ginkaku-ji in particular, which would later become core elements in the shoin style of 17th century architecture. One of these elements was the tokonoma
Tokonoma
Tokonoma , also referred to simply as toko, is a Japanese term generally referring to a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, tokonoma is usually called alcove. The items usually displayed in a tokonoma are...
, a small alcove in which scrolls are hung, and flowers or other small articles are placed to enhance the aesthetic feel of the room. The great ink-painter Sesshu spent much time at the Ginkaku-ji, and this period also saw the birth of the Kano school
Kano school
The ' is one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting. The Kanō school of painting was the dominant style of painting until the Meiji period.It was founded by Kanō Masanobu , a contemporary of Sesshū and student of Shūbun...
of Japanese painting as well as an early version of chanoyu tea ceremony. Tea ceremony would be further formalized by Sen no Rikyu
Sen no Rikyu
, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of wabi-cha...
in the 16th century.
History
- February 21, 1482 (Bummei 14 , 4th day of the 2nd month): Construction of the Silver Pavilion commenced.
- January 27, 1490 (Entoku 2, 7th day of the 1st month): The former-Shogun Yoshimasa died at age 56 in his Higashiyama-dono estate, which marks the beginning of the end of Higashiyama bunka.
Architecture
- Ginkaku and Garden of Jishō-ji
- Karesansui of Ryōan-jiRyoan-jiis a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. Belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism, the temple and karesansui garden is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
- Karesansui of Daisen-in
Calligraphy and painting
- "View of Ama-no-HashidateAmanohashidateAmanohashidate is one of Japan's three scenic views. The sandbar is located in Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture.A thin strip of land connects two opposing sides of Miyazu Bay...
" by SesshūSesshu Toyowas the most prominent Japanese master of ink and wash painting from the middle Muromachi period. He was born into the samurai Oda family , then brought up and educated to become a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest...
(Kyoto National MuseumKyoto National MuseumThe is one of the three formerly imperially-mandated art museums in Japan. The museum is located in Higashiyama Ward in Kyoto. The collections of the Kyoto National Museum focus on pre-modern Japanese and Asian art....
) (Image) - "Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses", a hanging scroll by Kanō MasanobuKano Masanobuwas the chief painter of the Ashikaga shogunate and is generally considered the founder of the Kanō school of painting.The Kanō school was a style of painting that maintained dominance over 400 years from Masanobu's time up through the Meiji Restoration...
(Kyūshū National MuseumKyushu National MuseumThe opened on October 16, 2005 in Dazaifu near Fukuoka -- the first new national museum in Japan in over 100 years, and the first to elevate the focus on history over art. The distinct modern impression created by the architectural facade is mirrored in the Museum's use of technological...
) - "Seikōji engi emaki" by Tosa MitsunobuTosa Mitsunobuwas a Japanese painter, the founder of the Tosa school of Japanese painting. Born into a family that had traditionally served as painters to the Imperial court, he was head of the court painting bureau from 1493 to 1496. In 1518 he was appointed chief artist to the Ashikaga shogunates.- External...
(Tokyo National MuseumTokyo National MuseumEstablished 1872, the , or TNM, is the oldest and largest museum in Japan. The museum collects, houses, and preserves a comprehensive collection of art works and archaeological objects of Asia, focusing on Japan. The museum holds over 110,000 objects, which includes 87 Japanese National Treasure...
)
File:Sesshu - View of Ama-no-Hashidate.jpg|"View of Ama-no-Hashidate
Amanohashidate
Amanohashidate is one of Japan's three scenic views. The sandbar is located in Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture.A thin strip of land connects two opposing sides of Miyazu Bay...
" by Sesshū
Sesshu Toyo
was the most prominent Japanese master of ink and wash painting from the middle Muromachi period. He was born into the samurai Oda family , then brought up and educated to become a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest...
File:Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses.jpg|"Zhou Maoshu Appreciating Lotuses", a hanging scroll by Kanō Masanobu
Kano Masanobu
was the chief painter of the Ashikaga shogunate and is generally considered the founder of the Kanō school of painting.The Kanō school was a style of painting that maintained dominance over 400 years from Masanobu's time up through the Meiji Restoration...
File:Tosa Mitsunobu 001.jpg|"Seikōji engi emaki" by Tosa Mitsunobu
Tosa Mitsunobu
was a Japanese painter, the founder of the Tosa school of Japanese painting. Born into a family that had traditionally served as painters to the Imperial court, he was head of the court painting bureau from 1493 to 1496. In 1518 he was appointed chief artist to the Ashikaga shogunates.- External...