T H E ARTS OF J A P A N

BARBARA BRENNAN FORD

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin ®
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JAPAN BEFORE BUDDHISM

Civilizationin theJapaneseislands,locatedat theeasternperipheryof Asia,developed

in relativeisolationforsometenthousandyearsbeforeBuddhismwasembracedin
the middleof the sixthcenturyA.D.BuddhismbroughtJapanintoChina'scultural
sphere,whichextendedalongtraderouteswestwardto India,Persia,andevenRome.
Threesuccessiveculturalstagespredatingtheintroduction of continentalculture
arerepresented in Japan'sarchaeologicalrecord.J6mon,theearliest,existedat leastas
farbackas Io,ooo B.C.andcontinueduntilabout300 B.C. At its height,in thethird
millenniumB.C., thislong-livedneolithichuntingandfishingculturedevelopeda rich
decorativevocabularyto embellishits utensils.Oftenexuberantly J6mon
sculptural,
vesselsandfigurinesevokethe elemental,untamednaturalforceson whichsurvival
depended.
Inthe subsequentYayoistage,whichbeganwiththeintroduction of wet-rice
agriculture in about300 B.C., a morecomplexandstablesocietyevolved.Yayoi
earthenware vesselsdiffermarkedlyfromJ6monwares,reflectingin theirlargely
undecorated, finelycontrolledformstheconservativespiritof an agricultural
society.
Directcontactwith Chinaaffectedthisstageof Japaneseculture.Metaltoolsandritual
objectssuchas the bell-shapeddotakuandChinese-style mirrorsweretransformed to
fittheirchangedfunctioninJapan.
Duringthe thirdcenturyA.D. a militaryaristocracy withclosetiesto theKorean
peninsula laid the foundationsof the stratified
Yamato
state andtheimperialinstitution
thatcontinuesto thepresent.Membersof thisrulingclassof warriorsandshamans
wereentombedin hugekeyhole-shaped moundscalledkofun,fromwhichtheculture
takesits name.Theseearliestsacredemperorsruleda societythatis vividlyreflected
in haniwafigures.Haniwa,originallysimpleclaycylindersset intothesidesof the
newlymoundedtombto preventerosion,werelaterelaboratedin deftlyrealized
sculpturaleffigiesmeantto attendthe deceasedruler.Placedatoptheburialmound,
theydefineda sacredprecinctforthe ritesof successionessentialto thestate.Ever
retainingtheirfunctionalcylindricalshape,thesesculpturesof warriorsandweapons,
shamans,dancers,farmers,animals,andhousesrevealbotha nativefocuson the
quotidianas a subjectof artisticinterestandan expressivegeniusin themediumof clay.
Otherentombedobjects-beautifullyfashionedstonetalismans,mirrors,jewels,
swords,andarmor-reflectthe shamanisticritualsandanimisticreligionof Japan's
earlymilitaryaristocracy.
Fromthe fifth to the first millennium B.C.,
fishingandhuntingin theJapaneseislands
supportedindependent populationsthat
producedceramicwaresin a widevariety
of regionalstyles.ByMiddleJ6mon
(3000-z000 B.C.)centuries of craftsmanship
culminated in elaboratelydecoratedvessels
withsculpturalrimssuchas thisstoragejar,
typicalof the Ent6culturein northeastern
Honshu.Althoughthe makerwas restricted
to primitivetechniquesof handbuildingand
open-pitfiring,thevirtuositywithwhichhe
refinedhis clayto withstandsucha large,
thin-walled shapeandmanipulated simple
toolslikecord-wrapped sticksto produce
complexoverallpatternssuggeststhathis
wasa relativelyspecializedcraft.Thisexcep-
tionallylargecylindricaljar,coveredwith
impressions of twistedandknottedcordsin a
carefullyappliedherringbone pattern,is
gracedby a quatrefoilrimmoldedandintri-
catelydecoratedin flowingpatternssug-
gestiveof reptilianforms.It standsat the
outsetof one of theworld'smostsophisti-
catedceramictraditions,revealingan indige-
nousfocuson theaestheticsof utilitarian
formsthatmarksJapanesecraftsto thisday.
2-4

In Late J6mon (zooo-Iooo B.C.) sculptural

embellishment declinedin favorof lesselab-
orately decorated vesselsshowingan increas-
ingsophistication in the integrationof form
anddecoration.Thisspoutedpouringvessel
fromTohokupossessesan elementalenergy
createdby the abstractionof naturalformsin
itsphallicspoutandits nipplesencircledby
alternatingsmoothandcord-impressed
bandsthatswirlaroundthenearlyspherical
body.
Similarvigormarksmanyof the figurines
foundinJ6monsitesin northeastern Japan,
especiallyin the latestageof theculture.
Powerfulandevengrotesquein theirabstract,
usuallyfemaleanatomy,theyarecommonly
foundbroken,causingarchaeologists to con-
that
jecture they were used in magicalprac-
ticesto invokethenaturalforceson which
J6monlifedepended.A rareintactexampleis
thestandingfigurewith smallpointedbreasts
andincisedandimpresseddecorationthat
mayrepresent tattooing.Withits thick
tubularneckandtorso,stifflyoutstretched
arms,andlargesliteyesset in sharplydefined
ovalrims,thisfigurineis a variantof a type
foundin northeastern Jomon'sitesin the
latest stage (Iooo-z50 B.C.).
A morerefinedabstractionof anatomy
distinguishesa half-figure
of reddishclay
fromanothersitein Tohoku,possibly
AomoriPrefecture, whereJ6monculture
persistedlongest.O'oid featuresreiteratethe
shapeof theupturnedhead,anda precise
patternof incisedlinesaccentuatesthe geo-
metricformsof thetriangular torsowithpro-
trudingconicalbreasts,whichareechoedin
thepointsof theoutstretched truncatedarms.
5-11

Carefulworkmanship and attention to the

beauty of the materialare evident in many of
the tools, weapons, and ornaments found
in Jomon sites. Stone tools, meticulously
chipped and smoothly polished, and subtly
craftedbone and ivory implements attest to
the ancient roots of Japan'srenowned pen-
chant for refineddesign and workmanship.
The high quality of stonework of the second
millenniumB.C. is seen in the spearhead from
Hiraizumi, in Iwate Prefecture,and the beau-
tifully fashioned basalt axe from a site in
Saitama.The arrowhead, fishhooks, needle,
and harpoon from the Obora Shell Mound
at Ofunato Bay,in Iwate, revealno less skill in
bone and ivory several centurieslater in this
latest Jomon site (Ioo-2 50 B.C.).

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7
12

DuringthesecondcenturyB.C.an influxof
peoplefromthe continentbroughtthe firstof
severalwavesof foreigninfluencethathave
shapedJapaneseculture,initiatinga more
advancedculturalstageknownas Yayoi.
Whenricecultivationandbronzeandiron
metallurgywereintroduced,probably
throughKorea,the isolatedandself-sufficient
lifeof theJ6mongavewayto a communal
societyorganizedto carryout thedemanding
agricultural cycle.Architectural stylesand
ornamentalmotifsreflectotherinfluences
fromsouthernChinaandthe Pacificislands
stretchingfromKyushuto Taiwan.
Thesocialandaestheticcharacterof the
transformed cultureof Yayoiis vividly
reflectedin its ceramicvessels.The finely
articulated shapeof thisstoragejarfromthe
Nagoyaarea,withits bulbousformrising
froma small,flatbaseto the flaringrimof its
wheel-turned neckandmouth,is enhanced
by the burnished surfaceof its warmred
body. The irregular,vigorousshapesof
J6mon vessels havebeen replacedby sturdier,
morefunctionalonesin whichsymmetryis
of paramountinterest.
13

Strictgeometry characterizesthe dramatic

profileand decoration of this dotaku, a cere-
monial form of the small clapperedbell
found originally in China-and later in
Japanand Korea-suspended from the necks
of domesticatedanimals. When a dotaku was
discoveredin A.D. 662 at a temple in Shiga
Prefecture,its significancewas already
unknown. Today,more than four hundred
examples have been uncoveredat nearly two
hundredsites in centralJapan. Found not in
dwelling or gravesites, but buried in isolated
hollows at the crestsof hills, they are thought
to have servedsome ritual function in the
agrariancommunity.By late Yayoi,the dotaku
became a large, highly ornamented bell that,
lacking a clapper and too elaborate for sus-
pension, could neitherbe sounded or hung.
Dotaku disappearedin the latterhalf of the
third century,when their ritual importance
was overshadowedby new forms sacredto
the militaryaristocracythat came to domi-
nate the communal agrariansociety of Yayoi.
The Museum's example, among the finest
known, is identical to one excavatedin
Wakayamaand similarto others with spiral
flangesand linear zones of decoration that
have been found near Kyoto and Nara.
14-16 Vividwitnessesto theworldof Yamatoare shaman'shead,conveyingan awesomeother-
thedeftlyexecutedhaniwaof warriors, worldliness.A boldtriangularnoseandreg-
shamans,andotherfigures.Bythe fifthcen- ularovalperforationsforeyesandmouthin
tury,groupsof figuralhaniwawereset atop thewarrior'sbroadfaceevokean impassive
theburialchamberto demarcatea sacred resolve.
precinctwhereceremonieswereheld.Attend- Animalsarecharminglyrendered.Subtle
ingtheinterredrulerandwitnessinghis suc- observationis evidentin the poignantfigure
cessionwerehaniwasuchas thehelmeted of a deadinfantboarwithits largesnout,
warrior(right)andthehieraticfigurewith curledbody,andboundlimbs.
headdressandfacialstriations(left),who
togetherrepresentthe two polesof power,
militaryandreligious,in the Yamatostate.
Otherhaniwain the collectiondemon-
stratethevarietyof theparticipantsin
Yamatoritesandthe rangeof expressionthat
wasachievedin thisbasicmedium,where
simpleperforations in thehollowclayanda
fewmodeleddetailsachievea well-observed
Strongtriangularstriations
representation.
accentuatethe geometricshapeof the
17,18 The origins of the earlyJapaneseemperors
and the ritual importance of the craftsthat
providedthe symbols and implements of
their power are describedin Japanesemyth.
Amaterasu,the sun goddess, and her un-
ruly brother,the storm god Susano-o, in an
uneasy truce that perhaps mythologizes the
ascendancyof the Yamatorulersover the
other clans, createda pantheon of deities
who sprang from broken pieces of his sword
and her jewels. Their grandson Ninigi
became the firstJapaneseemperor and was
sent from heavento the "land of bounteous
autumns,"bearingas symbols of his divine
authoritya mirror,sword, and jewel. He
came with five other deities who became the
ancestorsof hereditarycraft guilds, including
jewel makers, swordsmiths, and mirror
makers.
Of the three sacredimperialregalia, the
mirror,symbol of the sun, is supreme.
Around A.D. z6o, when the Yamatochief-
tains came to power, it was enshrined at Ise-
the most important Shinto shrine, dedicated
to Amaterasu,from whom the imperial line
tracesits descent-and is reveredthere to this
day.Bronze mirrorswere sent from China in
Yayoitimes in exchange for tribute. Copies
were made in Japan, where they were given
by the Yamatorulersto regionalchieftains
andthustook on a symbolicfunctionas
tokensof fealty.Thelargersizeof theJap-
aneseversions,as wellas the increasing
abstraction of Hanmotifsthathadno mean-
in
ing Japan-such as Chineseanimalsof the
zodiac,whichin thisexample(left)havebeen
transformed into a swirlingpattern-dem-
onstratethecharacteristic adaptationto
Japanese sensibilities
and use.
Bythefifthcenturya peculiarlyJapanese
variant,the bellmirror,developed.It was
sometimesusedas an ornamentforhorse
trappings,andits ritualfunctionwas
enhancedby combiningthe luminoussurface
of thediscwithsound.Inthesemirrorsthe
animalmotifsof Chinesecosmologyhave
beencompletelytransformed into a pattern
of spiralsandwavylines.
19,20

Thejewelof mythrecallsthe manycomma-

shapedbeads,or magatama,discoveredin
kofunburials.Madeof stoneor jade,they
arefoundin Koreaas wellas at earlierJap-
anesesites.Inthe Yamatostatetheyseemto
havesymbolizedrankor ritualpower:one
as an earornamenton the
is represented
haniwashaman(number14).Necklacesof
magatamastrungwithbeadsareseenon
maleandfemalehaniwa.
Thatancientornamentheldspecial,per-
hapsmagicalqualitiesis suggestedby beau-
tifullycarvedsteatiteobjectsthatderivetheir
formfromshellbraceletswornin Japanfrom
Yayoitimes.Foundin kofunof the fourthand
fifthcenturies,theselarge,carefullyworked
stonesof lovelygreenmayhaveservedas
talismans.
SHINTO AND BUDDHIST ART

Shinto-literally,the "Wayof the Gods"-is rootedin a Japanesesenseof intimacy

withnature'sawesomepowersandthe ancientreverence forthedivineancestryof the
its
landand rulers. It came to be formalizedas a religioussystemonlyin responseto
Buddhism,introducedto Japanin the middleof thesixthcentury.Shintodeities,called
kami,aremyriadspiritsanimatingthehumanandnaturalworld.Kamiareworshiped
in naturalformssuchas rocks,mountains,waterfalls, or in shrines,whereobjects
suchas mirrorsor iconsbasedon Buddhistimagesarebelievedto embodythese
transcendent, amorphousforces.Certainmythicalandhistoricalfiguresarealso
regarded as kami andarerepresented as ancientcourtnobility.
Buddhism,bornin Indianearlya thousandyearsbeforeit cameto Japan,is based
on the teachingthatlifeis sorrowfulbecauseall beingsareboundbypassionsandby
attachmentto thephysicalworldto an endlesscycleof reincarnation. Toachieverelease
fromthesebondsone mustattainspiritualenlightenment (Buddhahood) through
meditationandhighmoralconduct.BuddhismspreadthroughoutAsiain two major
traditions:Hinayana,stressingindividualachievement of spiritualenlightenment
throughmeditation,andMahayana,the "Greater Vehicle," emphasizing faithin
Buddhaandrelyingon thecompassionate intercessionof Bodhisattvas, enlightened
beingswho postponenirvanato helpothersachieveBuddhahood.
Buddhism,whichhadbeenintroducedby wayof Korea,took rootinJapanduring
thereignof EmpressSuiko(592-628) throughtheeffortsof hernephewtheregent
PrinceShotoku(573-621). A characteristic of Buddhismfromearliesttimeswasits
closeconnectionwithgovernment. Buddhistdominancein the capitalat Narawas
brokenwhenthe imperialcourtwastransferred to Heian,present-day Kyoto.
WhileNaraBuddhismwasintimatelyconnectedwiththecourt,newsects
introducedin the Heianperiod(794-1185) broadeneditsrole.ThemonkKukai
(774-835) broughtfromChinaa formof TantricBuddhismknownas theShingon,
or "TrueWord"sect,in whichsecretformulasforworshipof the all-encompassing
divinityVairochana (Dainichi)werepracticedfortheprotectionof thenation.The
Tendaidoctrine,formulated in the monasteries on MountT'ien-taiin China,wasbased
the
upon teachings of the Lotus Sutra.Inaccessibleto allbuttheinitiate,thesesectsare
knownas the Esotericsects.Growingpoliticalupheavalcreatedtheneedfora teaching
moreaccessibleto commonman.PureLandBuddhism,pioneeredby themonk
Genshin (942-1017), taught that rebirthin Amida Buddha'sparadisecould be achieved
by merelyinvokingAmida'sname.
Duringthe eleventhcenturyan assimilation
of thenativeandforeignreligions
took placein whichShintogodswereregardedas manifestations of specificBuddhist
deities.Thisintegrationcharacterized
Japanesereligioushistoryuntilthe mid-
nineteenthcentury,whenShintowasformallyseparated fromBuddhismduringthe
MeijiRestoration.
21-23

Sculptedimagesof the Buddhaarevenerated

on platformsthatrepresentthemythicmoun-
tainat the centerof the universe,Mount
Sumeru,whichis guardedby the Four
GuardianKings.Twofromthe earlytwelfth
centuryflanka life-sizesculptureof Dainichi
Nyorai,the supremeBuddhaof the cosmos,
on an altarplatformmodeledon a twelfth-
centuryexamplein Fuki-ji,a templein
Kyushu.Dainichi,in EsotericBuddhismthe
sourceof allexistence,performsthemudraof
nonduality, withthe fivefingersof the right
handencirclingtheindexfingerof theleft,
symbolizing theunionof mananddivinity,
maleandfemale.Unlikestandardrepresenta-
tionsof theBuddhain the robeof a monk
andwiththe shornhairof an ascetic,Esoteric
imagessuchas thisone showthe supreme
Buddhaas a prince,withhairpulledhighin a
crownandgarbedin flowingstolesandjew-
els (inthiscasenow lost).The serenebeauty
of thisimagereflectstheelegantaestheticof
thelateHeiancourt.The faceandbodywere
assembledin severalblocksof wood,which
weredelicatelycarved,lacquered,andgilded.
Tracesof theoriginalgildingaccentuatethe
refinement andgraceof thisimage.
ThesmallerGuardianKings,two of a set
thatguardedthe fourdirections,retainthe
massivestrengthof an earlierHeianstyle,
withtheirstrongexpressionsandstockyfig-
ures.Eachwascarvedfroma singleblockof
wood,exceptforthe missingarms,which
weremadeseparately.
Twoothersculptures,the thirteenth-
centuryseatedAmidaBuddhaandthe four-
teenth-century standingEleven-headed
Kannon, dominate theirspacesin the
farcomersof theBuddhistroomin the
newgalleries.
 " fr
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24 Centraltenetsof Buddhismareexplicitin
paintingsof theBuddha'snirvana,hispassing
fromearthlylifeto the ultimategoalof an
enlightenedbeing:releasefromexistence
throughthe totalnegationof the desiresthat
causelife'ssuffering.Displayedin the annual
commemoration of thiseventon the fifteenth
of February,thesedidacticpaintingspresent
a compendiumof Buddhistthoughtand
iconography.
,
I
)
II
K .5 .?
Here,Buddhalieson a platformfacing
west.His goldenbodybearsthe marksof his
enlightenment. His tightcurlsindicatethe
shornheadof an ascetic,andelongatedear-
lobestellof his earlylifeas a princeadorned
withheavyjewelry.(Hewas bornin Sakya,a
northeastern Indiankingdom,andin Japan
wascalledShakaforSakyamuni["Sageof
theSakyas"].) Thecranialprotuberance
(ushnisha) the circleof lightbetweenhis
and
brows (urna) reflecthis penetratingwisdom.
Creaturesof everykindwitnesshis passingin
varyingdegreesof griefthatrevealtheirown
imperfectlevelof enlightenment.
Unlikethesecreatures,theBodhisattvas,
who haveachievedenlightenment, areserene.
in
Theyaredressed princelyraiment-with
jeweledcrowns,flowingscarves,andneck-
laces-except forJizo (seenumberz8), who
appearsnearthe bieras a monkholdinga
jewel.Shaven-headed disciplesin patched
mendicants' robesweepbitterly,as do the
grotesque,multilimbedHindudeitiesand
guardianswho haveconvertedto Buddha's
teaching.Eventhe salatreesburstinto
bloom,as his mother,QueenMaya,
descends,weeping,fromupperright.This
charmingvignettemadethe conceptof nir-
vanamoreeasilyacceptablein the Confucian
cultureof China,Korea,andJapan,where
theasceticismandspiritualityof IndianBud-
dhismconflictedwithfilialpietyandhuman-
ism.Thecompositionandiconographyof
thisfineearlyworkwereformulatedin the
Kamakuraperiod (1185-1333) and remained
standardin Japanfornirvanapaintings.

25

Inthemandalaof EsotericBuddhism,
directlybelowthecentralimageof theBud-
dhaDainichiarethefiveGuardianKingsof
Light(Myo-o).Understandably, theseprotec-
tiveavatars,or manifestationsof theBuddha,
provedto be moreaccessibleandappealing
thanthe abstrusephilosophicalprinciple
embodiedin Dainichi.Amongtheselesser
deities,two cameto be the focusof liturgies
thatconcentratedon moreimmediatecon-
cernsthanthe attainmentof Buddhahood
throughmeditationon themandala(see
number 3 z).
Fud6My6-6,theImmovableOne,is
amongthe mostbeloveddeitiesinJapan.In
his ferociousmien,withbulgingeyesand
fangsprotruding froma tightlyclenched
mouth,Fud6is reveredas a powerfulguard-
ian,an aspectmadeexplicitby thelassoand
swordhe brandishes. Withone eyecast
heavenward andtheothertowardtherock
on whichhe staunchlystands,Fudois ever
watchfulagainsttheenemiesof theBuddhist
Law.His boyishfaceandbodyexpressthe
benevolentaspectof his righteousferocity.
Fudo'soriginas Acalanatha,one of the forms
of theHindugod Shiva,is symbolizedby his
hair,whichis tiedto one side.Knotsindicate
thenumberof kalpasthroughwhichhe has
voweddevotedserviceto Buddhism;his
determination to upholdthe BuddhistLawis
expressed in the lotusblossomatophis head.
Fud6'sworshipwascenteredon the
purificationriteof burninggoma,or ritual
This
offerings. ceremonywasoftenper-
formedin specialhallsbeforeimagessuchas
thisone,whichcamefromthe Kuhon-ji,a
templenorthwestof Kyoto.Inpopularprac-
tice,Fud6wasworshipedas thepatronof
warriors,andhisimageoftendecorates
samuraiarmorandswords.
26 Aizen Myo-o, the embodiment of both sacred
and carnal passion, is symbolically colored
red. (Fudo is blue.) This painted image
retainsthe strong lines of the iconographic
ink drawingsthat specifiedhis canonical
image (see number 3 z). Brilliantmineral pig-
ment and gold on the gorgeous robes and
jewelrycreate an appropriateeffect of sen-
suous beauty.Fromthe Heian period on,
Aizen's cult was devoted to prayersfor peace
and success in love. His compassionate and
generous nature is beautifullyexpressed here
by the urn overflowingwith sacred jewels
(Sanskrit:cintamani). With each of his six
arms he wields weapons of Indian origin
against lust and avarice.Two of these weap-
ons, the bell with trident and the double
trident, or thunderbolt (Sk: vajra),are impor-
tant to the performanceof the mandala. The
bell with its transitorysound symbolizes
life's evanescenceand representsthe
materialworld; the vajrarepresentsthe
spiritual world.

27

In EsotericBuddhist rites ritual implements

are placed on a three-footedtray on a plat-
form before the devotee and taken up in
sacredgestures (mudra)to the recitation of
sacredformulas (mantra)prescribedfor the
mandala. Because of the importance of these
implements,they were createdwith the
utmost care, and these examples represent
the highest craftsmanshipof the Kamakura
period. The bell's finial, the gorint6, is a
pagoda of geometric forms that symbolizes
the five elements: the square base (earth)is
surmountedsuccessivelyby a sphere (water),
a pyramid (fire),a hemisphere (wind), and a
flamingjewel (air).In Esoteric Buddhism the
gorinto representsthe all-encompassingcos-
mic principle,Dainichi Buddha. This form
also symbolizes the human body, believed to
be composed of these elements, and since
the Heian period it has been used to mark
Japanesegraves.

I8
28

Represented in theguiseof a Buddhistmonk,

devoidof thecrownandjewelscustomarily
wornby Bodhisattvas, JizoBosatsuis among
themostsympatheticandreadilyrecogniz-
ableof themanydeitiesin theBuddhistpan-
theon.CalledKshitigarbha, "EarthWomb,'
in Sanskrit,he is the focusof a cultthatorigi-
natedin CentralAsia.It reachedJapanin
theeighthcenturyandflourishedin the
Kamakura periodin connectionwiththe
PureLandsects(seenumberz9). Although
Jizoassumedmanyroles,he wasespecially
veneratedforhis intervention on behalfof
thosesufferingin hell.Beliefin hell,which
Buddhistsholdto be one of six realmsof
transmigration, wasthe negativecounterpart
of Amida'sPureLand.
Thisserenelygracefulfigureexemplifies
theidealisticsculpturalstylethatwasoften
employedto conveythe specialreligious
ethosof PureLandBuddhism.Jizo'swarm,
youthfulfeaturesgivehima compassionate
expressionthatinvitesfaith.His gentlyflow-
ingrobewithits finelycraftedcut gold-leaf
designsenhancesan impressionof elegant
refinement. C.G.
29

Beliefin thevowof Amida,Buddhaof the

WesternParadise,to saveall sentientbeings
influencedeveryJapaneseBuddhistsectdur-
ingtheeleventhandtwelfthcenturies,an age
thoughtto be partof 500 yearsof degeneracy
(Japanese:mappo),calculatedto havebegun
in I05i. Theformulationof theTruePure
Landsect(Jdo Shinshii)wasaccomplished
by Honen (1133-1212), who taught that
traditionalpracticesof disciplineandmer-
itoriousworkwerenot efficaciousin sucha
degenerate age.Salvationandrebirthin para-
disecouldbe attainedonlythroughthe sav-
inggraceof Amida,whosemercycouldbe
invokedby simplycallingon his name
(nembutsu). Whilethisappealingpathto
salvationwon manylayconverts,Honen
incurredthewrathof rivalclergy.Ultimately,
nembutsucameto be the mostwidelyprac-
ticeddevotioninJapanandvisionsof para-
diseone of the mostimportantsubjectsof
Japanesereligiousart.
Devotionto Amida'sPureLandinspired
othercultssuchas thatof Kannonon his
islandparadise,Potalaka,depictedin this
hangingscroll.Kannon,in a goldenorb,is
magnificently renderedin exquisitepatterns
of cutgoldon delicatelycoloredrobes.His
goldenbodyis madeluminousby the
painstakingapplicationof colorandgoldto
the undersideof thesilk.Thedeity'ssensuous
imageandthe brushworkof the landscape
reflecttheinfluenceof Sungpainting.These
characteristicssuggestthatthe scrollis the
workof a thirteenth-century painterin Nara,
wherethenewlypowerfulKamakura
shogun, Yoritomo (1147-1199), sponsored
therenovationof theTodai-jiandK6fuku-ji
temples,destroyedduringthe Gempeiwars
of thelatetwelfthcentury.Overseeingthe
project was Chogen (1121-1206), a disciple
of Honen,who fostereddevotionto Pure
Landteachingsin theold Narasects.
30 A Shintoiconthatreflectsthemutualinflu-
encesin ShintoandBuddhistpracticeis the
kakebotoke,a Buddhistimageseton a disc
thathangson thecloseddoorsof a Shinto
shrineto representthekamiwithwhomthe
Buddhistdeityis identified.Thisunusually
largeexampledisplaysthe refinedtasteof the
Fujiwara court(seenumber34) in thegilt
repousseimageof theBodhisattva Jizowith
its gracefulelongationandsubtlemodeling
of faceandfigure.Thefigure,lotusthrone,
anddoublehaloareall separatelymodeled
by hammering andareattachedto the disc
withsmallnails,a techniqueof thelateHeian
period.Kakebotokeof the Kamakura period
areoftencastwithfiguresin fullrelief.
Amongthefinestandearliestknown,this
one mayhavebeenusedat theFujiwara
shrineat Kasuga.There,the deityAme-no-
Koyama,mythicalancestorof theFujiwara,
wasenshrinedandveneratedas theJapanese
of Jizo.
manifestation
 I ..I

ki
Ii~

31

Thesyncreticnatureof Japanesereligiouslife
is evidentin theiconsandpracticesasso-
ciatedwiththedeityZao Gongen,the abid-
ingspiritof MountKimpu,in theYoshino
Mountainssouthof Nara.Za6 wasthe
protectivedeityof Shugendo,a Shinto-
Buddhistcultdevotedto asceticpracticesand
mountainworship.Imagesof himarebased
on thevajra-bearing guardiansof the
Buddhistcosmos.
Duringthe eleventhcentury,whenBud-
dhistthinkingcenteredon mappo,beliefin
salvationin variousPureLandparadises
mergedwith Shintoconceptsof the sanctity
of theland.Zao Gongencameto be revered
as a manifestation of boththehistorical
Buddha,Shaka,andthefutureBuddha,
Miroku.MountKimpuwasbelievedto be
the siteof a Buddhistparadise.Shugendo
beliefequatedthissacredmountainwiththe
spiritualrealmof theDiamondMandala,
andZao withits centralprinciple,Dainichi.
A finelycastbronzeimageof Zao Gongen
madeat thistimeexpressesthe fervorof this
cultas wellas therefinedaestheticsenseof
the Fujiwara who wereits most
aristocrats
powerfuladherents.Poisedon one leg,he
brandishesa now-missing vajra;his might
andferocityarerenderedin a sensitively
modeledformembellishedwithdelicately
chaseddesignson thewindsweptgarment.
Thisiconwasprobablyplacedin a grotto
similarto the one in whichit wasdiscovered
in modemtimes,stillin worship,in a village
on theJapanSeanorthof Kyoto.

32
A mandalais a sacreddiagramof thecosmos
representingthe myriadphenomenaof the
materialandspiritualworlds.At the centerof
theEsotericmandalais the supremeBuddha,
Dainichi.Byconcentrating on thevarious
deitiesdepictedin the mandala,enacting
theirgestures(mudra),andrecitingthe sacred
Sanskritsyllables(mantra)associatedwith
them,the devoteecouldexperienceBuddha-
hood.Thedrawingsin whichsuchpotent
imageswerecarefullytransmittednot only
wereessentialto Buddhistpractice,butalso
profoundlyaffectedthe developmentof Jap-
aneseartby preservingan iconographiccor-
pusandfosteringa strongtraditionof fluid
line drawing.
Onesuchscheme,the mandalaof the Dia-
mondWorld(J:Kongo-kai), or the spiritual
was
realm, imparted to Saicho( 767-8z2),
founderof theTendaisect,by his Chinese
masterin A.D. 805. It is preservedin a rare
scroll done in o083, which belonged to the
Shoren-in,originallya sub-templeof the
sect'sheadquarters at MountHieinorthof
Kyoto. One of the finest
worksof Heian
drawing, this mandala displaysthethirty-
sevenprincipalBuddhasof the Kongo-kaias
wellas figuresrepresenting the elementsand
guardians, one of which (shown in the detail
at theleft)is the ferocious,thunderbolt-
brandishing deitywhoseformwas adapted
foriconsof Zao Gongen.
33
A bronzemirrorengravedwith an imageof
Zao Gongenrevealsthe closerelationship of
ShintoandBuddhistimages,as wellas their
differences.Here,the fluidlineof the icono-
graphicdrawingsof Kongo-sattva, thevajra-
bearingBuddhistguardianon whoseimage
Zao'sis based,is engravedin the bronzeby
tinydashes.Calledshintai,or "god-body,"
engraved Japanesemirrorsexpressedthe
ancientShintoconceptof the mirroras a
sacredsymbolandabodeof thekami.Since
Shintodeitieshaveno specificformbutare
believedto be embodiedin objects,naturalor
man-made,shintaiarenot displayedas icons
butkeptwithinprecinctsmadesacredby
theirpresence.Thisone was foundburied
withhundredsof otherimagesandsutrason
MountKimputo awaitthe comingof the
FutureBuddha.Conceptually, suchShinto
imagesdifferfromBuddhisticons,whichare,
strictlyspeaking,not sacredin themselvesbut
aidsto visualizingthe manifoldaspectsof
enlightenment. Althoughprecedentsin Chi-
neseBuddhistmirrorswithengravedimages
wereknowninJapan,theydifferedfrom
shintaiin theiruse.Duringmeditation,the
Buddhistdeitywasreflectedin theirluminous
orb,a practiceechoedin mandalasand
iconographic drawingsin whichthe figures
areenclosedin circles.
TheradicaldistinctionbetweenShintoand
Buddhistimagesbecameblurredin practice
andaffectedthedevelopmentof Japanese
Buddhism.As Shintokamitook the formsof
Buddhistdeities,certainBuddhistimages
wereconsideredto havea sacrednatureand
weresometimesworshipedas iconstoo
sacredto be viewed.
34 Fujiwara-no-Kamatari (614-699) is one of
severalhistorical figuresdeified in Shinto. An
important court minister,he was awardedthe
surnameFujiwara,or "WisteriaField"He
was the firstof this illustriousclan that domi-
natedJapanesecourt life from the tenth
through the twelfth century.His deified
image portrayshim in the garb of a court
minister,attendedby his two sons, one a
Buddhistpriest, the other his successor.Their
divinity is symbolized by the golden mirrors
that hang above the rolled bamboo curtain.
The stylized figuretype with a delicate mask-
like face derivesfrom the Heian painting style
known as yamato-e, as do the sophisticated
juxtaposition of flat planes of brilliantmin-
eral color and the disregardfor spatial vol-
ume in the figures,curtains, and rainbow-
borderedtatami mats.

35

Relatedto the Shinto notion of the mirroras

an object of almost magic potency was the
custom of dedicatingpersonal mirrorsto
Shinto shrines.In the twelfth and thirteenth
centurieshope for salvationin BuddhistPure
Land paradisesmerged with Shinto concepts.
Sutrasand both Shinto and Buddhistimages
were buried at sacredsites believedto be
these paradises.Associatedwith this practice
was that of throwing mirrorsinto ponds.
Hundredsof examples with bird and flower
motifs, such as the lovely ferns and wild-
flowerson this one, have been recoveredfrom
a pond atop Mount Haguro in Yamagataand
are known as Haguro-kyo.Their delicate
motifs are typical of the art of the Heian
aristocracy.
NARRATIVE PAINTING IN JAPAN

After hundredsof yearsof receptivityto Chineseculturethroughthe institutionsof

Buddhismadopted during the sevenththrough the ninth century,Japanturned inward
during the Heian and Kamakuraperiods, from the tenth through the fourteenth
century,assimilatingthe borrowingsof previousperiodsto createnew artisticforms.
Narrativepainting developedduringthis time into one of Japan'smost original
achievements.Although rooted in didacticillustrationsto Buddhistsutrasand to
edifying folktales of the T'ang dynasty,a distinctivestyle of secularnarrativeillustration
developedwithin the literarycultureof the Fujiwaracourt.
Buddhistsutras,particularlythe Lotus Sutrawith a chapterdevotedto the
miraculousmerciesof Kannon, providednarrativefrequentlyillustratedin the
frontispiecesto sumptuously decoratedsutras.T'ang icons such as those of the Western
Paradise,which portrayedthe rewardsof faith in Amida Buddha,includednarrative
vignettes in their borders.Fromsuch importedmodels developeda traditionof
narrativehandscrollscalled emaki.
The secularnarrativetraditiongrew out of life and literatureat the Fujiwaracourt.
Its subjectswere the pastimes and refinementsof court life, romantictales such as
Murasaki Shikibu'sTaleof Genji, or the famous placeswhere poignant seasonal beauty
was celebratedin an annual round of court observances.Often depictedon now-lost
screensand sliding doors, earlyyamato-e, as this nativestyle was called, inspiredcourt
poetry,which survivesto evoke images of the lost paintings.The style favoredfor
illustrationsof court literaturesuch as Taleof Genji refrainedfrom explicit realismand
developedrefinedconventions of composition and juxtapositionsof color to convey
emotional mood. It persistedas the style consideredappropriatefor classicliterature
and enjoyeda revivalin the nineteenthcenturyamong artistssuch as Ukita Ikkei
(1795-1859) who were politically opposed to the decayingTokugawashogunate.
A more dramaticand realisticmode was developedfor the other major genresof
illustratednarrative,tales of saints and heroes, the foundingof shrinesand temples,
and the epic battles that markedthe rise of the warriorclass at the end of the twelfth
century.These scrolls, didactic and celebratoryin intent,exploited the long horizontal
format to renderdramaticpassagesof time and space in a cinematicmanner.Linear
definition of forms and insightfulcharacterizationgive scrollssuch as the Kitano Tenjin
Engi and the Shuikotoku Den-e a charmingimmediacythat surpassescaricature.
Although emaki was the prime formatfor illustratednarrative,certaindidacticor
architecturaluses requiredother formats,and compositions that originatedas emaki
were often transposedto hanging scrollsand screens.
36 Nowhere is the development of Japanese
narrativepainting from Chinese Buddhist
illustrationsmore evident than in the Metro-
politan's Kannon Sutra, a scroll with thirty-
seven illustrationsto Chapter z5 of the Lotus
Sutra.A litany in praise of the mercies of the
BodhisattvaKannon, this scroll was wor-
shiped and vividly illustratedat least as early
as the T'ang dynasty (618-907). Sung
printedversions of the illustratedKannon
SutrareachedJapanby thethirteenth
century.Accordingto the inscriptionby
thisscroll'scalligrapher,
Sugawara-no-
Mitsushige,it wasdonein the firstyearof
Shoka (I257) and modeled on a Sung printed
book of Izo8. Although none of the Chinese
modelssurvive,it is clearfromthe illustra-
tionsthatwhilecompositionsandfiguraland
architectural
motifsreflectChinesepictorial
tradition, anonymousartistinventively
the
incorporated yamato-eelements,especiallyin
thelandscapesandthe fantasticbeastsand
demonsfromwhoseperilKannonwill rescue
thebeliever.Inthesetwo sectionslandscapes
andbeguilinglynaivevisionsof evilarein the
yamato-estyle.Charmingly explicitis the
sutra'sassurancethatthestormdemonswho
threatenthe officialstoicallycrossinga
bridgewill be instantlydispelledby a callto
Kannon,whosepowerreinstatescalmin the
foreground landscape.Anotherscenemakes
vividthesutra'sclaimthatif one werepushed
fromthepeakof Sumeruor chasedby evil
mendownthe DiamondMountain,
Kannon'smercywouldassureprotection.
Theblossomingcherrytreesthatarethe true
focusof thisscenecouldonlyhavebeen
inspiredby thevernallandscapeof Japan.

eI?

I 1 .. .
,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
4-
h.~
i
^
~~~~~~" ^
-
41
trS
t~~~~~~~(
- V,

I';^,
*--

_. -... .

.~~~~~~~~~~~cI
 -
37 Emakiartistsweremastersof dramaticsus-
pense.Thisscrolldepictsthe originof the
KitanoShrineof theTenjincult,one of the
mostimportantin Shinto.As it is unrolled
(fromrightto left),a cloudliftsto reveal
floodwatersragingagainsta windswept
veranda,wheretwo courtierslie disheveled.
Withanotherarm's-length openingof the
scroll,the storm-demongod hurlshail,light-
ning,andbloodyvengeanceagainstthe
haplessministerFujiwaraTokihira,who
futilelybrandishesa swordagainstthe angry
spiritof Sugawara-no-Michizane, a rivalwho
diedin exileat Tokihira'scontrivance. Jagged
*ivP ..- -
'
' '7 -
*-"
.v'i
linesof cut-goldlightningunitethe scene's sectiondescribingthe monkNichizo's
beginningwithits denouement,in whicha Dantesquejourneyto hell.Nichizoencoun-
priestincantsEsotericBuddhistformulas terstherepentantspiritof EmperorDaigo,
againstthe disaster. who hadwronglyorderedthe exileof his
Thisis one of thirty-sevenillustrationsin loyalministerMichizane.Thetormentsof
the Metropolitan's versionof the Kitano hell,brilliantlyenvisaged,reflectcontempo-
TenjinEngi,paintedin thesecondhalfof the rarypaintingsof hellinspiredby PureLand
thirteenthcenturyforone of the manyShinto teaching.
shrinesdedicatedto appeaseMichizane's
spirit,believedto havecausedthe deathsof
hisenemiesandextraordinary naturaldisas-
ters.Thisversion,secondin ageonlyto the
earlythirteenth-century set in themainshrine
at Kitanoin Kyoto,is uniqueforits second
( ri-()t
't I Z
 -1
x.I.

f- - .

f"
.S ?. .5
--?I - .--.-e ?--.
-
???,------,
s- ?'c?-
r..---z , -,?- ???
I - ? cr

?? -- ,... ..
C?LI ?v

in Indiadur-
38 The LotusSutra,promulgated
ing the firstcentury A.D.,is believedto be the
finalteachingof Sakyamuni at VulturePeak
in Rajgir.It waspartof Buddhistworship
inJapanas earlyas the sixthcenturyand
becamethebasicTendaitextduringthe
Heianperiod.The mostpopularof the
sutrasinJapan,it emphasizedtheultimate
MahayanabeliefthatBuddha'scompassion
wasopento all,regardless of genderor
stationin life.InthelateHeianperiodlav-
ishlyproducedcopiesof the LotusSutra
accountedformostof thethousandsof such
devotionalofferingscommissionedby the
aristocracy to gainmerittowardtheprom-
isedrewardof rebirthin Buddhistheaven.
Manyhaveillustratedfrontispieces inspired
bythedramatictextualdescriptions of Bud-
dha'smercy.FollowingChineseprecedent,
theywereoftenpaintedin goldandsilveron
paperor silkdyeddeepindigoor purple.
Thisfrontispiececombinesdepictions
fromthreeepisodesfromChaptersI to 5
of thetwenty-eight in the sutra.Itscomposi- illustrations-oncekneelingbeforethe sage
tionskillfullycombinesiconicimagesof the who taughthimandagainbearingfirewood
Buddhawithnarrative vignettes.Here,the in fulfillmentof hisvow.
daughter of the DragonKingof the Seaoffers Thisexceptionallyfinesutrais closein
theradiantjewelto Buddhapreachingon styleto themorethanfivethousanddedi-
VulturePeak(charmingly depictedin the cated at Chuson-jitemple in 1175 by
shapeof a bird'shead).Theepisodecontains Hidehira,thenheadof the northern
theessenceof theLotusSutra:thegirl's Honshubranchof the Fujiwara family.
offeringis acceptedandsheis immediately
changedintoa man,withmanyfeaturesof a
Bodhisattva, seatedon a jeweledlotus.Thus,
thecompassionof theBuddhaofferedsalva-
tionto women,whosebodieswereregarded
as uncleanandpreclusive of attaining
Buddhahood. Thisaspectof theLotusSutra
madeit particularly belovedamongthe influ-
entialwomenof theFujiwara era.Balancing
thisis an illustration
of an episodefromthe
Buddha'sformerlife:as a king,Buddhaso
desiredtrueknowledgethathe promisedall
hiswealthandpowerandlifelongservitude
to whoevercouldrevealit. Here,he is seen
twice,a deviceusedforsecularnarrative

-oT ,X I
I i
39 Pale,harmoniouscolorsenhancethe solemn
happinessportrayedin thisfragmentfrom
a fourteenth-centuryscrollillustratingthe
development of the PureLand sect through
theteachingsof Honenandhis disciple
Shinran(1173-1263). Seen from above in the
absenceof a roof-a conventiontypicalof
Japaneseemaki-is the momentof Honen's
recognitionof Shinranas his truesuccessoras
he inscribesa copyof hisportraitforthe
youngdisciple.Theintenseemotionsof the
two centralcharacters aretellinglyportrayed
in Shinran'sseriousexpressionandawedpos-
tureandHonen'sbenevolentsmileand
relaxedpose.Thisdepictionof the transmis-
sionof leadershipfromHonento Shinran
I
rt
Ab
I/
-?4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i I
I
I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>L. 1 I.
I .. %--. =.-
throughtheprivilegedbequestof a portraitis yamato-e is given in the Japaneselandscapes
crucialto the ShuikotokuDen-e(Pictorial on the room's sliding doors. Their motifs,
Recordof the Continuationof Virtue), such as geese flying over pine-studded sand-
edited in 1301 by Shinran'sgreat grandson, bars, evoke a long tradition of poetic images
Kakunyu,who soughtto uniteShinran's and emotions.
fractiousfollowersinto one sect,theJodo
Shinshu,todayamongJapan'slargestBud-
dhistsects.Thissceneis one of six fragments
fromone of fourknownversionsdonewithin
a fewdecadesof the lost original.Although
hisnameis unrecorded, theperceptive
was
painter probably a member of an atelier
connectedto Shinran's TruePureLandsect,
whichreliedon pictorialtractssuchas thisto
impressits teachingson an uneducatedfol-
lowing.A rareglimpseof fourteenth-century
40 Theclamorof a surpriseattackis vividlypor-
trayedin thisdetailfromone of a pairof
screensdepictingthe uprisingsof the Hogen
andHeijierasin II56 andI159.Thepanels
includepainstakingly detailedscenes,which
hadbeendevelopedin earlierillustrated
scrollsof thesefamousbattles.Amidwhizz-
ingarrows,warriorsrushthroughthegateof
the Rokuharamansionof Taira-no-Kiyomori
(III8-II8I), victor of these battles, which
broughthimandthe militaryclassto power.
Kiyomoristandson theveranda,puttinghis
helmeton backward,caughtin ignominious
fright-an episodeimmortalized in the stir-
ring balladsof his with
struggles the rival
Minamotoclan,whichlaterclaimedthe ulti-
matevictoryin ii85.
Bythetimethisscenewaspainted,around
600o, newlyrisenwarrior chieftainslooked
backwithproudnostalgiaon theheroic inalemakiattestto thelongevityof thepic-
deedsof theirforebears.Here,a pictorialnar- torialtraditiondevelopedin the Kamakura
rativedevelopedin thirteenth-century emaki period.
is transposedto thelargefolding-screen for-
mat.Inthisdetail,in thesamearchitectural
setting,an incidentthattook placeafter
Kiyomori's victoryis depictedas though
occurringsimultaneously. Seatedin a room
decoratedwithgold-leafedscreens,the
ruthlessKiyomoriis seenin a fatalmoment
of tenderness. Beforehim,pleadingforthe
livesof herthreesons,is thewidowof his
defeatedenemy,Yoshitomo.Sheddingtears
at herplight,Kiyomoriacceptsheras con-
cubineandsparesthebabeswho wouldrise
threedecadeslaterto avengetheirfather,
annihilatetheTaira,andestablishthe
Kamakura shogunate.Sectionsof the screens
thatcorrespond to scenesin the extantorig-
t
41 Duringthe firsthalfof the nineteenthcen-
tury,a circleof yamato-epaintersin Kyoto
turnedtheirartto opposethe decaying
Tokugawashogunate.Perhapsthe most
importantof theworksof thisyamato-e
revivalis thepicturescrollTaleof a Strange
Marriage,an incompleteworkof fiveepi-
sodes.It climaxesin the fourthscene,wherea
fox coupleexchangesvowsin theelaborate
Shintoritualof the Heiancourt.Despitethe
richbeautyof thebrilliantmineralpigments,
traditionalforpaintingsof courtnobility,the
unnaturalweddinghasan eerie,prurient
aura.Unmistakable visualreferencesto one
of themosttreasuredemakiof the aristo-
cratictradition-Miraclesof the Kasuga
Shrine,completedin 1309 by the court
painterTakashinaTakakane-and to a later
traditionof goblintaleswouldhaveinten-
sifiedthehorrificsatireforthe painter,Ukita
Ikkei,andhis circle.Ikkei,who earlierhad
copiedtheoriginalKasugascroll,took scenes
fromthatworkas the settingforthisvision
of sacrilegeinspiredby deeplyfeltopposition
to theproposedmarriageof the shogun
lemochiintothe imperialfamily.Supposedly
intendedto inspirethe courtfactionto pre-
ventthemarriage,thisscroll'stextwasnever
completedbecauseof Ikkei'sarrest,presum-
ablyfordefamation,andhis subsequent
deathin I859. Thesameyeara treatyforcing
Japanto openherportsto theWesttook
the eventualcollapseof
effect,precipitating
theshogunateandrestorationof imperial
ruleaftersevenhundredyearsof military
government.
ART FOR ZEN MONKS AND
SAMURAI AESTHETES

The Minamoto clan under Yoritomo (II47-1199) emergedvictorious in the late

twelfth-century strugglesthatmarkedthe endof imperialpowerandtheriseof the
militaryclass.Intheirhomeland,in easternJapan,thesespartanwarriorsestablisheda
newcapitalat Kamakura,awayfromtheenervating aestheticpreoccupationof the
ancientcapital.Therethe samuraiwelcomedemigreChinesemonksof theZen sect,
who broughtChineselearningandartandbecamelavishpatronsof Kamakura's Zen
Buddhistmonasteries.
Thesecentersof meditationandlearninginitiatedthesecondgreatinfluxof
ChinesecultureintoJapan.Duringtheearlystagesof thisassimilation, paintingwas
closelyrelatedto Zen life.Zen imagesdifferfromiconsof otherBuddhistsects,
reflectingin theirmoresecularportrayalthe self-reliant
humanisticnatureof Zen.
Monksturnedto paintingandpoetryas spiritualpursuits,followingtheteachingof
Chinesemasters.JapaneseZen inspiredthe artsof inkpainting,drylandscapegardens,
andthe Noh drama.
Paintingsdoneby professional paintersandinscribedby literatimonksalsoused
Chinesethemesto evokea longingforthereclusivelifeof contemplation, an idealhard
won in the increasinglybureaucratictemplessponsoredby fifteenth-andsixteenth-
centuryshoguns.Oftendepictinga scholar'shermitagein a landscape,thesepaintings
celebrateda particularmonk'sstudyandarecalledshosaiga("pictures forthestudy").
Others,calledshigajiku("poem-painting inscribedby literarycoteriesat
scrolls"),
poetrymeetings,wereparticularly importantduringthefirsthalfof thefifteenth
century.Theyareusuallyattributedto JosetsuandShubun,professional paintersat the
Shokoku-ji,officialtempleof theAshikagashoguns.
The assimilationof Chineseartwascompletedas laypractitioners of Zen among
the militaryleadersbeganto collectSungandYuanpaintings.Chinesemotifswere
adaptedforuseon Japanesescreensandslidingdoors,andillustrations fromChinese
handscrollswereremountedas hangingscrollsforusein thetokonoma,an alcove
developedin thisperiodforthe displayof Chineseart.TheChineseworksprizedby the
Ashikagaeliteformedtherootsof a longtraditionof inkpaintingin a purelyJapanese
mode,whichwascharacterized by moreintimateviewsandexpressive brushwork.
 '..-~.* t-~l se;

"* " * ?i' ?^

-i. < y|:

r.-

4
...
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-r._l
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)r?:
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rl
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< _
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aR

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.? aF Fi * ^
?. 1? .- .:*. >:^~*
?i 1; ; ,_,4e
A-,<s.
r.e c r-.
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p~ ?4 ?(
 42-44 Kannon, one of the most important
Bodhisattvas in MahayanaBuddhism,was
v',.k FM" ":
W
venerated in Zen moreas a modelforspir-
t . r_.- . rr
e. .
ituallifethanfor hiscompassionate interces-
t :^ '^~~~~8-?V,.--;I
IJs I ;''
,

*"T1i?''**
6
sionin timeof need.Thishumanistic
?It"
i. f1
t
t
i
. , I
approachis reflectedin the iconographic
C* ,^^'
AL~
-S ~~~~*e')~ modemostfavoredin Zen,theWhite-robed
_^ _ Kannon,envisionedin a relaxedposeneara
It r woodlandwaterfall.Theinclusionat lower
it.
rightof Sudhana,the archetypalpilgrim
cc youthwho soughtthe Bodhisattva in his
islandparadise,Potalaka,reflectstheassim-
ilationof PureLandbeliefinJapaneseZen.
Skillfulhandlingof the ink-in supple
linesforthe figureandgradatedwashfor
thelandscape-revealsthe rootsof Japanese
inkpaintingin Chinesemodelsbroughtto
Japanby Zen monks.
A nearlyidenticalcompositioninscribed
in 1352by TettoGiko,secondabbotof
Daitoku-ji,is treasuredat Shinju-an,a sub-
15, templeof thatimportantZen centerin
Kyoto.TheShinju-anpainting,whichdoes
not includeSudhanaanddemonstrates less
accomplished brushwork,may have been
basedon thisone, or thetwo maysharea
commonChinesemodel.
Thepairof hangingscrollsof geesewould
havebeenhungtogetheror as partof a trip-
tychflankinga centralBuddhistimage.This
practice,fosteredin Zen temples,reflected
/ , I,-
theideaof the underlyingunityof the natural
t , 0 andspiritualworlds,andinfluencedthedis-
playof secularpaintingsas wellas thecom-
positionof laterworks.
The artist,TesshuTokusai(d. 1366),was
one of themostcultivated Japanesemonksof
early Zen. In 1342 he returned to Kamakura
fromChina,wherethe artsof paintingand
I
,* 4
?. . poetrywerepartof monasticlife.As a spir-
.7
., i~4 itualdiscipline,he devotedhimselfto paint-
T 14pw- " ing orchidsin the styleof the Yuanmaster
I Hsueh-ch'uang P'u-ming.
L4
A classicSungtheme,geesein reedsis not
01 onlya superblyrenderedvisionof the natural
worldbut alsoa metaphorical referenceto
*i
Zenlifein depictingthe geeseflying,crying,
-It "4 vWv>; j.
w - - -
*'it i f-
x~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ sleeping,andfeeding.Basedon a tenth-
-w- ' t~~~~~~~st
. s centuryconvention,theseattitudesbecame
. . *I . -, admormo -
- * * r
identifiedwiththe fundamental modesof
* s*; 7*t

... v . meditativelife:walking,dwelling,sitting,
*A..
t' 'k;-.A& sBi"t-&i ', . -
andreclining.
 i 1
,0
I!
- V ?-
.

, i.:.
_?

.I

'',

i ,/,t
1<
I, " A.
4.
4:.

I , ^ ?,

45

Bedeckedin garlands,the dancingpair

combinestheirrivalfragrances.
Onemustsip theirpreciousdew.
Whocouldfashionanewthesedeepred I
I 1 .
+1e
f

tassels? Ott,
... dashedoff in remembranceof the Minister
of Ch'u.

Withthe finalstrokeof GyokuenBompo's

smoothlyinflectedbrush,the semicursive cal- f,
ligraphy of his is
inscription visuallyunited
withtheexpansive,flowingrenderingof sup-
ple leavesandfragileblossoms.The imageof
orchidsandrocks,cherishedin the literati d ??L~~~~~~~,I
-
repertoireas symbolicof the scholar'spurity ..
...I;
of heart,his loyaltyandintegrity,is
rootedin theloreof Ch'u -'V. ' ; I
unmistakably
Yuan (332-z68 B.C.), the "Ministerof Ch'u" :*
of Bompo's poem. Bomp6 (1348-after I420) ,
.
I
I
heredrawsnot onlyon the imageryand t i

poeticdictionbutalsoon the characteristic ..,

meterof Ch'uYuan'sLi Sao,the elegiac a ,.

poemlamentingtheworldin whichhis loy-
:
.:

as the fragile,hid- -S',OF'

altywas as unrecognized \k :\ I L'f J
II ,. r

denorchid,whileambitiousslanderers, like .I ,.- - 10

gaudyweeds, won favor.Bompo's allusion to *3; .I
i
his modelis overlaidwith feeling;thetwo .
,
orchidsreferto his friendshipwith Gid6 f.
Shushin,his mentorin Zen as wellas in the
artsof poetryandpainting.The ideathat 4
i?
poetryandpaintingwerean integralpartof
Zen lifealsopervadesthislyricalimage.
The "dancingpair"of the poemarethe
small-blossomed epidendrum,at the rightof
therock,andthe larger,morecolorfulcym-
bidium,risingfromthe clumpat the center.
I
if + ,iI 3+ .-

i . i

l^, '..y. As,

* _ i a

.j*4p* -.-"
. i* x , -,
,A
*.* 7-i -

36
.tx-4 .
j
4Z
4a. .)
i %11
4P

2t/, ^ 4,
L.,~4
5'4~
?L
/-i
Ei^
b ,^ (
4i;e
4i ;-
y1, ..:J;
46

Abovea quicklyrenderedimageof a lonely

figurein a landscape,fivepoemsin Chinese
/33e~~~~~~ : inscribedby fiveZen monkscelebratethe
f
~- jI,A'= Zenidealsreflectedin the lifeandpoetryof
z1
?JI' one of China'smostfamousscholar-officials,
.f'. .? SuTung-p'o(1036-11oI). Theepisode
"'
recalledhereoccurredwhenSuwasin exile
. on theremoteislandof Hainan.His charac-
it teristicequanimityis immortalized in this
.I.
I
IJ. story.Returning home aftera visit,Tung-p'o
:'
i*
,It wascaughtin a suddendownpourandforced
.1
to borrowa peasant'sstrawraincoatand
,I? i J
clogs.Thesightof the famousscholar
4
~~~~~~1~~~~u dressedso outlandishlyrousedthelaughter
) L) r of womenandchildrenandthe barkingof
dogs.Thefirstof thepoems,by Zuigan
Ryusei (I384-1460), recalls the moment:

I White-haired,he traveledto theedgeof

theworld.
Caughtin therain,he staggersin the mud
of a lonelyvillage.
He mighthavepreferred the cap and
carriage of his rank,
Butfarsaferthanan officiallifeis
thatof the outcast.

Thefollowingfourpoemspickup the
theme,addingZen sentiments.Unlike
descriptions of thisepisodeby Chineseliter-
ati,concernedwithSu'sheroismanduncor-
ruptablespirit,thesepoemsreflectthe Zen
ideaof theessentialonenessof all things,
goodandbad:whetherin officeor in lonely
exile,Suwascalmandself-possessed.
Thefivemonksall heldmajorpostsin the
KyotoZenestablishment andweremembers
of a literarycoteriecenteredaroundK6zei
i
Ryuha,who devotedhis lifeto a studyof the
poetryof SuTung-p'o.ThisscrollreflectsSu's
. , /
ownartisticpracticein whichpainting,
poetry,andcalligraphy weretreatedas one
personallyexpressive act.
 to theunworldlylifeof the mind
47 Aspiration
underliesthislandscapeinscribedwith a
poemin Chineseby ZuisenT6gen
(1430-1489), an eminent Zen scholar. " )N 4L
Inthisworld,who canescape?
7b~~~~~o~~~~Bra"l~~~~IT
As old as theearthareits cares.
Likea flockof egrets,watercascades
thousandsof feet.
Likefishscales,wavesrippletimelesslyon
the river
Treetopsandeavesreddenin an 4-IT 0.1~ -

autumnsunset.
Distantcliffstouchthe clouds.
Sharpening hishook,the fishermanhopes
to sharethe gull'sfeast.
How I yearnforFu-chunandYen-ling.

Ina linearbrushmoderelatedto the for-

malshinstyleof calligraphy, KenkoSh6kei
(fl.I478-I506) rendered a vistaredolentof a
longing for nature'ssolace and inspiration.
Suchpaintings,the mostdistinctivedevelop-
mentin Muromachiart, are attributed
to Shubun.Thiscomposition,whichfollows
theShubuntraditionbutassimilatesthe art
of the ChinesepainterHsiaKuei,represents
the formativestageof a regionalstylecen-
teredat theKencho-jiin Kamakura. Shokei,a
monkthere,hadstudiedtheshogun'scollec-
tionof Chinesepaintingsduringa three-year
stayin Kyoto.Thismaybe hisearliestsurviv-
ingworksinceit musthavebeeninscribed
whenTogenwasin Kyotoin 1478or 1481.
Thelastlineof T6gen'spoemalludesto
YenTzu-ling,who sequestered himselfin the
Fu-chunregionto avoidthe corruptionof
politicallifewhenhis friendbecamethe first
emperorof the Handynasty.Discovered,he
finallyconsentedto attendcourt.Togenhim-
selfreluctantly lefthis own mountainretreat
to attendhis old friendOsenKeisan,whenhe
becameabbotof T6ji-ji,theclantempleof
the shoguns.
MOMOYAMA RENAISSANCE

At the end of the sixteenth centuryJapancame underthe successivehegemony of three

remarkablemen, ending over one hundredyearsof warfareamong provincialdaimyo,
or samuraichieftains,against whom the Ashikagashogunatehad been increasingly
powerless.The militarygenius and ruthlessambition of Oda Nobunaga (I534-I582)
and ToyotomiHideyoshi (I536-1598) resultedin the country'sunification,which
was effectively,if harshly,maintaineduntil the mid-nineteenthcenturyunderthe
descendantsof Hideyoshi'ssuccessor,TokugawaIeyasu(1542-1616). The course of
unificationstronglyaffectedthe arts. Newly powerfulleadersand wealthymerchants
embracedan artisticlegacy formerlybeyondtheir reach.They cultivateda synthesisof
past traditions,the aristocraticarts of court poetry and yamato-eas well as the Chinese-
inspiredarts that had been fosteredin Zen temples.
The magnificentcastles of this age symbolize its spirit.In the huge dark interiorsof
these multistoriedwhite-walledstructures,rooms were definedby bold paintings,often
on gold-leafedbackgrounds.Although little remainsof these castles, their grandeur
survivesin the name given to this epoch, Azuchi-Momoyama,afterthe splendidcastles
of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi.
In the service of these shoguns the Kano school flourished.During the firsthalf
of the centurythis family of secularartists,led by Motonobu (1476-I559), had
supplantedthe monk paintersof Shokoku-jias officialpaintersto the Ashikaga.Eitoku
(I543-I590), Motonobu's grandson, developeda bold style well suitedto the many
large commissions he executed for Nobunaga and Hideyoshi.His successorscontinued
the Momoyama style in Kyotointo the earlydecades of the Tokugawaperiod after
another branch of the family followed the shogunateto Edo in 1614. The Tosa school,
largelypatronizedby the aristocracy,specializedin delicate,miniaturistworks inspired
by court literatureand perpetuatedthe yamato-etradition.
Applied arts flourishedunder lavishpatronage.Kodai-jimaki-e, lacquerware
decoratedwith bold, usually autumnalmotifs in sprinkledgold on black, is named for
the Kodai-jitemple, built in i606 in Hideyoshi'smemory by his widow.
Ceramicsreacheda peak in this fertileage, when formalpresentationof tea was
ardentlypursued by the parvenuleaders.Under Sen-no-Rikyu(1522-1591),
a tea masterwho servedboth Nobunaga and Hideyoshi,the tea ceremonywas
transformed.Formerlyenjoyedat large, often raucoustasting competitions,tea, as
espoused by Rikyu'steacherTakenoJ6-6 (I502-I5 5 5) was the focus of a calm and
meditativemingling of unburdenedhearts. Rikyu formulatedhis teacher'saestheticof
wabi, a refinedsensitivityto the rustic,preferringtea rooms evocativeof peasants'huts
to luxurious surroundings,and the naturalnessof Koreanand Japaneseceramicsto the
controlledperfectionof Chineseporcelains.Under Rikyu'sinfluence,Japan'smedieval
kilns began to produce tea-ceremonywares. Hideyoshi'sgenerals,invadingKoreain
1592 and I597, returnedwith Koreanceramicsand artisansto set up kilns. These
potters introducednew techniquesof kiln buildingand laid the groundworkfor the
developmentof Japaneseporcelainin the early seventeenthcentury.
 4~~~~-----T; - ---
&A^
-W,wmpw
,..~~~
- llll~~~- 4k
, NL-L

,!=it'r

NJ4 .
qk
"* A-
^. iT8^T"
~
-???? ~
~A*
,:~;i
,6 4'
m ^4 JIfr-
A-A
oil1
,/E;i
48
Bythesixteenthcenturycontemplative land-
scapesbasedon visionsof the mountainsand
riversof southernChinawerefullyassimi-
latedintoJapaneseinkpainting.Serenevistas
suchas thevastpanoramadepictedin this
pairof screenswereas familiarin palacesof
thenobilityandmansionsof samuraichief-
tainsas in Zentemples,wheretheywerefirst
appreciated.Thiswork,with its lineardefini-
tionof naturalformsin sharpcontoursand
rhythmically patternedtexturing,is one of
thefinestearlyKanoschoolpaintingsand
hasbeenattributedto KanoChokichi(active
mid-sixteenth century),a masterin the atelier
headedby Motonobu,consideredthe
school'sfounder.Itperfectsthe formulafor
transposing horizontallandscapepaintings
in thestyleof thethirteenth-century South-
ernSungpainterHsiaKueito the formatof
theJapanesefoldingscreen.Duringthe fif-
teenthcenturyMotonobu'spredecessors as
officialpaintersto the shogunatedeveloped
thiscompositionalmode,whichframesa
limitlessriverviewbetweentwo moun-
tainousforeground scenes.Seasonalmotifs
fromrightto leftindicatetheprogression
fromspringto winter,theclassicsubjectfor
roomdecorationin Japanas earlyas the
eighthcentury.TheChinesesubjectandstyle
hereevokedan augusttraditionsuitedto for-
mal rooms.
49 overleaf
ThegrandMomoyamaspiritis perpetuated
in the formalreceptionroom,a classicexam-
pleof whichawaitsthevisitorat theheartof
the galleries.Modeledon theprincipalroom
at theKangaku-in, a guestresidencebuiltin
I600 at Onjo-jitemplenearLakeBiwa,out-
sideKyoto,thisshoinstyleroomwasbuiltin
I985 byJapanesecraftsmenusingmaterials
andtechniquesauthenticto the Momoyama
period.Therefinedproportionsof the
Museum'sroom,withits largealcove,floor-
ingof grassmats,anddecoratedslidingdoors
forwalls,markedtheculminationof two
centuriesof evolutionin interiorarchitecture,
andremainedthe basisforsubsequentdevel-
opmentsin the shoinstyle.
Theshoin,literally"astudy,'wasorig-
inallya partof a roomfittedout with shelves
andan alcoveneara windowforreading.
Withtheincreasedappreciation andcollec-
tionof Chinesepaintingsandutensilsduring
the fourteenthandfifteenthcenturies,the
shoinwasenlarged.An essentialelement,the
tokonoma,a raisedalcovedevotedto the dis-
playof selectedworksof art-a scrollanda
flowerarrangement or otherobjects-devel-
oped from the platformwhereBuddhist
imageswereveneratedwith floralofferings.
Onewallof thisroomis filledby one of the
finestworksin the Museum'scollection,a
painting by Kano Sansetsu (I599-I651) of a
hugeandhoaryplum,resplendent in its
annualrejuvenation. Dramaticallyextended
acrossfourpanelsof gold-leafedsliding
doors,the blossomingplumis partof a larger
compositiondonefora roomin theTensho-
in, theabbot'sresidenceat My6shin-ji,one of
themajorZen complexesin Kyoto.Sansetsu
probablypaintedthesepanelsin I647, nearly
fourdecadesafterhis uncleMitsunobu
(I56I-I60z) decoratedthe roomon which
the Museum'sis based.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^B
t^.^H^^^^

i- . r 6 d

1 it
^^^^^*^^^*P^^la^^^^^^1
 c

i rlr,
1??
:

CIFf' r1, - -- ?LUJ -IY1I 17-C;

; Eil -s
2,
1C' .? ,-C `" - ?u?
-ce

' LC"
t
i,?
t

,*
\\1 k
..?-C t
:i? r, t
\\? r??*
zr i

ff;?

v?)1 c ,?

i):

n.
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cc
?rz

-i
34rrr:,

??;r
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r,:
 50

On thiscapaciouscontainerforsake,freely
drawnchrysanthemums alternatewith
formaldesignsof thepaulowniaflower,
Hideyoshi'spersonalemblem,in thebold
decorativestyledevelopedby artisansof the
Koamischoolto suithis flamboyant taste.
K6dai-jilacquerhasnoneof the arcaneliter-
aryallusionsof earlierlacquerdesigns,andit
wasproducedin quantitiesthatprecludedthe
meticulouscraftsmanship of the subsequent
Edoperiodto meetHideyoshi'sinsatiable
appetiteforluxury.Thedecorationof this
warereflectsthe inventivegeniusof
Momoyamacraftsmen.Textilesandceramics
of theperiodmakeuseof similardesigns.

51 Autumngrassesfigureprominently in
Momoyamadesign, as in thisservingdish
madeat a Minokilnforusein a teacere-
mony.Thefreelydrawndesignof goosefoot
(anherb)fillingtheshallowinteriorof this
gentlycontoured,rectangular dishwas
incisedthrougha slipof ironoxideandcov-
eredwiththickfeldsparglaze.Whenthe
piecewasfired,variationsin colorappeared
throughtheunevenglaze,producingtherich
graybodywithironredat the rim,an effect
muchprizedby connoisseurs. Thisware,
knownas a GrayShino,wasmadein the
Minoareaat kilnsestablishedby craftsmen
who fledthewar-tomSetoareain the six-
teenthcentury.Protectedby generalswho,
undertheinfluenceof Sen-no-Rikyfi, eagerly
soughtpiecesof thissophisticated rusticity,
Shinoceramicsflourishedat Minokilnsdur-
ingtheMomoyamaera.
BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF
TOKUGAWA RULE

Intheharshlycontrolledfeudalsocietygovernedforover250 yearsby thedescendants

of TokugawaIeyasu,creativitycamenot fromits leaders,a conservative militaryclass,
butfromthetwo lowerclassesin the Confuciansocialhierarchy, the artisansandthe
merchants.Althoughofficiallydenigrated, theywerefreeto reaptheeconomicand
socialbenefitsof thisprosperousage.Theteaceremony, whichhadbeenadoptedby
every class the
during Momoyamaperiod,provided the medium in whichliteraryand
artistictraditionsof thepastwereassimilated andtransformed byhighlycultivated men
of boththe bourgeoisieandthe court.Bythe lateI63os contactwiththeoutsideworld
wascutoff throughofficialprohibitionof foreigners, especiallytheSpanishand
Portuguese tradersandRomanCatholicmissionaries who wereperceivedas a threatto
the shogunate's In
authority. Japan'sself-imposed traditionsof thepastwere
isolation,
revivedandrefined,andultimatelyparodiedandtransformed in theflourishing urban
societiesof KyotoandEdo (modernTokyo),wherethecapitalwasestablishedin I615.
Restricted tradewith ChineseandDutchmerchants waspermittedin Nagasaki,andit
spurreddevelopment Japaneseporcelain providedanopeningforMingliterati
of and
cultureto filterintoartisticcirclesof Kyotoand,later,Edo.
Bythe endof the seventeenth centurythreedistinctmodesof creativeexpression
flourished.The renaissance of Heiancultureaccomplished by aristocrats andcultivated
Kyoto townsmen was perpetuated in thepainting and craftsof the school calledRimpa
"schoolof [K6]rin")
(literally, afterOgataK6rin(1658-1716),themostgiftedheirto the
innovativeyamato-eperfectedin the earlyseventeenth centuryby Koetsu(I558-1637)
andSotatsu(fl.1602-43). InurbanEdo,whichassumeda distinctivecharacter withits
revivalaftera devastating firein I657, a witty,irreverent expressionsurfacedin the
literaryand visualarts,giving riseto the kabuki theater and thewell-knownwoodblock
prints of the or
"floatingworld,' ukiyo-e. In the eighteenthcenturya Japaneseresponse
to the fewthreadsof Chineseliteraticulture,introducedby MingChinesemonksat
Mampuki-jisouthof Kyoto,resultedin a newstyleknownas bunjin-ga("literati
painting"), or nanga("painting of the southernschool")aftertheMingtermforliterati
painting.
Throughoutthe eighteenthandearlynineteenthcenturiesthesevariousstyles
wereembracedbyJapaneseartistsandartisansas distinctbutnonexclusive and
complementary modes of expression.With the of
opening Japanby Americantrade
missionsat mid-century, the culturethathadevolveda deeplyrootednationalcharacter
overtheprevioustwo anda halfcenturiescameintothepurviewof theWest,wherean
initialfascinationwithJapan'sdecorativeartsandwoodblockprintshasbroadenedas
knowledgeof its majortraditionshasexpanded.
52 A classicpoemhasbeeninscribedby
Hon'amiKoetsuon thissquaresheetof paper
decoratedby Tawaraya Sotatsuin a gold
andsilverdesignof cloudsamidstcherry
blossoms.Now mountedas a hangingscroll,
thisis one of a set of similarpoempages
probablyintendedto be pastedon a gold-
leafedscreen.Theunusualdatedsignature,
"the11thdayof the 11thyearof the 11th
monthof Keicho[I6o6],Koetsu,'makesthis
one of theearliestverifiableworksby this
influentialcalligrapher andarbiterof taste.
Thepoemfromhis favoriteanthologyof Jap-
anesecourtpoetry,the Shinkokinwakashu,
W i4
2 *
. I
rF 4I
lk
is by Kamo-no-Chomei (1I55-i2i6): characters with smallfluidones,connected
by thin trailsof his quicklymovingbrush.
I sit staring,
Thecollaboration betweenK6etsuand
Assailedby thousandsof
Sotatsuproducedmanysimilarworkson
melancholythoughts. individualsheetsas wellas on horizontal
Isit forme alonethat
the windin mountainpines scrolls,andlaidthe foundationfora deco-
comesagainthisautumn?
rativeartistictradition,latercalledRimpa,
whichgavefreshtreatmentto ancient
Althoughthe gorgeousspringdecoration yamato-ethemes.
hasno resonancein thepoem'snostalgicmel-
ancholy,thereis visualharmonybetween
Sotatsu'sbolddesignandKoetsu'spersonal
versionof Heiancourtscript-a rhyth-
micallymodulatedblendingof thickdark
I
I
1'*
53 Nowhereis thesynthesisof diversetraditions
in theearlyEdorenaissancemoreoriginally
expressedthanin thisunusualscroll,Ten
OxherdingPicturesby Karasumaro Mit-
suhiro (I579-I638), a major figurein the cir-
cleof thepoliticallyenfeebledbutartistically
influentialEmperorGo-Mizuno-6(1596-
i680). In drawingsandpoemsunifiedby his
fluidbrush,Mitsuhirorenderedthe classic
Zenparable,whichlikensthe deepening
stagesof spiritualenlightenment through
meditationto thevicissitudesof a herdboy
pursuingan elusiveox. Here,the confronta-
tionof thewaryox andthetentativeoxherd
depictstheearlystageof the spiritualquest
when,afterblindsearching,the goalis per-
ceived.Thenextstage,renderedas a tense
struggleto controltheox, symbolizesthe revivalof Heianaestheticsandwassharedby
unrulypassionsto be overcomeduringthe importantfiguressuchas K6etsuandSotatsu.
quest. Althoughthisthemewasextremelyimpor-
Commonin Zenteaching,whichuntilthe tantinJapaneseZen,illustratedversionsare
earlyseventeenth centuryhadbeenembraced rare.Mitsuhirobasedhis poemsuponthose
mainlyby themilitary,thisthemeas treated composedin the fifteenthcenturyby the
by Mitsuhiroreflectsthe syncreticinfluence Tofuki-ji monk Shotetsu (138I-I459), but
of theteaceremony. in the peace-
Flourishing hissuccinctandwittydrawingsspringfrom
fulearlyTokugawa era,teabroughttogether hisownhighlyidiosyncratic of
interpretation
thecreativityof Kyototownsmenandthe thetheme.
traditionsof its ancientcourt.Mitsuhiro's
personalvisionof the Zen themeis rendered
on sumptuouspaperdecoratedwithgold
andsilvercloudsandstenciledchrysan-
themumandpaulowniapatterns.Casting
a Zen subjectin a courtlymodeis charac-
teristicof Mitsuhiro'staste,whichfostereda
54 An exquisite reflectionof the florescenceof
traditionalcrafts in the early yearsof the
Tokugawaperiod (I615-1867), this lacquer
shrineencasing a meticulously carved Bato
Kannon,the horse-headedAvalokiteshvara,
is thought to have been the personal devo-
tional image of Tofukumon-in, daughterof
the second Tokugawashogun. In 16zo she
marriedEmperorGo-Mizuno-o, an event
that markedthe full ascendancyof the
shogunate.Probablymade at this time, the
shrineand its icon reveala high level of
craftsmanshipin the sensitivelymodeled fig-
ure and the refinedornamentation of the lac-
quercase, which is decoratedin lotus designs
in a style reminiscentof Heian lacquer.Elab-
orate gilt-bronzefittings incorporatethe
Tokugawahollyhock crest and accentuate the
simple elegance of the naturalisticsprinkled-
gold lotus motif on the smooth black lacquer,
now mellowed to a rich deep brown. The
interiorof the shrine is completely covered
with a traditionalgeometric floral pattern
associatedwithhealthychildbearing,
over
which richly colored pink and white lotuses
arepaintedin heavymineralpigments.The
enshrinedimage,one of the six manifesta-
tionsof Kannonaccordingto Tantric
thought,wasprominentin EsotericBud-
dhismin the Heianperiodandreflectsthe
Buddhistaffiliationof the imperialfamily.It
combinesthe ferociouslyprotectiveaspectsof
theHindudeitiesassimilatedintoBuddhism
with the omnipotent compassion of the
Bodhisattva
Kannon.

I V

I
I
I
I
I

I
II

I
I
I

l |
q

-: i i.. I? ,'-
,?
I
fi
?-:
'*I
I' ' I
r6?9;;CI* i??.? ,?Id
ed
I . ---

48
55, 5e At thebeginningof theseventeenth century, hasprecedentin KoreanandChineseceram-
pottersof Koreandescentin the Aritaareaof ics,buttheboldsimplicityof thepinesand
northernKyushudiscovereddepositsof thefreelydrawnheartpatternof theborder
kaolin,fromwhichtheyproducedhardwhite decorationreflecttheJapaneseappreciation
porcelainssimilarto Koreanwares.At of rusticbeautycultivatedin thepracticeof
mid-century, whenChinesekilnsweredis- tea,forwhichthispiecewasmadein the
ruptedby thefallof theMingdynasty,Dutch mid-seventeenth century.Thecharmof the
tradersin Nagasakiturnedto Japanto sup- younggirlon thehangingflowervaseis
plyEuropeanandAsiandemand,spurring no lesssophisticated.
Thedrawingcaptures
thedevelopment of waresknownas Imari, thespiritof youthfulbeauty,andthepiece
fromthenorthernKyushuportfromwhichit hasthegaietyandverveassociatedwith
wasshippedelsewherein Japan.Imariis an theurbanecultureof the Genrokuera
imprecisetermthatcoversa widerangeof (I688-1704) in Osaka and Kyoto.
ceramicsmadein Arita,including"old
Imari,'elaboratelydecoratedwareswithred
andgoldenamelon Chinese-inspired designs
in underglazebluethatcontinueto enjoya
greatvoguein theWest.Thetwo pieces
shownhere,knownas "earlyImari," are
examples of the earliest in
porcelain Japanese
taste.Thesturdyshapeof the waterjaris
adaptedfromChinesevesselsandthedesign
57 Theyoungmanstrollingwith an alluring
courtesanplucksa whiskerin the stylish
hedonismaffectedby bonvivantsof
Edo.Inthispainting
eighteenth-century
Okumura Masanobu (I686-I764), one of
themostversatileartiststo portraythe the-
aterandbrothelsin woodblockprints,gives
twistto a classicalthemein an
an irreverent
urbaneparodyof a storyimmortalized by the
poetandstatesmanAriwara-no-Yukihira
(8I8-893). Twoof Yukihira's poemstellof
hisloveforthe sistersMatsukaseand
Murasame,who, likehim,werebroughtby
misfortuneto the lonelyshoresof Suma.
TheirloveforYukihira,duringhis three-year
exilethere,theirheartbreak at his departure,
andhispartinggift of courtrobeandhat
werewellknownthroughseveralpopular
kabukiplays.
Here,drapedon the fabledpineof Suma,
is thestylishcoatandcapof an Edobour-
geois-not Yukihira'scourthat,whichis
seenin thecreston his sleeves.EroticHeian
andEdomotifsdecoratethe couple'srobes:
thesamisenon herssymbolizesthe accom-
plishedgeisha,whilethe latticeandbamboo
blindson his evokethe secrecyof Heian
romances.A paletteof primarycolorsand
goldheightensthe contrastbetweentheir
hedonisticworldandthatof theink-painted
shoresof Suma.
58
Therefinedtasteof Japan'seighteenth-
centuryliteratisurvivesin thiselegant
Chinesesatinuchikake(outerrobe)deco-
ratedwithink-paintedbambooanddelicate
cloudsof goldleaf.Accordingto an accom-
panyingscrollof poetryby the statesmanand
calligrapherRai Sanyo (1780-8z22), it was
designedandpaintedby the Confucian
scholar Gion Nankai (1676-1751) for the
mistressof his friendKarakaneKoryu,a
wealthymerchant.Reflectingboththeinven-
tivetransformation of Chineseartamong
Japanesenanga artistsandthe seriousinter-
est in decorativeartscharacteristic
of
eighteenth-century this
Japan, gorgeous
robeis one of the mostunusualvestigesof
Tokugawaculture.
In I697 Nankaisucceededhis fatheras
headof the clanschoolin the provinceof Kii,
distinguishing himselfas a poetandteacher
of Confucianism. Threeyearslaterhe was
exiledfor"debauchery andvillany"and
spenttenyearsin disgrace.By I71I he was
restoredto favorandservedas diplomatto a
Koreandelegation,visitedEdo, wherehe
studiedChinesepaintings,andresumedhis
positionas clanscholar,pursuingpainting
andcalligraphy. He hadas modelsthe few
Chineseprintedpaintingmanualsthatcame
throughtherestrictedtradeat Nagasaki.
Bamboo,thesymbolof the scholarandan
essentialthemein calligraphic paintingby
Chineseliterati,wasa favoritesubjectin
Nankai'spaintings,whichcloselyfollow
Mingmodels.He laidthe foundationsforthe
moreindividualistic artof second-generation
nangapainters, who wouldreworkevenfur-
therthe importedmodelsin a Japanese
idiom.
 ."\
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59 Thisanimatedvistaacrossruggedpeaksand
valleysto a distantrivershoreis a prime
exampleof the matureworkof IkenoTaiga
(1723-1776), who inventivelytransformed
Mingliteratipainting.Chinesepaintingman-
ualsservedas his teachers,andhis patterned
brushworkexpressively exploitedthe flat
formsof woodblock-printed images.Here
angularinterlockingplanes mountain
of
peaksandunpaintedshapesof clouds,river,
andcataractscreatea carefullyconstructed
andkineticcomposition.Taigadelightsthe
eyewithdrolltinyfiguresandplayfulgib-
bonsthat,likethe vinesentwiningthe trees,
weredonewithhis fingernails,a Chinese-
inspiredeccentricity.
k.
PC
*".
ll" sa
Taiga'swritingechoesthe idiosyncracies 1748aftera journeyto the threefamous
of thenaturalformsin his fluid,eccentric mountainsof Japan.Thisscreen,recently
of a well-knownpoemby
transcription remounted,wasoriginallya pairof sliding
Li Po (701-762): doorsdonein the I76os fora residencein
Niwase,nearIzumoin westernJapan.
Earlymorning,we leavePai-ti,surrounded
by tintedclouds.
Thoughit is a thousandli to Chiang-ling,
we arrivein a day.
Gibbonscallingfromriversidecliffsfailto
detainus.
Oursmallboathas alreadypassed
tenthousandpeaks.
Thetranscription is signedSangaku
(ThreePeaks),the sobriquetTaigatook in
60 Thisimmediately expressiverenderingof a
bean vine, inscribedby Tangai (I693-1763),
theeighthabbotof the ObakuZen sect,
is oneof theearliestinkpaintingsby It6
Jakuchu(1716-I800), a prolific and idio-
syncraticpainter.Oneof a set of six vegetable
subjects,thispainting,now a hangingscroll,
mayoriginallyhavebeenpastedon a folding
screen.Tangai'spoemalludesto a poemby
Ts'aoChih (A.D. 192-232), brotherof the
firstemperorof theWeidynasty.Ts'ao's
poeticprotestagainsthis mistreatment
by his
brotherwascouchedin an imageof a bean
painfullyburnedby a firemadeof podsfrom
the samevine.Tangai'sphrase"Twoof the
sameroot"alludesto thisstory,not onlygiv-
ing a literarydimensionto thepaintingbut
alsoexpressingthe notionprevalentin Zenof
the underlyingunityof all livingthings.Bean
Vine was painted about 1763, while Jakuchu
wascompletinghis masterwork, a set of
twenty-four of
paintings plant and animal
subjectsin richcolorand teemingdetail. The
latterformeda setwitha triptychdepicting
theBuddhistdeitiesShaka,Monju,and
Fugen,which he donated to the Zen temple
Shokoku-ji,and which is now in the imperial
household. Here, in the more direct medium
of ink, Jakuchuachieves a compelling vision
of the naturalworld with the same sure grasp
of descriptiveform evident in his colored
paintings. It foreshadows his many works in
the spontaneous ink mode done in his subse-
quent career.
61
A Chinese custom that took root in Edo
Japanwas the wearing of inro, small tiered
boxes originally used for medicine that were
securedby a toggle and suspended from a
waist sash. By the eighteenth century,these
boxes, the focus of inventivedesign and elab-
orate technique, were the most carefully
consideredaspect of a man's apparel.The
fashion for things Chinese fostered by the
presenceof Chinese monks at the Obaku Zen
headquartersat Mampuku-ji is reflectedin
inro by Ogawa Haritsu (1663-1741) and
his followers such as Mochizuki Hanzan
(fl. mid-i8th century),whose signature
appearson this lacquer inro decorated with a
humble bean pod and vine in rich inlay of
ceramic,lead, mother-of-pearl,and wood.
Jakuchurenderedthe same motif in the
painting shown at the left.
62 Underlyingthe artistic attention given to
the implementsfor writing with brush and
ink is a sensitivityto fine calligraphythat has
markedJapan'saestheticlife since the art was
adopted from China during the eighth cen-
tury.Carefullyfashioned boxes, usually of
lacquer,stored the ink stone, on which a cake
of carbonous ink was ground before water
was added to createthe proper consistency.
Other implements usually found in such
boxes are animal-hairbrushes, a small paper
knife, an awl used as a paper punch, and
tongs or other holder for the ink stick. Larger
boxes, often made to match the writing box,
were used to store carefullyselected paper.
This charmingbox, its natural wood grain
chosen and finished to achieve an appearance
of wear,is as meticulously craftedas exam-
ples gorgeously decorated in sprinkledgold
lacquer.Its design reflectsthe reverencefor
the processesof nature and time, decline and
decay,that distinguishesJapaneseaesthetics
andis particularly importantin haikupoetry.
Ina delightfulcodato the designon thelid,
showingmicenibblinga faninscribedwitha
haiku,thebox opensto revealthe rearview
of themousewho hasapparentlygnawed
throughthelid-a surpriseakinto the
insightsprizedin haiku.Thisdeceptive
shabbinessveilsthe sophisticated tasteof
eighteenth-century who
literati, honored
OgawaHaritsu,alsoknownas Ritsuo,whose
sealis inlaidon thelid, bothas a fellow
poetandas an inventivelacquercraftsman.
His experiments in coloredlacquersand
inlaysforged wayfortheingeniousartof
the
laterlacquerartists,particularlyShibata
Zeshin(seenumber63).
63 Fragrantairandspringtimeindolenceper-
vadethemomentcapturedin thedesignof
thislacqueredbox forwritingimplements.A
its gossamerwingsdelicatelyren-
butterfly,
deredin coloredandsprinkledgoldlacquer,
alightson theheavilybuilt-upsurfaceof a
gourdset asidein a clumpof spring
traveler's
wildflowers, whilebarelydiscernibleseed
tuftsarewaftedawaytowardtheupperleft
corneron a sensuoussurfaceof brownish
black,subtlymottledlacquer.
ShibataZeshin (I807-I891) was a painter
andlacquerartistwho inventivelyincorpo-
ratedvariousmaterialsintohislacquerwork
anddevelopedrichvariationsin colorand
texture.He delightedin technicalvirtuosity,
simulatingin lacquervariousmaterialssuch
as the smoothskinof thegourdon this
box. Becauseof hisprominenceat theinter-
nationalexpositionsof thelatterpartof the
nineteenthcentury,Zeshinwaswellknownin
I
II
theWestduringhis lifetime.
On theinsidescatteredgoldpetalsfloaton
a blacklacquerstreamborderedby banks
sprinkledwithgold.Abovetheinkstoneis a
pewterwaterdropperin eggplantshape,and
besidethe box area paperknifeandbrushes
withlacqueredhandlesandcaps.
CREDITS
All objectswith 1975.268as the firsttwo numbers
of the accessionnumberareto be creditedas fol-
lows:The HarryG. C. PackardandPurchase,
Fletcher,Rogers,HarrisBrisbaneDickandLouis
V. BellFunds,JosephPulitzerBequestandThe
AnnenbergFund,Inc.Gift, 1975
i. StorageJar.MiddleJ6monperiod,3000-2500
B.C.EntoUpperB type,T6hokuregion.Unglazed
earthenware.H. 27'/. in. (1975.268.182)
2. Spoutedvessel.LateJ6monperiod,c. 2000-
1000 B.C.Tohoku region. Unglazed earthenware.
H. 2'/4 in. (1975.268.185)
3, 4. Femalefigures.LatestJ6monperiod,c. 0ooo-
250 B.C. T6hoku region, possibly Aomori Prefec-
ture. Unglazed earthenware.H. 9'/4, 6'/8 in.
(1975.268.192,193)
5. Axe. LatestJ6mon period, c. 1000-250 B.C.
SaitamaPrefecture. Basalt.H. 10 in.
(I975.268.264)
6. Spearhead.
LateJ6monperiod,c. 2000-1000
B.C.Naka Village,Hiraizumi-ch6,
IwatePrefec-
ture. Stone. L. 3'/8 in. (1975.268.200)
7-II. Needles,hooks,andharpoon.LatestJ6mon
period, c. 2500-1ooo B.C. Obora Shell Mound,
OfunatoBay,IwatePrefecture.
Bone.
(1975.268.327,345,341,343,337)
12. Storagejar.Yayoiperiod.Earthenware.
H. 10 in. (1975.268.378)
13. Dotaku. Yayoiperiod, Ist-2nd century A.D.
Bronze. H. 43'/ in. Rogers Fund, 1918 (i8.68)
14. Haniwaheadof malefigure.LateKofun
period,5th-6th centuryA.D. IbaragiPrefecture.
Earthenware.H. 127/s in. (1975.268.413)
15.Haniwabustof warrior.Kofunperiod,5th-
6th centuryA.D. Kant6region.Earthenware.
H. I3'/8 in. (1975.268.414)
i6. Haniwaboar.Kofunperiod,5thcenturyA.D.
Earthenware.L. 47/8in. (1975.268.418)
17. Mirror,TLVtype.Kofunperiod,4th-5th cen-
tury A.D. Bronze. Diam. 73/4in. (1975.268.383)
I8. Mirrorwith jinglebells.Kofunperiod,early
6th centuryA.D. Aoyagi,Kamikawa Village,
KodamaCounty,SaitamaPrefecture. Bronze.
Diam. 5 in. (1975.268.384)
19. Necklace. Kofun period, c. 7th century A.D.
Agateandchalcedony.L. iiI/ in. RogersFund,
1912 (12.37.84)
20. Bracelet. Kofun period, 4th century A.D.
Steatite.H. 8V/in. (1975.268.388)
21. DainichiNyorai.Heianperiod.Wood,covered
with lacquerandgold leaf.H. 86 in. (withbase).
Rogers Fund, 1926 (26.II8)
GuardianKings.Heianperiod,12th cen-
22, 23.
tury.Wood,coveredwith lacquerandgold leaf.
H. 33, 337/8in. (1975.268.164,165)
24. Hangingscroll:Deathof Buddha.Kamakura
period,i4th century.Originallyin Daigo-ji,Kyoto
Ink,gold, and mineralpigmentson
Prefecture.
silk. 79 x 74/4 in. Rogers Fund, 1912 (12.134.10)
25. Fudo My6-6. Heian period, 12th century.
Originallyin Kuhon-ji,KyotoPrefecture.
Poly-
chromed wood. H. 633/4in. (1975.268.163)
26. Hangingscroll:AizenMy6-6.Nambokuch6
period,mid-14thcentury.Ink,gold,andmineral
pigmentson silk. 88 x 393/sin. Purchase,Mary
GriggsBurkeGift, 1966 (66.66.90)
27. Ceremonialbell andtray.Kamakura period,
13thcentury.Bronze.H. (bell)75/ in.
(1975.268.170,171)
period,secondhalf
28. JizoBosatsu.Kamakura
I3th century.Wood,coveredwith lacquerandcut
gold foil. TotalH. 453/4in. (I975.268.i66a-d)
29. Hangingscroll:Kannonon Mt. Potalaka.
Kamakura period,i3th century.Ink,gold,
and mineral pigments on silk. 423/4 x i6/4 in.
(I975.z68.2o)
30. Kakebotoke. Heian period, i2th century.
Bronze.Diam.14 in. Purchase,Bequestof Stephen
WhitneyPhoenix,RogersFund,andGiftsof
HartwellJ. Staples,MajorGeneralR. B. Wood-
ruff,andGermainLeaoVelloso,in memoryof her
husband,AmbassadorPedroLeaoVelloso,by
exchange, 1985 (1985.12)
31. Zao Gongen.Heianperiod,IIth century.
Bronze. H. I43/4in. (1975.268.155)
32.Handscroll:Iconographicalscrollof deities.
Heianperiod,dated o083. Originallyin T6-ji,
Kyoto. Ink on paper. II4 x 2133/4in.
(1975.268.3)
33. Zao Gongenplaque.Heianperiod,iith-Izth
century.Excavatedat Mt. Kimpu,Yoshinoregion.
Bronze. Diam. 8'/ in. (1975.268.156)
34. Hangingscroll:Fujiwara-no-Kamatari.
Nambokuch6period,after1350. Ink,gold,and
mineralpigmentson silk. 34 x 15 in. Purchase,
Bequestof EdwardC. MooreandBruceWebster,
by exchange,andGiftsof Mrs.GeorgeA.
CrockerandDavidMurray,by exchange,1985
(1985.16)
35. Mirror,Haguro-ky6. Heian period, 12th cen-
tury.Fromthe pondat HaguroShrine,Yamagata
Prefecture.Bronze. Diam. 4I/ in. (I975.268.I6I)
36. Handscroll:Kannon-kyo. Detailsinscribedby
Sugawara-no-Mitsushige anddated1257.Inkand
colorson paper.9'1/ x 384 in. Purchase,Louisa
Eldridge McBurey Gift, 1953 (53.7.3)
37. Handscroll:KitanoTenjinEngi.Detail.
Kamakura period,i3th century.Inkandcoloron
paper.13/4x 3393/4in. FletcherFund,1925
(25.224b)
38. LotusSutra.Heianperiod,12thcentury.Gold
on indigo-dyedpaper.I3/4 x 339/4 in. Seymour
Fund, 1965 (65.216.1)
39. Hangingscroll:Fragment
of illustratednar-
rativehandscroll.Kamakura
period,earlyi4th
century.Ink and colors on paper. 23'/4 x 16/,6 in.
Purchase,Giftsof Mrs.RussellSage,Mrs.Peter
Gerhard,Mr.andMrs.DonaldPercy,Charles
StewartSmith,Mrs.V.EveritMacy,Mrs.Thomas
VanBuren,Mrs.CharlesStewartSmith,Hartwell
J. Staples,Mrs.GeorgeA. CrockerandMr.and
Mrs.SamuelColman,by exchange;Bequestsof
EdwardC. Moore,JamesAlexanderScrymserand
StephenWhitneyPhoenixby exchange;Rogers
Fundandfundsfromvariousdonors,
1980 (1980.221)
40. Screens:Battlesof H6genandHeiji.Detail.
Momoyamaperiod.Mineralpigmentson gold
leaf. Each 67'/2 x 147 in. Rogers Fund, 1957
(57.156.4,5)
4I. Handscroll:Taleof a StrangeMarriage.Detail.
By Ukita Ikkei (1795-I859). Edo period, c. 1858.
Ink, mineral pigments on paper. ii'3 x 306 in.
Rogers Fund, 1957 (57.I56.7)
42, 44. Hanging scrolls: Reeds and Geese.
ByTesshiTokusai(d. 1366).Nambokucho
period.Inkon silk.Each43I/4x I73/ in. Left:
(1975.268.37). Right: Purchase,Mrs. Jackson
Burke Gift, 1977 (I977.172)
Kannon.
43. Hangingscroll:White-robed
Nambokuchoperiod,firsthalfof i4th century.
Ink on silk. 445/s x z0/ in. Purchase,Bequest of
DorothyGrahamBennett,HerbertJ. CoyneGift,
SeymourFundandFletcherFund,by exchange,
1985 (1985.120.2)
45. Hangingscroll:OrchidsandRock.By Gyokuen
Bompo(1348-after1420). Muromachiperiod.
Ink on paper. 39'/ x 13'/8 in. (I975.268.38)
46. Hangingscroll:Su Tung-p'oin StrawHat and
WoodenShoes.Muromachiperiod,secondhalf
of 15th century.Ink on paper. 423/4 x I3'/ in.
(1975.268.39)
47. Hangingscroll:Landscape.Attributedto
KenkoShokei(activeby I478-d. 1506).Inscribed
by Togen Zuisen (1430-1489). Muromachi
period,15th century.Inkon paper.19 3/i6 x I3'36
in. Purchase,
Bequestof StephenWhitneyPhoenix,
by exchange, 1985 (1985.7)
48. Pairof six-foldscreens:Landscapeof Four
Seasons.KanoSchool.Muromachiperiod.
Ink, light color on paper. Each 59'/ x 140/8 in.
(1975.268.42,43)
49. Slidingdoorpanels:AgedPlum.Attributed
to Kano Sansetsu (1599-1651). Edo period,
mid-I7th century.Approx. W. all panels I9i/s in.
(1975.268.48A-D)
50. Wine container.Momoyama period, c. 1596-
decoration.
600o.Lacquerwith gold-sprinkled
H. Io in. Purchase,Giftof Mrs.RussellSage,by
exchange,1980 (1980.6)
51. Dish.Minoware,Shinotype.Momoyama
period, Keicho era (1596-I6I4). Possibly made at
Ohira kiln. Stoneware.W. ioV/ in. (1975.268.436)
52. Poempagemountedas hangingscroll.Paint-
ing by TawarayaS6tatsu(activeearlyi7th cen-
by Hon'AmiKoetsu(1558-
tury);calligraphy
I637). Momoyamaperiod,datedi606. Inkon
paperdecoratedwithgold andsilver.77/ x 7 in.
(1975.268.59)
53. Handscroll:TenOxherdingPictures.Detailby
KarasumaruMitsuhiro (1579-I638). Edo period,
c. I634. Inkon dyedpaperdecoratedwith gold
and silver designs. 13/4 x 107 in. Purchase,Friends
of Asian Art Gifts, 1986 (1986.142)
54. Portableshrine.Edoperiod,c. 1620. Fruit-
woodimagein lacqueredcasewith gold-sprinkled
designs.H. 73/4in. PurchaseFriendsof FarEastern
Art Gifts, 1985 (1985.96)
55. Freshwaterjar.Imariware.Edoperiod,
c. I640. Porcelain.H. 9/8 in. (1975.268.465)
56. Hangingflowervase.Imariware,possibly
Hyakkenkiln.Edoperiod,mid-I7thcentury.
Porcelain.H. 8'/4 in. (1975.268.473)
57. Hangingscroll:Yukihiraandthe SaltMaid-
ens.By OkumuraMasanobu(I686-1764).
Edoperiod,c. 1716-35. Inkandcoloron silk.
33'/8x 27/%
in. (1975.268.126)
58. Outerrobe.Paintedby GionNankai(I676-
I75I). Edo period, i8th century.Ink and gold leaf
on silk. L. 643/4in. (I975.268.88)
59. Two-panelscreen:LandscapeafterLi Po's
pom. By Ike-no-Taiga (1723-1776).Inscribed
y e artistandsigned"Sangaku." Originally
two slidingdoorpanels.Inkon paper.Each
65V/ x 35'/4in. Purchase,The CharlesEngelhard
Foundation Gift,1987 (I987.8ia,b)
60. Hangingscroll:BeanVine.By It6Jakuchu
(1716-1800). Inscribedby Tangai (1693-1763).
Edoperiod.Inkon paper.483/4x 19 in. Purchase,
LitaAnnenbergHazenCharitable TrustGift,1985
(1985.97)
6i. Inr6withBeans.By MochizukiHanzan.Edo
period,i8th century.Goldlacquerinlaidwith
andwood. H.
greenfaience,lead,mother-of-pearl,
3 in. Rogers Fund, 1936 (36.100.188)
62. Writingbox with miceeatingfan.By Ogawa
Haritsu (1663-1747). Tokugawaperiod, i7th-
wood with inlaid
i8th century.Lacquered
ceramic. o10/ x /8 in. Bequest of Mrs. H. O.
Havemeyer, 1929 (29.100.703)
63. Writingbox with gourdandspringflowers.By
ShibataZeshin (1807- 1891). Lacqueredwood
designs.8%x 75/sin. Rogers
withgold-sprinkled
Fund, 1936 (36.o00o.42a-j)
PHOTOGRAPHCREDITS
SheldanCollins:covers,pp. 6 (bottom),7-11,12
(bottom), 14-15, i8, 20, 21, 6-32, 34-35, 42-43,
44, 46-49, 5I, 53 (bottom),54, 55 Lynton
p. 6. Schechter
Gardiner: Lee:p.19.Metropolitan
MuseumPhotograph Studio:titlepage,pp. 5, 6 (top),
12 (top), 17, 22-4, 36-38,40-41, 50, 52, 53 (top).
 ?-;
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