Since ancient times, Japan has been considered one of the most mysterious countries in the world. Kakejiku is the ultimate tool for learning Japan.
Since ancient times, the Japanese people have always attached great importance to aesthetic consciousness. As a result, the special culture that has not been seen in other countries has flourished, and many aspects of modern Japanese culture come from it. A part of Japanese culture has recently been introduced to people from other countries, so the number of people interested in Japanese culture from other countries has been increasing.
However, the Japanese aesthetic consciousness, which is the foundation of Japanese culture, has been nurtured in a long history. In addition, they are intricately intertwined with various elements such as climate, geographical features, religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are difficult to understand not only to the people of other countries, but also to the Japanese people. I think the best tool to understandably convey these difficult senses is kakejiku.
Kakejiku [hanging axis; calligraphy works or paintings hanging on a niches or walls] is a traditional Japanese art. It is no exaggeration to say that painting is the expression of aesthetic consciousness at any time and place. Kakejiku is an art that expresses the aesthetics of Japan. Kakejiku has been widely used in traditional Japanese activities, daily life, etc. since ancient times. Therefore, there are various kakejiku customs in Japan; kakejiku is closely related to Japanese life. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
What is Kakejiku?
"kakejiku" is the hanging axis of Japan; it is a painting or calligraphy work, usually with silk fabric edges on a soft backing. Kakejiku can be rolled up and stored.
Kakejiku is designed to hang on the wall as part of the interior of the room. It is traditionally displayed in the "tokonoma" niche of the room, which is dedicated to display precious items. It can also be displayed in the most important room of the house, where tea ceremony or other traditional activities take place. Kakejiku is also often hanged in a martial arts room called "doujou" [training room]. In the vicinity of kakejiku, there are often other items ["okimono"] such as sword ["katana"], dolls, "bonsai" or flower arrangement ["ikebana"].
An important aspect of kakejiku is that it does not intend to hang permanently; it diversifies its position. This means it can be changed frequently. One of the great things about kakejiku is to choose the right one for the occasion, the guest and the season.
The history of Kakejiku
Kakejiku was introduced to Japan during the Heian period [794-1185] and was mainly used to display Buddha statues of religious worship or as a way of displaying calligraphy or poetry.
Since the Muromachi era [1336-1573], the original architecture of Japanese housing has developed rapidly. In this newly developed architectural style, the Japanese-style room [called "washitsu"] becomes a room with tatami floors and contains a special space called the tokonoma niche. The most important feature of tokonoma is the display of kakejiku. Tokonoma is seen as a space connecting art and everyday life; so landscapes, flower and bird paintings, portraits and poetry have become the most popular themes.
In the Taoshan period [1573-1600], there were two great monarch representatives: Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. They really like "chanoyu" [tea ceremony]. Tea ceremony is usually carried out in a room with a tokonoma niche. During this period, the tokonoma architectural style was developed and established. With the development of the tokonoma style, the techniques of painting and installation have also been developed, as kakejiku is always displayed in tokonoma. In addition, Sen no Rikyuu mentioned the importance of kakejiku, so it is very popular among those who are fascinated by the tea ceremony.
In the Edo period [1603-1868], there were only a few major battles in Japan. The peace of the Edo period made Japanese culture fully mature. Many famous painters are flourishing and competing with each other. Kakejiku is also popular among the public.
After the Meiji period [1868-], more painters competed with each other for their skills, because during this time people were free to choose their own profession. Before the Second World War, most Japanese paintings were designed to be decorated on kakejiku for a period of time after the war.
Why replace Kakejiku?
Why is kakejiku replaced? The spirit of the tea ceremony, a traditional Japanese art, has deeply influenced this Japanese custom. On the tea ceremony, there is a warm and hospitable heart called "omotenashi". When the Japanese think of the mood of the tea ceremony, they will consider a lot. More specifically, they consider various techniques that can be used to optimize emotions. Kakejiku is used to indirectly express respect for guests and is considered to be the most important tool in the tea ceremony. Therefore, kakejiku is replaced according to the occasion or season. The omotenashi heart made them change kakejiku.
Kakejiku developed in the Muromachi period [1336-1573], accompanied by the development of tea ceremony. As a result, people began to think that it is important to express the form of the occasion to the guests by displaying various kakejiku. Many of Kakejiku's customs are derived from this Japanese idea.
Of course, many owners who own their kakejiku in order to enjoy themselves, it is also a pleasure to show their guests their cute kakejiku.
Kakejiku features
There is a tokonoma niche in a wasutitsu [traditional Japanese-style room] where kakejiku is displayed. However, in addition to kakejiku, there is very little furniture in the room. The Japanese are not used to hanging many paintings on the walls of the room; they usually show a kakejiku only in tokonoma and replace it with another according to the occasion, the guest and the season.
It is said that this style of display is in stark contrast to the Western style. Many paintings often appear on the walls of Western architecture, such as ancient European architecture or palaces. For example, if there are 100 paintings, then all 100 paintings on the wall will be Western. However, the Japanese put all 100 paintings in the closet and chose only one to be exhibited in a fixed place [tokonoma]. Therefore, the functions required for painting between the West and Japan are significantly different. In the West, painting requires a durable frame because it shows a long time. However, in Japan, a painting does not require so much protection because it can only be displayed in a short time. Convenience and convenience are important elements of painting, because the Japanese will change it often. It must also not occupy storage space. In other words, the style that satisfies the above conditions is the kakejiku style.
Kakejiku rolls up when placed and opens when displayed. Therefore, flexibility and strength are required to withstand the process of displaying and placing it. Therefore, "honshi" [main work] is reinforced by supporting with another piece of paper, and cloth is attached around the state, and they are combined. This is a rough installation process for kakejiku. If kakejiku is rolled up, this style can prevent honshi creases, tears and dirt. Even if it is damaged or dirty at the same time, by reinstalling kakejiku, you can keep the life of the book and its aesthetic value for hundreds of years.
Kakejiku is an ideal style; it allows the Japanese to enjoy their paintings.
Orignal From: Kakejiku (Japanese hanging axis)
No comments:
Post a Comment