Asian Art Test 2

Murasaki: "Blown off roof" to show interior "line for eyes, hook for nose", = similarity "pigments over lines", layers Kibi: line drawing show character animated movement expressive brushstroke shows individual emotion Kibi is a type of Yamato-e which specialize in japanese subject matter and is depicted in a more comical light.

Describe the differences between Murasaki's pictorial style and Kibi's pictorial style?

Onna-e typically deals with court life and courtly romance Otoko-e deals with historical or semi-legendary events, particularly battles.

How can you tell the difference between an onna-e (women) and otoko-e (men) painting?

The buddha in his headdress

How do you identify a Bodhisattava of Compassion or Guanyin?

It is widely accepted that the first scroll is a veiled attack on the corruption of the Buddhist clergy at the time. The first scroll depicts a seated Buddha in the form of a large frog with a monkey in priest garbs paying ceremonial homage and rabbit and fox attendants. May represent "Degenerative Dharma" in which teaching of Buddhism survive but the actual practice of Dharma has died out.

How is Buddhism represented in the Frolicking Animal Scroll?

What is a landscape painting?

Landscape paintings are made up of two characters meaning "mountains and water". The name is linked to the philosophy of Daoism, which emphasizes harmony with the natural world.

Heaven, Ahusra, Animals, Human, Hungry, Ghosts, Hell = The only way out is through the "Pure Land" which stops the rebirth cycle and allows the individual to devote their efforts to reach salvation/enlightenment. All beings are trapped in the cycle of suffering (samsara) until they reach enlightenment. This represents a change from Piri-nirvana to "birth in pure land."

What are the Six Realms of Transmigration?

Rooster = greed/envy Snake = hatred/anger Pig = ignorance/delusion

What are the Three Poisons?

1. True Dharma (500 years) - followers practice in accordance to the Buddha's teaching and attain awakening 2. Counterfeit (1000 years) - practice of Dharma continues but spiritual corruption has set in and true attainment no longer occurs 3. Degenerative Dharma (1052) = mappo era - teachings of Buddhism survive but the practice of Dharma has died out and nobody is able to attain awakening. This view was rampant in Kamakura period and may have propelled the rise of Pure Land Buddhism where salvation can't be achieved though one's own efforts (self power) and thus, should be relied on the Buddha Amida (other power).

What are the three views of Dharma in Japanese history?

1. Pure land Buddhism 2. Zen Buddhism

What are the two paths (schools) of Salvation as response to Millennialism?

Rise of illustrated handscrolls (emakimono) such as the Tale of Genji or Minister Kibi's Trip to China

What art form characterized the Late Heian period? (1085-1185)

Wabi-Sabi together represents the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in the simple, incomplete, and imperfect. Alone, Wabi means cultivated poverty, serene elegance, austere rusticity. Sabi means, rustic yet refined beauty and sympathy to aged things. The concepts of wabi-sabi correlate with the concepts of Zen Buddhism because it emphasizes the imprtance of transcending ways of looking and thinking about things/existence.

What is Wabi-sabi in terms of the tea ceremony?

A literati painting or wenrenhua is the ideal form of the Chinese scholar-painter who is more interested in personal expression than a literal representation of beauty. First formulated in the Northern Song Period (960-1127), a literati painting is characterized by subjective, personal, and expressive treatment of reality.

What is a Literati Painting?

Pure Land Buddhism = salvation through the Other's power the "other" is defined as the Amida Buddha More traditional; faith based Buddhism Zen Buddhism: Salvation through the "self" power - oneself -Discipline practice based on Buddhism -Founder = Bodhidharma

What is the differences between Pure Land Buddhism and Zen Buddhism?

After attaining Enlightenment, Bodhidharma 1. Met with Emperor Liang Wu and confused the Emperor by stating that the Nobel Truths are wrong. When asked by Emperor, "Who are you who confronts me?" Bodhidharma answered, "I don't know." This exchange later became the basis of Koan. 2. Bodhidharma headed north, crossing the Yangtse River on reed. 3. Meditated in a Sung Mountain cave for nine, continuous years.

What is the legends and myths that surround Bodhidharma?

-context of literati paintings (time, place, and occasion) -expression of thoughts and feelings

What makes artists 'literati'?

Rustic Tea is defined by the tea master "Sen No Rikyu" who lived around 1522-1519. He redefined the tea ceremony in all aspects; procedure, utensils, and the tea house architecture. He return the ceremony to simplicity just like Shuko, the 15th century monk who found the Japanese tea ceremony. Sen Rikyu made the teahouse smaller and more secluded with the introduction of a "crawl" through door. The decoration of the tea room would include short zen expressions in chinese characters, paintings and calligraphies by Zen Monks, and Quotations from Zen texts (ex.koan). The tea bowls were also defined by rustic simplicity. The simplification of the ceremony represents the fundamental Zen principles of purifying the soul to become one with nature. It also relates to Zen principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

What was ceremony of Rustic Tea?

Chinese characters = kanji style: Otoko-de (male hand) Used for: Buddhist scriptures Temple, government, and official records Letters diaries, journals, memoirs Japanese syllabary = kana style: onna-de (female hand) Used for: tales and legends personal essays poems (letters) Diaries, journals

Whats the difference between text written in Chinese characters and text written in Japanese syllabary?

During Pure Land Buddhism! Commoners and women supportd the Amitabha Buddha.

When did women start participating in Buddhism?

Zhao Mengfu Huang Gongwang Wu Zhen Ni Zan Wang Meng

Who are considered "literati" artists?

Bodhidharma Notice his red garments, a distinct indicator of Bodhidharma as well as the Pure Land

Who is considered the first Patriarch of Zen?

Huayan Buddhism and the Vairocana supported order and Hierarchy which helped support the need for emperors and a royal class.

Why did the royal class support Huayan Buddhism?