Japanese ancient art has done well over centuries, thanks to the contemporary artists who did a marvelous work in using ancient traditions to come up with extraordinary and unique art. Japanese Culture traces back to more than 10,000 years ago. The islands of Japan were originally influenced by Chinese culture between 300 BC and 300 AD. They rapidly found their own ways and over a number of years developed a considerable breadth of experience that was integrated and baffled to the outside world. The book ‘Japanese Culture’ puts forward significant historical and cultural developments over the last two millennia. A significant focus is directed to the Japanese culture during the eighth century. This paper talks about four major ancient Japanese artworks and how they changed during the various historical moments. These include ancient Japanese pottery, figurines, architecture as well as ceramics. Japanese art has been influenced by a number of historical moments, cultural, political and religious events.
Ancient pottery underwent a number of changes due to historical transitions. Japanese created pieces of pottery that were lavishly decorated. During the mid-Jomon period, the potters began creating very sculptural pots which were deep. The people of Jomon period were the first settlers of Japan between 11000 BC and 300 BC. This historical moment was named Jomon because of the cord markings which decorated the surfaces of the clay vessels that they used. The name also originated from the rope pattern on vessels that were earthenware. “These people were nomadic hunters and gatherers” . They later began settling in semi-permanent villages and began practicing organized farming as well as building cities that had a population of approximately hundred thousand. “The cultural influence of China on the change from Jomon to Yayoi resulted in a number of changes in making of pottery” . Japanese pottery became elegant and serene. “In Jomon pottery, emphasis is on the decoration while in Yayoi pottery, emphasis is on form” . Many artworks of Yayoi people lack decoration while others have thin bands of geometric designs. This contrasts with florid patterns used in Jomon pottery. “Yayoi people made different forms of pottery. Tsubo was used to store rice while kame was used for cooking. The new forms of pottery emerged as a result of the needs of the society” .
The Japanese created clay figurines such as dogu during the Jomon period. “Most dogu portrayed female creatures with pregnant stomachs and prominent breasts. The features suggest that the figurines were used in fertility rites” . The figurines also underwent some changes. In contrast with the initial figurines, the new figurines had u-shaped face, raised triangle to represent the nose and bulging circles to represent the mouth and eyes. Unlike the earlier figurines, it had a tiny handle at the at the back of its head. It had a curving body, narrow waste as well as wide hips. The breast bone had spiral markings. “The head was heart shaped on a slightly tipped up plane” . The emergence of the Yayoi people led to the loss of untamed spirit depicted in the figurines of Jomon people. This was the Yayoi period, between 300 BC and 300 AD. During this period, the increasingly stratified society was ruled over by extremely powerful chieftains. It is believed that the change from Jomon to Yayoi was cultural. Jomon people became Yayoi people due to influence from China. They arrived in Japan at around 350 BC. They created kiln-fired and wheel-thrown ceramics as well as bronze bells like dotaku. The bronze technology, which originated from Korea, resulted in production of spearheads and swords.
They Japanese also created and decorated storage vessels. Towards the end of Jomon phase, a consistent ceramic type had developed for food boiling. Most of these deep bowls were relatively small. They measured about 8-19 inches in height. The bowls had gentle undulations on the rim. These undulations were echoed by cord marking patterns. This was then followed a pot that had a flaring cylindrical body. The scalloped edge of bowls which began in early Jomon period changed to wildly flame shaped cockscomb.
Ancient Japanese architecture also underwent some changes due to religious influence. The Jomon people constructed simple houses of thatch and wood set in earthen pits that were shallow in order to provide warmth from the ground. Before the forth historic moment, the shrines in Japan had a given architectural design. This was the Shinto architecture. The shrine buildings were simple and had raised floors, cross ended rafters and thatched roofs. This architectural design is traceable back to the lines on the bronze bells of Yayoi period. It can also be traced back to haniwa of the period of burial mounds. This style is also known as granary construction since its characteristic structure was initially used to store rice. “It is believed that this kind of structure was used for shrines and palaces later on”. This was after the introduction of Buddhism into Japan. The main hall of the shrine was known as the hondon. Offerings were made here. “The later shrines had open side of the hondon enclosure, pebble-covered plot” . The introduction of Buddhism led to construction of Buddhist temples that were known as the kondos. When entering the temple, one stepped over high and thick threshold. Huge statues were found on the altar platforms.
During the early Jomon period there were altars in the villages. However, during the late Jomon period, stone circles for ritual purpose emerged. The new stones represented a change in the ritual life of Japanese culture. They were found at sites near the living quarters. Each stone circle had a vertical stone at the centre and surrounded by narrow and long stones which were laid on the ground. “The stone rings hosted communal ceremonies and burials” .
Emergence of a ruling aristocracy that had close links to Korea had effects on Japanese ancient art. This led to emergence of Kofun arts. Kofun literally meant ‘old tomb’ and referred to mounded graves or tumuli which were built for high ranking aristocrats as well as the imperial family. The tombs were furnished using bowls, stone jewelry, bronze mirrors, cups and iron armaments. Kofun cultural pieces of art were created between 250 AD and 552 AD. These types of art were an embodiment of the culture of the Yayoi people. This was attributed to external forces and internal developments. During this historic moment, various groups of people established political alliances which later coalesced into a nation. The typical artifacts of this period include bronze mirrors, political alliances symbols and clay sculptures such as haniwa that were erected on tombs. These people adorned burial mounds using clay sculptures in the form of shamans, warriors, birds and animals. Haniwa was made of geometric forms that were simplified. It also had embellishments that were naively applied. Besides, it was believed to have haunting charm and immediacy.
Introduction of Buddhism into Japan country by Korean envoys also had a significant impact on the ancient Japanese art. Prince regent Shotoku and Empress Suiko really championed this new religion. It became firmly established in Japan in less than one hundred years. It shared Japanese spiritual psyche. Craftsmen and monks from China and Korea were asked to immigrate in order to make worship objects that were necessary for Buddhism. Apparently, the Buddhist establishments became the significant art patrons. Between seventh and eleventh centuries, very few art works that were not inspired by Buddhism still existed. Sculpture and painting of this historical period were largely patterned on Chinese and Korean prototypes. This religion had many images and ideas which were drastically different from the native Shinto’s concerns. Further, this religion had foreign concepts such as Chinese written language, recording history, use of coins, standardization of measures, and weights. These weights were imported from China. All these supported the establishment of state with a single ruler on the basis of Chinese model of bureaucratic and centralized government. These imports had a massive impact on most aspects of the Japanese society including Japanese art.
The transmission of this new religion into Japan gave the initial impulsion for contacts among Japan, Korea and China. The Japanese people recognized Chinese culture facets which could be profitably integrated into their own. These mainly included artworks. Superimposition of Korean and Chinese artistic traits on the ancient Japanese art patterns also took place.
Works Cited
Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. 2. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
Varley, Paul. Japanese Culture. 4. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 2000.
