ARTH110 Essay Japanese Art. Visual & Performing Arts Essay

Japanese Art
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Japanese art shows close relations between artistic creation and a deep philosophical intuition of reality. Zen Buddhism, which was spread by Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japan), influenced various facets of Japanese culture and artistic expressions in painting, poetry, architecture, garden art and even tea ceremonies. In Zen Buddhism, emptiness is the primary source of meaning, fullness, beauty and vital expansion, where emptiness gives rise to different things (Kleiner, 2013). In Japan, art requires more effort and attention more than in China, even as China had a profound impact on Japan’s culture. Similar to other arts in Asian cultures, the aesthetics are closely linked with the sacred elements. Buddhism and to a lesser extent Shintoism influenced Japanese art for centuries as there was representation of Buddhist themes and Chinese art styles.
Many of the earliest Japanese paintings were in ceramics and murals painted with simple geometric designs. However, there were major changes in the artist style and expressions when paintings were made on scrolls and silk and characterized by being accompanied by texts from Chinese literature. Japanese art has various styles and genres, and Japanese paintings were initially an imitation of the Chinese and Koreans techniques but gradually this changed over time where Japanese indigenous characters were used to make more aesthetic artworks. The black ink wash painting style (sumi-e) was introduced in Japan by Chinese Zen Buddhist monks in the 14th century (Mason 2005). Even as there were changes in artistic styles Buddhist beliefs and artistic expressions were represented in different eras.
The existence of multiple invisible forces such as the fertility forces gods, harvest spirits, ancestors and deceased relatives, the generation of life, were assumed to influence the cosmos. These forces are the kami, where there is also representation of the sacred deities that are not individualized or personalized. Shinto is a polytheistic belief system where the deities are venerated, and forces represent the sacred, but they are not individualized or personalized and beliefs influenced Japanese daily life and art. In Japanese art, the harmony of nature is represented in art including the gods and this links Shintoism and Buddhism together. However, Buddhist idea and beliefs were written, which made it possible to expand its influence to artistic contexts.
The indigenous system of beliefs of Shinto had a significant impact on the development of the arts in Japan and, as it gave rise to focus on the power of language in writing and art. Shinto emphasizes on correct practice and ritual purity and this helped establish a culture in which there is proper form of things including the paintings and used. the widespread use of works of art from nature and topics in various forms of art, and the natural world is linked emphasis on awareness of nature in Japanese art Chinese imported culture were incorporated into Japanese culture, which favored continuity than a break from the native belief system.
The arrival of Buddhism through China in the 6th century transformed the Japanese culture, but elements of Shinto were still present in the society. When Japanese art came into contact with the Buddhism, the religion and philosophy was adopted and influenced refined the art where there is emphasis on simplicity of forms. To begin with the art was mostly The Japanese Buddhist sculpture, but there were also paintings on parchment, paintings used in Buddhas and others of a religious nature The Asuka period (552-710) saw the gradual growth of the artistic and Chinese and Korean influence on Japanese culture grew during the Asuka period (552-710 ) and Nara Period (710-794) (Mason, 2005).
In the Asuka Period (552 – 710) Shinto’s was still the dominant religion and there was no much influence on Japanese art, while Chinese influence on Japanese at grew during the Nara 710 – 794 period. The Kanji writing system and Buddhism during the Asuka period influenced art paintings and sculptures in shrines and temples in which the great wall paintings where there were depictions of Buddha scenes are manifested (Walley, 2012). Nara was established as capital and became the first capital of the empire and Chinese art remained highly influential. Nara was built following the Tang dynasty capital. The Chinese patterns of painting adopted during the Asuka period and Nara period were based on using ink or mineral pigments on silk or paper, in parchment or hanging on walls.
The Tamamushi shrine in the Hōryū-ji Temple of the Nara period in the mid 7th century still retained elements of the Asuaka period in the paintings. The mural decoration of Hōryū-ji includes the frescoes of wooden buildings inside the temple (Walleye, 2012). Various types of paintings and techniques also emerged during the period including the hanging paintings, the roll paintings, paintings on a roll of silk or paper, and texts that explained different scene. However, unlike later paintings that touched on Buddhism, the paintings tended to represent the emperors, their origin and the mythical origin of Japan. The Tamamushi temple is an important relic of the Asuka pictorial style and has the shape of a miniature temple, and there figures of the bodhisa...