Painted Fans of Japan: Fifteen Noh Drama Masterpieces 9781462911417, 1462911412

Table of contents :
Table of Contents
Introduction
THE FANS:
1 Pheasants and Cherries
2 Flowering Vine
3 Maple Tree and River
4 Bridge and Waves
5 Birds on Tree
6 Cherry Blossoms on River
7 Sun and Mythical Beasts
8 Pine Tree and Gold Clouds
9 Iris Blossoms
10 Chinese Courtiers
11 Plum Tree and Crescent Moon
32 Sparrows and Vines
33 Dragons and Clouds
34 Pine Tree and Hydrangeas
35 Red and White Plum Blossoms
Bibliography.

Citation preview

CHARLES E. TUTTLE COMPANY:

Rutland. Vermont & Tokyo, Japan

Painted Fans or Japan Firteen Non-Drama Masterpieces Edited by Reiko C n i t a

Published t y the Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc. of Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo, Japan with editorial offices at Suido 1-chome, 2-6 Bunuyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan © 1 9 6 2 by Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc.

All rights reserved Library of Congress Catalog Card N o . 6 2 - 2 0 7 7 5 International Standard Book N o . 0 - 8 0 4 8 - 0 4 6 8 - 0 First edition, 1 9 6 2 Twenty- third printing, 1 9 9 3 Printed in Japan^

Contents Introduction 4 THE F A N S : 1 Pheasants and Cherries 10 2 Flowering Vine 12 3 Maple Tree and River 14 4 Bridge and Waves 16 5 Birds on Tree 18 6 Cherrv. Blossoms on River 20 7 Sun and Mythical Beasts 22 8 Pine Tree and Gold Clouds 24 9 Iris Blossoms 26 10 Chi nese Courtiers 28 11 Piu m Tree and Crescent Moon 30 12 Sparrows and Vines 32 13 Dragon and Clouds 34 14 Pine Tree and Hydrangeas 36 15 Red and White Plum Blossoms 38 Bihliograph? 40

Introduction T h e chief purpose of this modest little t o o t is to present for Westerners some of the gorgeous paintings found on fans used in tne traditional Japanese Non drama.

Painting as limited to

conform to the fan shape has teen practiced for hundreds of years in Japan, even hy such immortal artists as Sotatsu and Korin.

Until

now, however, there has heen no popularly availahle volume of reproductions to reveal the almost limitless possibilities in color, design, and perspective within this restricted form of painting,

Tke artists whose

works are reproduced in this h o o t are unknown, and the time when the w o r t s were painted can only he estimated as early (1601-1741), middle ( 1 7 4 2 - 1 7 9 1 ) , or late ( 1 7 9 2 - 1 8 6 7 ) Totugawa, the period of Japanese history that extended from the heginning of the seventeenth century to well past the middle of the nineteenth.

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In view of the quality of the w o r t ,

tie

anonymity. of tke artists and tke uncertainty of tke dates are sometting remartatle, tut, as we snail see later, ttis maj Ie a reflection or certain characteristics or tte Not itself.

Tte paintings, towever, can stand in their

own rigtt as exquisite worts of art. Before turning to tte Not, let us consider tte sutject of tte fan itself.

Japan has often teen called tte Land of Fans.

Tte Japanese

themselves invented tte folding fan or ogi perhaps as earlv, as tte eigttt century.

It has teen suggested ttat tte mectanism was inspired by, a

bat s win£.

At any rate, official records note tke repairing of a fold mg

fan belonging to tte Emperor Gosanjo, who reigned from 1068 to 1072. The folding fan is tte one most used in tte Not and is tte one with which we are concerned here. The otter common type, tte round fan or uchiwa, was introduced to Japan from China by. way of Korea in tte sixth century. Between ttem, tte round and tte folding fan have teen put to an amazing variety or uses over tke -pears. The word fan perhaps suggests to Westerners

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an implement with which to create a cooling breeze tor oneself.

In Japan, however, fans nave even been used

in battle, both as offensive and defensive weapons.

Special

fans nave been invented to quicken the kitchen charcoal burner.

There are fans for each of several types of dancing.

Fans

have been designed to be dipped in water for an additional cooling effect.

The singer who accompanies a dancer or chants the lyrics of

a dance-drama has his own type of fan.

Fans may. be carried by, all

the guests in attendance at a formal Japanese wedding.

A particular

type of fan plays its part in the symbolism of the tea ceremony.

A spe-

cial fan was devised for use during the Shinto rites of a roof-raising ceremony.

It was once common for travelers to carry, map fans when they.

journeyed along the highway between the new capital of Edo (now Tokyo) and the old capital of Kyoto.

Fans have been devised for contests ranging

fro m poetry writing through target practice to feats of strength. been used as trays, hats, umbrellas, and even daggers.

6

They. have

visitor to Japan

today may not see all t h e uses of the fan mentioned ahove, h u t he is sure to observe its use in two ever-popul a r aspects of the e n t e r t a i n m e n t world :

as a symhol of

a u t h o r i t y in t h e h a n d s of t h e sumo (Japanese wrestling) referee and as a graceful accoutrement to the dance in the c h a r m i n g hands of a geisha. The most consistent examples of the fan as a r t , however, are those connected with the N o h d r a m a .

itself

is perhaps

the

T h i s is not surprising, since the N o h

most splendid and perfect of Japanese a r t forms. It

represents a mending of folk and temple dances which achieved its present form six h u n d r e d years ago. T h e men responsible for this creation were K a n a m i ahout 1 4 4 4 .

Kivotsugu (1333-84)

and his son Zeami Motokiyo, who died

A s evolved by these two geniuses, the N o h is a balanced

combination of dance, music, a n d d r a m a .

O v e r the years, however, it has

heen almost exclusively a n aristocratic a r t form, a plaything of elegant n o b l e s l

anguage all tut incomprehensible.

C o m m o n e r s were forhidden in m a n j

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periods either to attend or to create their own performances.

The plays were given in specially con-

structed theaters, and actors were awarded a special samurai rank to enable them to perform. Every effort was made to preserve intact the texts, costumes, and stales of acting of tke plays themselves. F o r these reasons we have tke astonishing situation in which more than a hundred Noh plays are still in existence and still regularly performed as written and presented in the fifteenth century.

This atmosphere of sequestered exclusiveness perhaps explains

tke anonymity of tke artists who painted the fans shown in this hook and the difficulty of dating the paintings with any. accuracy. were content merely to create under court patronage.

Tke painters

A n d since the Noh

dedicated itself to constancy, each generation of painters sought to carry. on tradition rather than to find new modes of expression. Much that is characteristic of the Noh is revealed in the fan painting. T h e stage itself is simple and stark, hut the costumes are brilliant to the point

8

,

of flamboyance, and this gorgeousness is shared by the fans. Symbolism permeates the drama, as it does the paintin|s. Such subjects as ancient pines, cherry blossoms, dragons, pheasants, the phoenix, maples in autumn, and the like provide specific stimuli to a Japanese audience. Nob plays are divided into five suhject categories : god plays, warrior-ghost plays, insanity plays, woman (love-story) plays, and demon plays. Wherever possihle, the paintings in this hook are identified as to period, title of play, type of play, and the character using the fan. The author hopes she may be excused for also including an appropriate haiku to possihlv enhance enjoyment of the typically Japanese scenes and subjects. It is also the author's hope that this brief introduction to the fans of the Noh drama will inspire her readers to further explorations in the areas of Japanese artistic genius that can merely he suggested hy this small book : the worlds of the theater, of painting, of poetry, and of the handicraft arts

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10

The pheasant— She Pt as indeed A handsome lover. Taig* [ t r a n s l a t e d hy Bliythe P e r i o d : middle Tokugawa Type of play : god play C h a r a c t e r using fan; a god

11

After a thousand pears Even the fir must pass away. The morning-glory flaunts in pride Its beauty of a day. Teitoku Ltranslated by Page Period : late Tokugawa Title or play : Faded Beauty Type of play : insanity play Character using tan : old woman

12

13

The scarlet maple foliage which In mountain-he arts glows bright A n a falls unseen by man—it is, Alas ! the rich brocade. of night. Tsura^uki [translated hyMiyamoriPeriod: middle Tokugawa Type or play : woman play Character using fan : old woman

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15

16

The

a u t u m n m o o n is bright;

Sea waves whirl up to my, gate, Crested silvery white. Basho [translated by. Yasuda] Period : middle Tokugawa Title of play. : Dojo Temple Type or play. : insanity play. or revenge Character using fan : chief priest

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This world is t u t a single dewdrop, set Trembling upon a stem ; and y e t . . . and y e t . . . Issa [.translated hy S t e w a r t ] Period : early. Tokugawa Title of play, : The Autumn Cricket Type or play. : insanity play. or revenge Character using ran : man

18

19

20

In the intervals O r rough wind ana rain The first cherry, hlossoms. Chora [.translated

by

Blythe

Period : middle Tokugawa Type of play : woman play Character using fan : young woman

21

Tke sun set on tne swamp with orange glare; A ball of gnats revolving in tne air. Ho-o [translatea by S t e w a r t ] Period : middle Tokugawa Title or play : Crane ana Tortoise Type of play : god play Character using fan : a god

22

23

Not yet having become a Buddha, Tkis ancient pine tree, Idly, dreaming. Issa [.translated by Blythe ] Period : middle Tokugawa Title of play : The Wedded Pines of Takasago Type of play : god play Character using fan : priest

24

25

My dream is faded now, and I am through Witk dreaming . . . yet I know iris still will keep its gorgeous hue. Snusniki [.translated by Page] Period : late. Tokudawa Title or play : Lady Takamatsu Type of play : woman play

26

27

28

Since there's n o rice for poets on the dole, Let's do a flower arrangement in the Lowl! Basho [.translated by Stewart] Period : middle Tokugawa Title df play : The Robe of Feathers Type of play : woman play Character using fan : woman

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Not wholly dark nor

bright

But softly glimmenn On, beautiful beyond compare T i e misty moon or a nignt in spring. Chisto [translated by Miyamor] Period : late Tokugawa Type of play : woman play Character using tan : woman

30

31

Across the sun-scorched moorland, autumn passes ; Sparrows are hopping on the seeded grasses. Sotyu [translated by Stewart] Period : late Tokugawa Title or play : Lady Tamakatsura Type ot play : woman play Character using fan : woman

32

33

The mighty, G o a of Thunder, Whose footfall resounds in Heaven s plain ahove— Not even he can put asunder Us who are firmly, joined by, Love. Anonymous [.translated

by

Miyamori]

Period : middle Tokugawa Title or play : Dojo Temple Type of play : insanity play of revenue Character using tan : man

34

35

36

Lighting one candle with another s flame A t dusk in spring—the same, yet not the same. Buson [translated by Stewart] Period : middle ToKuawa Title of play : Lady Kogo Type of play : insanity play Character using fan : old woman

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I do not know my old friend s

mind, But in nis garden wnen I come, Just as in begone days a fragrant scent Breathes from tne flowering plum. Tsurayuki [.translated by Miyamori]

JrenocL : late Tot Type of play : woman play Character using fan : young woman

38

39

BiLlio£ raplrg Blytne, R. H . : Haiku

(4 vols.), Hokuseidp, Tokvo, 1 9 5 0 - 5 2 -

Bowers, Faubion : Japanese

Theatre,

Hermitage House, New

York, 1 9 5 2 Inoue, Sanko, and Yasuda, Kenneth : Land Ancient

Japanese

Lyrics from

the Manyoshu,

of the Reed Plains : Tuttle, Rutland &

Tofcvo, I960 M iyamori, A s a t a r o : Masterpieces Modern,

of Japanese

Nippon Qahujitsu Shinkohai : The Noh Japanese,

Poetry

Ancient

y Drama:

Ten

Plays

from

the

Tuttle, Rutland & Tofcvo, I 9 6 0

Page, Curtis Hidden : Japanese

Poetry, Houghton Mifflin, Boston & New

York, 1 9 2 3 Salwey, Charlotte M. : Fans of Japan, Kegan Paul, London, 1 8 9 4

40

and

Taiseido, Tokvo, 1 9 3 6 & 1 9 5 6

Sc hi ff man, Maurice K. : Japan,

the Land

of

Fans,

Foreign A f f a i r s Association of J a p a n , T o k v o , 1954* S t e w a r t , H a r o l d : A Met of Fireflies : Japanese Haiku

Paintings,

Haiku

and

T u t t l e , R u t l a n d Z e m m a r o : Japanese

No

Plays,

Japan Travel

Bureau,

Tokvo, 1 9 5 4 T u t t l e , Cnarles E., ea, : Japan : Theme

Tofevo, 1959

Yasuda, K e n n e t k : The Japanese and Possibilities

in English,

Haiku

with Selected

and

Variations,

: Its Essential Examples,

Mature

Tuttle, yHistory,

Tuttle, Rutland &

Tokvo, 1 9 5 7

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