12/31/2023 0 Comments Korean phoenix meaningTendai" by Sakaki Hyakusen, a clown-like, corpulent lion is adorned with a bright red peony atop its head. In the 1751 screen painting "Shakkyo at Mt. In the exhibition, an illustrated handscroll from the 15th century shows comical shishi-mai performers stared at by a curious monkey.ĭuring the peaceful years of the Edo Period (1603-1868) the playful lion was matched with the peony in the Noh and Kabuki play titled Shakkyo (Lion Bridge). Probably the best portrayal of the lion's "new" persona was the shishi-mai or lion dance, still performed today. The lion in Japan was evolving from a symbol of aggression and power to playful entertainer. More cute than ferocious, these two seem to have lost their master - a 13th-century Hachiko perhaps. In the exhibition, my favorite pair is the wooden "Komainu Figures (A and Un Forms)" from Kozanji Temple, dated 1225 (Kamakura Period). (The spiritual Sanskrit sounds "AHAM" and "AUM" are quite similar.) The two sounds symbolize the stages of life - beginning and end, birth and death, and all possible outcomes. The open mouth relates to "Ah," the first sound in the Japanese alphabet, and the closed mouth to "Un," the last sound. During the Heian Period (794-1185) the lion in Japan became a combination of the Korean Koma-inu (Korean dog) displayed with a closed mouth and the Chinese Kara-shishi (Chinese lion) shown with an open mouth. Lion-like statues made of wood and stone were placed as pairs at the entrances of shrines and temples to ward off evil. The image of the lion was probably introduced to Japan from China via Korea in the 7th or 8th century, along with Buddhism. Captured live, they were offered to the Han imperial court as exotic gifts. Their prized pelts were traded along the Silk Road, eventually reaching China during the Han Dynasty 2,200 years ago. The show is part two of a four-part exhibition series titled "Art revisited, beauty revealed" that celebrates the museum's 50th anniversary.Īsiatic lions - smaller than African lions - never roamed across China but were indigenous to Persia and the Indian subcontinent. Their transition from those foreign lands, and their artistic transformation in Japanese religion, rituals, performing arts, and decorative motifs, is the intriguing theme of "Symbols of Immortality: The Phoenix and the Lion," at the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo until July 24. So how on earth did they come to Japan? Ancient writings reveal that it was through China and Korea. But the lion is not indigenous to Japan, and the phoenix is an otherworldly creature. The lion and the mythical phoenix are auspicious symbols that have been embedded in Japanese culture for centuries. Nonomura Ninsei, "Spherical Incense Burner with Chinese Lion-dog Knobbed Cover" Edo Period, latter half of 17th century. "Low Desk and Writing Box with Design of Paulownia, Bamboo, and Phoenix" maki-e, Momoyama Period, late 16th to early 17th century, Important Cultural Property. Symbols of Immortality: The Phoenix and the Lion The contributors are non-Japanese art critics living in Japan. HOME > FOCUS > Symbols of Immortality: The Phoenix and the Lionįocus features two in-depth reviews each month of fine art, architecture and design exhibitions and events at art museums, galleries and alternative spaces around Japan.
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