On the Laws of Japanese Painting: An Introduction to the Study of the Art of Japan

by Henry P. Bowie

CHAPTER SIX. SUBJECTS FOR JAPANESE PAINTING

(gwa dai)

A Japanese artist will never of his own accord paint a flower out of season or a spring landscape in autumn; the fitness of things insensibly influences him. From ancient times certain principles have determined his choice of subjects, according either to the period of the year or to the festivals, ceremonies, entertainments or other events he may be required to commemorate. All such subjects are called gwa dai. As one without some knowledge of these cannot appreciate much that is interesting about art customs in Japan, a brief reference to them will be made, beginning with those subjects suitable to the different months of the year:

January—For New Year's day (sho gwatsu gwan jitsu) favorite subjects are “the sun rising above the ocean,” called hi no de ni nami ([Plate LIV] No. 1); “Mount Horai” (2), “the sun with storks and tortoises” (3, 4, 5); or “Fukurokuju,” [pg 85 ] a god of good luck. Many meanings are associated with these subjects. The sun never changes and the ocean is ever changing, hence in yo is symbolized. The sun, the ocean and the circumambient air symbolize ten chi jin or the universe. Horai (san) is a symbol for Japan. It is the lofty mountain on a fabled island in the distant sea, referred to in early Chinese writings, inhabited by sages (sen nin), and containing the pine, bamboo and plum (known in art as sho, chiku, bai), the pine standing for longevity, the bamboo for rectitude and the plum blossom for fragrance and grace. The stork and the tortoise, whose back is covered with seaweed, both typify long life, the ancient saying being that the stork lives for one thousand and the tortoise for ten thousand years (tsuru wa sen nen, kame wa man nen). Fukurokuju is one of the seven gods of good luck, whose name means happiness, wealth and long life. On New Year's day are suspended on either side of his picture bamboo and plum subjects ([Plate LV], 1, 2, 3). This jovial god's name is sometimes happily interpreted by a triple kakemono (san buku tsui): The middle one is the sun and waves, for long life (ju); on the right, rice grains, for wealth (roku), and on the left the flower of the cotton plant, for happiness (fuku), because its corolla is golden and its fruit silvery, the gold and silver suggesting felicity ([Plate LVI], 1, 2, 3). This makes a charming combination. An excursion into the fields of Chinese philology in connection with the name of this god of good luck would unfold some wonderful word picturing. [pg 86] Traced to their hieroglyphical beginnings, fuku signifies blessings from heaven; roku, rank, commemorated in carving, and (ju), agricultural pursuits, associated with white hair.

An especially appropriate picture for this season of great festivity is called “the pine at the gate” (kado matsu). It commemorates the custom on the first day of the year of planting pine trees at the entrance to Japanese public buildings and private residences. From the rope (shimenawa) ([Plate LV], 4) are suspended strips of white paper (gohei) typifying purity of the soul; these hang in groups of three, five and seven, the odd or lucky number series associated with the positive or male principle (yo) of in yo. Another appropriate subject for this early season of the year is rice cakes (mochi) in the shapes of the sun and full moon ([Plate LV], 5). In the picture the fruit called dai dai is placed on the top of the rice cakes, the word dai meaning ages, hence associated with longevity. At the base of the stand is a prawn (ebi). This equally suggests old age because the prawn is bent in two. The leaf of the yuzuri is introduced because it is an auspicious word and means succession. The picture of a battledoor and shuttlecock (hagoita) is also appropriate for New Year as it commemorates the ancient practice of the Japanese indulging in that pastime on that day ([Plate LVI], 4).

During January a very popular picture for the alcove (tokonoma) is the treasureship, called taka-rabune ([Plate LVI], 5). The vessel as it sails into port is heavily laden with all of the various tools [pg 87] and utensils typifying great wealth to be found in the capacious bag of Dai Koku, a Japanese god of good luck. These are a ball, a hammer, weights, cloves, silver bronze, and the god's raincoat and hat. On the evening of the second of January if the painting of a treasureship be put under the pillow and one dreams of either Fujisan, a falcon or an eggplant, the year long he will be fortunate. It will be observed that on the sail of the treasure boat is inscribed the Chinese character for takara, meaning treasure. On the seventh day of January occurs the first of the five holidays, called go sekku, and vegetable subjects are painted. These are called the seven grasses (hotoke za or nana kusa) and consist of parsley, shepherd's purse, chickweed, saint's seat, wild turnip and radish. They are susceptible of most artistic treatment and ingenious, original designs are often evolved ([Plate LVII], 6).

February—The cock and the hen, with the budding plum branch, are now appropriate. The subject is known as the “plum and chickens” (ume ni tori) ([Plate LVII], 1). The chicken figures in the earliest history of Japan. When the cock crows the Japanese hear the words kokka koo, which, phonetically rendered into Chinese characters, read “happiness to our entire land.” The Chinese hear differently. To them the cock crows toten ko, meaning “the eastern heavens are reddening,” so to them the cock heralds the early morn. Famous paintings of chickens have come from the brushes of Okyo, Tessan ([Plate III]), and others of the Maruyama school. During February, the month of the [pg 88] plum, the appropriate paintings are of that flower and the Japanese warbler (ume ni uguisu) ([Plate LVII], 2). This singing bird announces the spring with its melodious notes (hoho kekyo), which, rendered by the Buddhist into Chinese characters, give the name of the principal book of the eighteen volumes of Shaka, entitled, “the marvelous law of the lotus.” Another picture suitable to February is known as “the last of the snow” (zan setsu) ([Plate LVII], 3).

March—This month is associated with the peach blossom, and kakemono of gardens containing peach trees, called momo no en ([Plate LVII], 4), are in favor. Toba Saku is related to have lived eight thousand years subsisting upon the fruit of the peach; hence, the peach blossom is a symbol for longevity, and sake made from the fruit is drunk throughout Japan in March. One of the most famous prose writings in Chinese literature is ran-tei kioka sui. It commemorates a pastime of the learned, called “the sake cup.” A favorite way of interpreting this subject is to paint a garden of blossoming peach trees and spreading banana palms bordering a flowing stream, with a nobleman attaching to a peach branch a narrow paper (tanjaku) upon which he has written a poem. Another famous Chinese prose composition, “the peach and apricot garden festival,” written by Ri Tai Haku at the age of fourteen years, is interpreted by depicting Toba Saku in a garden seated before a table, with three Chinese beauties attendant upon him, with celebrated scholars and sages [pg 89] circulating midst the flowers and blossoms. Five principal festivals of the year, known as go sekku, occur respectively on the seventh day of January, the third day of March, the fifth day of May, the seventh day of July and the ninth day of September—all being on the odd days of the odd months (the yo of in yo). On the third day of the third month is the hina matsuri festival for young girls, and the appropriate painting for the occasion is called kami bina, meaning paper dolls ([Plate LVII], 5). The greatest Japanese artists of the past have vied to make their treatment of this subject superb. When a female child is born a kami bina painting is presented to the family to contribute to the festivities. The month of March is the month of the cherry blossom (sakura bana), and the picture on [Plate LVIII], 1, illustrates one method of painting cherry trees ornamenting the mountainside of a canyon, through which flows a river. During March picnic parties go upon the beach at low tide to gather shell-fish. The subject illustrated on [Plate LVIII], 2, called ebb-tide (shio hi), is appropriate. The picture of the maiden Saohime ([Plate LVIII], 3) is also painted in March.

April—The wistaria flower (Juji) is associated with the fourth month and all April landscapes represent the trees covered with much foliage. A small bird called sudachi dori, hatched in this month, is often painted on the wistaria branch ([Plate LVIII], 4). The picture typifies parental affection, on account of the known solicitude of the mother bird for its young.

May—There are many subjects appropriate for May. The iris (shobu) ([Plate LVIII], 5) now makes its appearance. Its long-bladed leaves are sword shaped, therefore the plant symbolizes the warrior spirit (bushi). The iris is often planted upon the roof of a house to indicate that there are male children in the family. The cuckoo and the moon subject (tsuki ni hototogisu) ([Plate LVIII], 6) is special to this month. The fifth of May is the boys' festival, and the carp (koi) ([Plate LIX], 1) is the favorite subject for painting. May is the rainy month in Japan. It is related that a carp during this month ascended to the top of the waterfall ryu mon in China and became a dragon. The carp thus typifies the triumph of perseverance—the conquering of obstacles—and symbolizes the military spirit. When this fish is caught and about to be cut up alive for sasshimi, a Japanese delicacy, once the carver has passed the flat side of the knife blade over the body of the fish the koi becomes motionless, and with heroic fortitude submits to being sliced to the backbone. Served in a dish, a few drops of soy being placed in its eye it leaps upward in a last struggle, to fall apart in many pieces. When a male child is born a proper present to the family is a carp kakemono. The fifth day of the fifth month is the anniversary of the great victory of the Japanese over Kublai Khan, who, with an enormous fleet of Chinese vessels, attempted to invade Japan in the thirteenth century.