Overview:
Since the time when Europeans and Americans have traveled the oceans in order to discover Asia, Asian adornment was one of the objects of their attention because of its uniquely exotic style. In Korea, beauty, wealth, and power is presented in clothing, more specifically its national costume, the ‘han bok’. In Japan, beauty is pursued to virtual perfection in the form of tattoo, clothing, and ritualistic traditions. Like many Asian traditions, the Japanese beauty ideals and practices follow strict guidelines that have changed with time since the 8th Century. Unlike the traditions, the Japanese traditional clothing, the kimono, has preserved most of its design and form despite slight changes caused by foreign influence. Likewise, the Japanese tattoo has managed to stay ‘untouched’ by foreigners and still retains its unique art form and style from the 18th Century. The presentation of Japanese tattoo is not only very detailed and elegant, but the meaning behind its beauty is very inspiring. However, the development of the present form of Japanese tattoo can only be understood in a survey of its history before the 18th Century.
Korea:
Clothing (by Zoe Kim)
Japan:
Beauty Ideals and Adornment Practices (by Abby Mitchell)
Japan is far from the only culture in the world with historically very strict standards of feminine beauty, but an analysis of those standards throughout history provides a great deal of insight into Japanese cultural identity. Beauty itself - the pursuit and commemoration thereof - has inspired a vast amount of Japan's literary and artistic history, leaving us with myriad first-hand examples of what it took to be considered a bijin, or beautiful woman, in Japanese society of the Heian (or early medieval) through Edo (or late 19th century) periods. The importance of bold, primal colors to the Japanese aesthetic cannot be overstated. Women of the Heian through Edo periods went to elaborate lengths to cultivate the whiteness of their skin, and the jet-blackness of their hair. The striking contrast between the two was accented by the use of red - usually painted on the lips, and the practice of ohaguro, or applying dye to the teeth to impart a deep, shiny black color reminiscent of Japanese black lacquer ware.
Clothing (by Ellen Blazich)
Japan's national garment is kimono. While the form of kimono has changed little over hundreds of years, the social and political environment for kimono has. The early 20th century kimono tradition starts to fade as Westernization took over introducing new textile approaches, western style clothing, and new views on social rights for women. Today, kimono is still loved for it's beauty and tradition.
(Eary 20th century women's kimono with design motifs influenced by western ideas about design and color at the time)
Tattoo - history (by Blanche Dy)
Japanese tattoo has taken many forms and meanings in its transition from the past to the present. In the 13th Century, Japanese tattoo was used a means to identify and punish criminals, using simple symbols on the arm or head. In the 17th Century, Japanese tattoo adapted into a word-based tattoo designed for love and religious pledges. In the 18th Century, Japanese tattoo completely transformed itself into a vibrant full-body expression of the lower classes’ rebellion, the art of which was based on ukiyo-e prints of the novel Suikoden. Since then until the present, Japanese tattoo has retained some if not all of its detailed and flamboyant style while still portraying courage, loyalty, endurance, and sometime love.
Tattoo - meaning and design (by Tse-Hui Wu)
The symbols in Japanese tattoo usually represent qualities either possessed or desired. Classical Japanese tattooing limits itself to five main catalogs of Flora, Fauna (animal), Religious motifs, Representation of Heroes, and Folk figures. Flora is usually used as decoration around the main image. The original meaning of the peony and chrysanthemum has long been lost since imported from China. Yet, Cherry blossom and maple leaf still hold the meaning of transient and evanescent in life and the undying love. The main image in the Japanese tattoo usually represents characteristics that the wearer possessed or desired, where animal tattoo carries personality of bravery, power, or dignity... etc. Human figure tattoos which are from the Suikoen stands for the criminals that do good actions to save the people, where the yakusas believe they are the same, and each character carries a different personality. The religious and folk figures symbolize qualities that the wearers desired or with to be protected by the tattoo.
Comments (6)
Marissa said
at 7:39 pm on May 28, 2009
(I can't figure out how to get to Abbey's page so I'm commenting here) I thought the use of ohaguro was very interesting and it made me think of the Wodaabe in the Yaake dance. The importance of making the white be as defiant as possible is interesting to find in two very different cultures, even if they are accentuating different white areas of the face (the teeth for the Wodaabe versus the white skin for the Japanese). Initially of course, due to western culture ideas of beauty, I thought that the teeth blackening was disgusting, and hadn't really known much about it. I had seen a lot about the Geisha and most of her other forms of adornment but this was something new and interesting to learn about the techniques. The stark black hue that they are able to create is insane and looks so permanent, I'm surprised that it didn't dye their teeth a weird shade of gray at least!
rvandre@... said
at 4:19 pm on Jun 2, 2009
Regarding beauty ideals and adornment practices: I thought the mythological story about the woman in the cave was really interesting. I wonder if the myth is still discussed among Japanese families, because this was the first time I had heard an explanation for the importance of white skin in Japanese culture. Considering that it still seems to be important for Japanese women, or at least geishas and courtesans, I wonder if they still consider the mythological story to be really essential to teach from generation to generation. Or maybe its something they never think about anymore, they just act based on habit or the notion that its always been that way.
edithg@u.washington.edu said
at 9:06 pm on Jun 2, 2009
It amazes me how in Korea, beauty, wealth, and power are presented in clothing, and in their national costume.I have never heard of a culture who pursued perfection, what started this, where did they get the idea? Why is it that tattoo in certain parts of Asia are seen as bad? Your paper did a good job giving us the history of the Japanese culture and their traditions, it would have been nice to have known where they are with their traditions now. Good job overall!
leish10m said
at 9:14 pm on Jun 2, 2009
I found it interesting that some of the tattoos and even wood block prints discussed in class represent Chinese warriors. I am Japanese, Hawaiian, Chinese and am always torn between the cultures. Depending on the day and the people I'm with, I choose to be one of those cultures. It's nice to finally see a bridge of culture. I was also wondering about the Japanese full body tattoo. At what age do men get this done. I recently saw a photograph of two boys, probably 9 or 10, that had these full body tattoos! It was crazy. Is this part of a right of passage for this group?
Steve Beckham said
at 10:04 pm on Jun 2, 2009
Re: Beauty Ideals and Adornment Practices by Abbey Mitchell
Your handling of subject matter, particularly with the expansive Japanese history that had to be referenced, was edited and articulated nicely. What really struck me about your presentation was the command you had on questions surrounding ideal beauty, you offered much evidence to suggest similarity and difference between East/West ideals, like emphatic outward appearances in Japan such as high contrast pale/white skin against "jet black" and black lacquered teeth. In many ways, I feel this isn't so different than my own Mother's makeup necessitation; I can't remember a time when she would leave the house without having makeup on and her hair done (which always seemed to take an hour plus, but somehow never looked different than the last application?) Great insight on geisha adornment. That's an area that I'd always thought was off limits or impossible to research, so your presentation sparked a personal interest in reading more. Any books you recommend?
jhale05@... said
at 12:03 am on Jun 3, 2009
I think that japanese tattooing is very interesting because many keep it so hidden. It is like this entire sub-culture that is hidden beneath their clothes. I also though it was interesting that many young people in japan are getting tattoos today and are trying to change the image that comes along with a tattoo. The secret world of the "mafia" in japan is intriquing because they mark their bodies so permanently, that when they are in the bath houses it is obvious that they are a part of this dark world. I would think that they would not want to expose themselves in such a way for fear of endangering their lives. I also think it is very interesting that modern people are getting tattoos very similar to those of the Yakusas. I would think that they would not want to risk being associated with this. It would be very easy to come up with a different style that is just as intricate but does not hold the same historical connotations.
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