Transcript Art and Culture in Heian - John Pollard Digital Portfolio

Art and Culture in Heian, Japan
“Dwellers Among the Clouds”
• Emperor moved the
capital to Heian in 794
• Nobles followed—court
created
• Court—Group of nobles
who live near and advise
a ruler
• Became great center of
culture and learning
• Why the “dwellers among
the clouds”?
Literature
• Writing was very
popular
• Women wrote journals
and diaries
• Tale of Genji—World’s
first full-length novel
• Lady Murasaki Shikibu
• Poetry written by men
and women
The Pillow Book
• “When I first entered her majesty’s service I
was indescribably shy…the first
evening…when [the Empress] passed me
some picture or a book to look at…I was all
the time wondering if my hair was in order.”
• Have you ever felt this nervous? What did you
do?
• Why do you think she is nervous?
Other Arts
• Paintings, sculpture,
calligraphy
• Calligraphy—
Decorative writing
• Architecture and
performing arts
Zen Buddhism
• Lots of rituals in noble’s
Buddhism
• Zen Buddhism—Selfdiscipline and
meditation
• Adopted by warriors
Activity
• Take out a sheet of paper.
• Write about, or draw, a scene from your daily
life.
• Be prepared to share with the class.