THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS AND TREES

Transcription

1 THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS AND TREES Purpose To explore the symbolism of flowers and trees in Chinese and Japanese art. Grade Level This lesson was written for grades Concepts Shinto: "The Way of the Gods," an indigenous Japanese religion that believed supernatural spirits, or kami, resided in mountaintops, rocks, waterfalls, trees, and other natural phenomena. Daoism: With Shinto, one of the two native religions of Japan; to practice Daoism one must live simply and virtuously, in harmony in nature. Dao: Literally the "path" or "way," a powerful force capable of creating the universe from a void; from the Dao was generated the qi (pronounced chee), the constantly moving energy found in all things as well as the complementary forces of yin and yang. Buddhism: A religion based on the liberation of the individual from the life's suffering Kachao: Pictures of birds and flowers, a theme popular in both China and Japan. Mono-no-aware: Pathos; the awareness of beauty that leads to a melancholy perception of the transience of human life Key Ideas Bamboo: Grows in both in both China and Japan and resembles a tree but is actually a grass. The sturdy and pliant bamboo represents strength, endurance, and resilience because it bends in the wind but always returns to an upright position. Cherry Blossoms: The image of transient beauty for the Japanese who admired them for their impermanence. Chrysanthemum: For the Japanese the chrysanthemum is the symbol of autumn because it blooms despite cold and frost. For the Chinese the flower represents the friendship, long life, and the life of a scholar spent in quiet retirement. Orchid: Many varieties of orchids are native to China; Confucius termed them the symbol of the superior man of refinement and virtue, whose reputation precedes him like the perfume of the orchid. The orchid, a

2 popular subject with Chinese artists, is a symbol for spring, love, and female beauty. Peach Blossom: For the Chinese the peach has a vast range of symbolic meanings; it stands for spring, immortality, and marriage as well as representing the second month of the lunar calendar. Peony: A favorite flower in China, the peony is a symbol for spring and for female beauty. The peony also represents good fortune and nobility of spirit. Pine trees: The symbol of longevity, self-discipline, and steadfastness because the pine can grow in mountainous rocky soil and it stays green all through the year. In ancient times the pine was considered a sacred tree and it represents faithfulness in adversity. Plum Blossom: The national flower of China, the plum is associated with winter and is considered a harbinger of the New Year and spring. It represents purity, strength, courage, and perseverance and symbolizes a person who can stand fast in the face of adversity. The plum blossom has five petals, which are said to represent long life, happiness, health, prosperity, and the natural passage of life. Seasons: For the Japanese the sensitivity to both the creation and the transience of beauty within nature makes spring and autumn the most important seasons, spring associated with new life and autumn with the sadness of the passage of time. "Three Friends of Winter": Bamboo, plum, and pine, all of which remain green and flourish during the winter; they stand for happiness and endurance in old age. Materials Chinese Listening to the Bamboo, late 1400s-1500s, CMA Yellow Chrysanthemums and Red Osmanthus in the Style of Wang Yuan, late 15 th century, CMA Peonies, late 13 th century, CMA Writing Books under the Pine Trees, , CMA Watching the Deer by a Pine Shaded Stream, c CMA Plum Blossoms in Moonlight, first half of 14 th century, CMA The Poet Lin Bu Wandering in the Moonlight, late 15 th century CMA Birds on a Peach Branch, 12 th century, CMA Japanese Bamboo in Fine Weather after the Rain, mid-1700 s CMA Sparrows, Bamboo, and Falling Snow, late 1820s CMA Rock, Bamboo, and Orchids, late 1300s-early 1400s, CMA Paulownias and Chrysanthemums, late 1700s-early 1800s, CMA Chrysanthemums, mid-17 th century, CMA Basket with Fan, Chrysanthemums, and Mushrooms, early 1800s, CMA Chrysanthemums by a Stream, 1700s-early 1800s, CMA Chrysanthemums by the Water, late 1700s-early 1800s, CMA Basket of Peonies, 1810 or 1814 CMA

3 Evening Rain on the Karasaki Pine (from the series Eight Views of Omi Province), mid-1830s, CMA Prunus, 17 th century, CMA Full Moon with Crow on Plum Branch, 1880s, CMA Monkey in a Cherry Tree, , CMA Narihira Viewing the Cherry Blossoms, late 1800s, CMA Snow Landscape, c.1770s, CMA Birds and Flowers in a Landscape of the Four Seasons, second half of the 16 th century, CMA LCD projector Teacher Notes Procedure 1. Briefly explain the concept of mono no aware (awareness) and discuss the close ties to nature felt by both the Chinese and Japanese. Explain how this is tied into the three main religions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto (see Teacher Notes that follow). 2. Project three to four images from the above list (pick two from each country and make sure they are all slightly different) on a LCD projector. Ask students: a. Have you seen any other artwork that resembles these images? b. How are these paintings the same or different than artwork you have studied previously? c. Do any of these paintings evoke a particular feeling, emotion, or mood? If so, describe. d. Do these painting make you think of any experiences you have had? If so, explain. 3. Have students select one of the projected paintings and write a detailed description. Tell them to describe everything they see, no matter how small. 4. Lead a discussion about what the color of a flower symbolized or represents; i.e., white for purity, red for love. 5. For homework, have students pick 3 or 4 items from the following list and have them research the symbolism in both Chinese and Japanese art: bamboo, cherry blossoms, chrysanthemum, crow, deer, monkey, mushrooms, orchid, peach, peony, pine, plum, and sparrow. Evaluation A. Have students work on groups of two or three. Give each group one or two images of the remaining CMA paintings to analyze. Have them write a onepage description describing what the artist wants to symbolize or represent by the image. Make sure they focus on the concept of awareness as described above and show how the image is rooted in a deep respect and reverence for nature. B. Arrange with the school photography department to borrow images of flowers and trees or have students use their own cameras to take pictures. Display the photographs with student comments.

4 Enrichment A. Show students Birds and Flowers in a Landscape of the Four Seasons (CMA ) and arrange to have a copy of Unfolding Beauty by Michael Cunningham (Cleveland Museum of Art, 2001) on hand for reference. Research the construction of a Japanese screen (byobu) and explain to students that such screens often depict flowers, trees, and animals symbolizing the four seasons. B. In a class discussion have students select a prominent political figure, then have them decide on a flower or tree that might be associated with that personality (for example, choose a pine, oak, willow, cherry, orange, maple, rose, iris, tulip, carnation, orchid, chrysanthemum, violet, plum). What qualities or traits of the flower or tree can be associated with the personality's character. Write a one-page description of that person using the flower or tree as a metaphor (Example: Secretary of State Colin Powell reminds me of a(n). because.) Ohio State Standards People in Societies 1. Students use knowledge of perspectives, practices and products of cultural, ethnic and social groups to analyze the impact on their commonality and diversity within local, national, regional and global settings. 2. Analyze the influence of different cultural groups perspectives on the actions of groups. 3. Analyze the ways that contacts between people of different cultures result in exchanges of cultural practices. This lesson was developed by Bonnie Morosi, Beachwood High School, Beachwood, Ohio.

5 TEACHER NOTES Flower-and-bird painting is a category of traditional Chinese painting. Flower painting evolved from Buddhist banner paintings, which were brought from India and Central Asia when Buddhism was introduced into China around the first century BCE. The banners were brightly decorated with beautiful flowers, and flower painting gained great prominence during the Tang dynasty ( ). The love of birds and flowers also relates to the native philosophy of Daoism, which emphasized harmony with nature By the 10 th century flower painting combined with the tradition of painting birds and animals to form a separate genre. One of the reasons for the genre's popularity is that parts of the birds (beaks, claws, feathers) and flowers (petals leaves, stems) can be painted with the same strokes used in calligraphy, considered by the Chinese one of the highest art forms. Certain birds and flowers were often paired, such as the river reeds and wild geese or plum blossoms and nightingales. The genre was introduced into Japan around the 14 th century where it culminated in the Kano and Rimpa schools. When looking at Chinese and Japanese art, tell students to remember that the painter was working with interior landscapes as well as exterior ones, and that man's relationship with nature was one of the prominent dominant themes. For example, rocky cliffs might be said to represent a struggle or the ability to endure and bamboo is a symbols for resilience as it bends in the wind but always returns to an upright position. Also remind students that both the Chinese and Japanese felt that it was preferable to surrender to the forces or nature to find one's place in the world rather than battle against nature's forces. According tp this philosophy the world has a natural order and humans exist within this order, but it is up to the individual to find his place.