IKEBANA
Ikebana - Japanese Flower
Arrangement - Ikebana History - Ikebana Pictures.
Ikebana (Japanese: 生け花 or
いけばな, literally "living flowers") is the Japanese art of flower
arrangement, also known as kadō (華道)—the "way of flowers".
In contrast to the decorative form of flower arranging in western
countries, the Japanese flower arrangement creates a harmony of linear
construction, rhythm, and color. While westerners tend to emphasize the
quantity and colors of the flowers, devoting their attention mainly to the
beauty of the blossoms, the Japanese emphasize the linear aspects of the
arrangement. They have developed the art to include the vase, stems,
leaves, and branches, as well as the flowers. The entire structure of a
Japanese flower arrangement is based on three main points that symbolize
heaven, earth, and humankind.
Ikebana History
Ikebana began as a
kind of ritual flower offering made in Buddhist temples in Japan during the
sixth century. In these arrangements, both the flowers and the branches were
made to point toward heaven as an indication of faith. A more sophisticated
style of flower arrangement, called rikka (standing flowers), appeared in
the fifteenth century. The rikka style reflects the magnificence of nature
and its display. For example, pine branches symbolize rocks and stones, and
white chrysanthemums symbolize a river or small stream. The rikka style
became popular in the seventeenth century, used as a decorative technique
for ceremonial and festive occasions, though today it is regarded as an
antiquated form of flower arrangement and is rarely practiced.
The most significant changes in the history of ikebana took place during the
fifteenth century, when the Muromachi shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490)
ruled Japan. The large buildings and small houses that Yoshimasa had built
expressed his love for simplicity. These small houses contained tokonoma,
where people could place objects of art and flower arrangements. It was
during this period that the rules of ikebana were simplified so that people
of all classes could enjoy the art.
Another major development took place in the late sixteenth century. A more
simple style of flower arrangement called nageire (meaning to throw in or
fling in) appeared as part of the tea ceremony. According to this style,
flowers are arranged in a vase as naturally as possible, no matter what
materials are used. Because of its association with the tea ceremony, this
style is also called cha-bana (茶花, literally "tea flowers").
In the 1890s, shortly after the Meiji Restoration (a period of modernization
and westernization in Japan), there developed a new style of ikebana called
moribana, or "piled-up flowers". This style appeared partly due to the
introduction of western flowers and partly due to the westernization of
Japanese living. The moribana style, which created a new freedom in flower
arranging, is used for a landscape or a garden scene. It is a style that can
be enjoyed wherever it is displayed and can be adapted to both formal and
informal situations.
Modern ikebana dates from 1930 and goes by the transliteration zen'ei
ikebana or zen'eibana. This form of ikebana is more expressive than the
classic style. Along with tea ceremony and calligraphy, ikebana was one of
the arts in which women were traditionally schooled in preparation for
marriage. Today, flower arrangement is venerated as one of the traditional
arts in Japan. It is practiced on many occasions like ceremonies and
parties, and modern people are still choosing to study the art.
We have twenty
high quality pictures of
Ikebana from the Japan Festival in 2004.
Article
based on
Wikipedia article and used under the
GNU Free Documentation License)
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