Aizen (Passion) by Kawabata Ryūshi Aizen is one of the Buddhist terms for lust, which is even more obsessive than passion.The mandarin duck is a symbol of a good marriage in Japan and is often used as a subject for Japanese paintings. Therefore, the male and female birds are usually placed side by side in …
Kinkakuji-Temple on Fire, by Kawabata Ryūshi On July 2, 1950, the three-storied square-shaped Golden Pavilion, a national treasure at Kinkakuji Temple (Rokuonji Temple) in Kyoto, was burned down by arson committed by a disciple of the temple. The incident, which shocked the public, was the subject of a novel by Mishima Yukio. Kawabata Ryūshi also …
Maelstroms at Naruto, by Kawabata Ryūshi Left screen Right screen In 1928, Kawabata Ryūshi (1885-1966) withdrew from the Japan Art Academy, where Taikan Yokoyama (1868-1958) and others had been active. The following year, he established his art organization called Seiryusha. He exhibited this work at the first memorable exhibition of Seiryusha. That is why this …
Three White Auspicious Motifs, by Kawabata Ryūshi The Japanese title is “南山三白”. “南山 (Nanzan)” refers to Zhongnan Shan of China, and it is regarded as a symbol of longevity because it used words that wanted to be immutable like this mountain. “三白 (Sanpaku)” is also said to have a happy event when three white things …
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