Kabeshiro
Kabeshiro ( Japanese 壁 代 , literally: "wall substitute") describes the use of cloths as curtains and room dividers in apartments and residences of the nobility and in temples since the Heian period . For this purpose, about seven silk scarves with a width of nine shaku (approx. 30 to 35 cm) were sewn together and hung up in order to restrict the view into the room and to protect the rooms from the cold. The kabeshiro reached from the roof beam to the floor and reached a length of up to nine meters.
The kabeshiro made of smooth silk had patterns on the front such as the representation of dead branches of a tree, flowers or birds. The back, on the other hand, was mostly glossy white, colored with a pigment obtained from shell limestone. The back was also provided with dark purple or dark red ribbons ( 野 筋 , nosuji ), which were decorated with butterflies and birds. The ribbons could also be used to roll up the cloth and tie it together. In temples, the Kabeshiro hung between the canopy and the main room ( 母 屋 , moya ). At the upper end, the kabeshiro was sewn around so that a wooden stick could be passed through as a suspension. In the spring, the curtains were mostly replaced by bamboo blinds ( sudare or misu).
Today kabeshiro are still used in Shinto shrines for wedding ceremonies.
literature
- 壁 代 . In: Noma Seiroku野 間 清 六, Tani Shin'ichi谷 信 一(Ed.):日本 美術 辞典 (Lexicon of Japanese Art). 14th edition. Tōkyodō, Tokyo 1959,pp. 173 .
- Kazuko Koizumi: Traditional Japanese Furniture. A definitive guide . Kodansha International, Tokyo 1986, ISBN 0-87011-722-X ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
- Kazuo Nishi, Kazuo Hozumi: What is Japanese Architecture? A survey of traditional Japanese architecture . Kodansha International, Tokyo 1985, ISBN 4-7700-1992-0 ( limited preview in the Google book search - image: Kabeshiro together with Sudare).
Web links
- kabeshiro . JAANUS - Japanese Architecture and Art Net User System,accessed November 30, 2014.