[Chapter 6 Head-Band: The chrysanthemum pattern.]
CHAPTER SIX. SUBJECTS FOR JAPANESE PAINTING
A Japanese artist will never of his own accord paint a flower out of season or a spring landscape in autumn; the fitness of things insensibly influences him. From ancient times certain principles have determined his choice of subjects, according either to the period of the year or to the festivals, ceremonies, entertainments or other events he may be required to commemorate. All such subjects are called GWA DAI. As one without some knowledge of these cannot appreciate much that is interesting about art customs in Japan, a brief reference to them will be made, beginning with those subjects suitable to the different months of the year:
January—For New Year’s day (SHO GWATSU GWAN JITSU) favorite subjects are “the sun rising above the ocean,” called _hi no de ni nami_ (_Plate LIV_ No. 1); “Mount Horai” (2), “the sun with storks and tortoises” (3, 4, 5); or “Fukurokuju,” a god of good luck. Many meanings are associated with these subjects. The sun never changes and the ocean is ever changing, hence IN YO is symbolized. The sun, the ocean and the circumambient air symbolize TEN CHI JIN or the universe. Horai (SAN) is a symbol for Japan. It is the lofty mountain on a fabled island in the distant sea, referred to in early Chinese writings, inhabited by sages (SEN NIN), and containing the pine, bamboo and plum (known in art as SHO, CHIKU, BAI), the pine standing for longevity, the bamboo for rectitude and the plum blossom for fragrance and grace. The stork and the tortoise, whose back is covered with seaweed, both typify long life, the ancient saying being that the stork lives for one thousand and the tortoise for ten thousand years _(tsuru wa_ SEN NEN, _kame wa_ MAN NEN). Fukurokuju is one of the seven gods of good luck, whose name means happiness, wealth and long life. On New Year’s day are suspended on either side of his picture bamboo and plum subjects (_Plate LV_, 1, 2, 3). This jovial god’s name is sometimes happily interpreted by a triple _kakemono_ (SAN BUKU TSUI): The middle one is the sun and waves, for long life (JU); on the right, rice grains, for wealth (ROKU), and on the left the flower of the cotton plant, for happiness (FUKU), because its corolla is golden and its fruit silvery, the gold and silver suggesting felicity (_Plate LVI_, 1, 2, 3). This makes a charming combination. An excursion into the fields of Chinese philology in connection with the name of this god of good luck would unfold some wonderful word picturing. Traced to their hieroglyphical beginnings, FUKU signifies blessings from heaven; ROKU, rank, commemorated in carving, and (JU), agricultural pursuits, associated with white hair.