THE ARCHITECTURE OF JAPAN GUTTERS IN THE SUNSHINE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19118, 10 July 1930, Page 8

THE ARCHITECTURE OF JAPAN GUTTERS IN THE SUNSHINE.

To-Day’s Signed Article.

Specially written for the “Star”

By

I. C. Hannah.

£)F ALL FAR EASTERN architecture, particularly that of Japan, it may be said that its greatest triumph is to have combined logically and beautifully the work of architect and of landscape gardener. The rocks and trees of the hillside, even the flowers and the distant views, are quite as much part of the design, whether provided or selected, as anything in the way of actual building. And, except here and there in a crowded city, no temple consists merely of a single hall. Rather the sanctuary comprises one or several courts, open or else enclosed by cloisterwalks or roofed screens of stone or wood, or dug far into the side of a hill and surrounded by buttressing granite walls that prevent the court from slipping down into the plain, and the hillsides from avalanching into the court. The Mean Between Nature and Art. At the mausoleum of lemitsu at Nikko the effect of solemn grandeur is overpowering as, after the ascent of long flights of mossy, fern-grown steps under the dark shadow of ancient trees, one gains the final terrace and beholds in front the mountain court, bounded by granite walls against the hills, immense cryptomerias rising far above them and framed in this majestic setting, sharply contrasting with the sombre black-green of the foliage, there blaze the rich colour and marvellous carving of the temple’s inner shrine, beyond a glorious gate all white and gold. Nature and art seem each to supply what makes one admire the other more. The Japanese have taught themselves exactly to preserve the proper mean between beautiful site and excessive formality. The Japanese temple or monastery almost invariably consists of a great group of separate buildings which nevertheless form an architectural whole as harmonious as that of a great mediaeval abbey in Europe, and with very much the same general uniformity as to the distribution of the various parts, Buddhist Architecture. The Buddhist architecture of Japan is sometimes divided into four or five periods, but the earlier ones are represented only by a single building apiece, and the differences are so slight that no real parallel to the different styles of Gothic can be found. All that can really be said is that forms are constantly becoming more ornate, and that the Tokugawa period has many points of resemblance to the over-

Many and excellent things have been written concerning the other arts of Japan, but of her architecture almost nothing at all. Yet nothing but sympathetic knowledge is required to realise that the Japanese have worked out one of the most beautiful and interesting architectural traditions the world has ever known. In picturesque succession of cloistered court and columned hall it resembles the work of Egypt of old, yet structurally it stands at the opposite pole. Its chief qualities are inherent beauty and subtle loveliness; its great lack is the attribute of eternity. Egypt raised on barren sands her mighty halls of time-defy-ing granite blocks, vaster than mortals ever lifted since; Japan reared by woods and trickling streams her halls of timber shaped like nomad tents, but caused them to glitter with lacquer and gold in rivalry of the jeweller’s art.

laid work of the European Renaissance. The differences between ancient and more recent work is almost wholly in ornamental detail, and even that far more in quantity than in character. The actual structural forms are much more stereotyped than those of Gothic. The Yomei-Mon. One of the greatest achievements of Japanese architecture is the superb gate of white and gold which is so covered with intricate detail that -it is known as the Yomei-Mon, or the gate that can only be properly examined by devoting to it the whole of a day. In its general plan it is like many others of its class. It is set out with three rows of four columns each, so arranged as to present a passage in the centre and two “niches” or spaces for statues on either side. The Detail. The columns are covered with very minute geometrical patterns, and in one case these are purposely set wrong-side-up for fear that too great perfection might provoke the envy of the gods; a very Greek idea. The lintels have carved dragons in very high relief and there are lion projections forming quasi-capitals. Above, however, are the real little square caps in connection with the quadruple brackets on which the gallery all round projects. Between these are little groups of figures and above them lions’ heads. The gallery has a parapet carved chiefly with children at play. The upper stage is smaller and the columns are consequently not over these below; quaint beasts project as quasicapitals, and the white lintels have flying birds in low relief or dragons projecting far. The brackets that sustain the roof display two rows of fierce-looking dragons with red wide-open mouths. The roof is of the half-hip type with a curved gable breaking the line of eaves in the centre of each side. It is exceedingly ornate and by its huge overhang emphasises the smallness of the upper storey. The “niches” have the most intricate arabesque sides, peony patterns whose details rather suggest Saracenic screens. As if it were felt that all this elaboration required some foil, the ceilings are covered each by a single huge black ink lion painted by Kano Tanyu, suggesting an impressionist picture framed in a setting of jewels. (Anglo-American N.S. Copyright.)