Asian Art Exam 3 (Vocab)

Gisaeng

Korean women who were female entertainers and educated in the arts and conversing with their clients, they held a different status from other women in society

Shinto

Trad. Japanese religion/belief that believe in the spiritual forces of nature, ancestral honor, and kami (supernatural spirits/divine beings)

Jomon Period

Period of hunter-gatherers in Japan, pottery and ceramics were started in this era 

Yayoi Period

Period of settled communities and rice farming/cultivation in Japan, many cross-cultural influences with China occurred

Kondo

The main hall of Japanese Buddhist temples, space used for worship and ceremonies, where the altar of Buddha was placed

 Asuka Period

Period where written language started being used (based on Chinese characters), Buddhism is introduced and a few female rulers ruled

Nara Period

Period of influence of China intensifies (specifically Tang Dyn.) with infrastructure, architecture, art religion

Heian Period

Period where Japan cut off relations with China (period of isolation), developed their own styles and culture, time of political stability

Esoteric Buddhism (“Mikkyo”)

Sect. of Buddhism that emphasizes the importance of mandalas, strong association with Buddha Vairochana (universal Buddha), reputation of being mysterious 

Kamakura Period

Period of the shogun/shogunate, time of civil war and political instability 

Shogun/Shogunate

The military figures that fought for dominance and power in Japan while the Emperor was the figurehead, these governments held the power

Muromachi Period

Period of turbulence, political instability between the shohuns, relations with the Spanish and Portuguese 

Noh Theater

Traditional Japanese theater that uses decorative masks, combination of different things such as Shinto dancing, Chinese drama, Buddhist theater, peasant plays)  

Edo Period

Period where there was a rise of popularity of woodblock prints and the development of the ukiyo-e style, popularization of kabuki theater (emphasized activities of pleasure, living in the moment )

Ukiyo-e Prints

Art form/style (usually woodblock prints) that flourished in the Edo period, usually depicted kabuki actors, landscapes, scenes of contemporary life