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Hell in Japanese Art
This art book showcases a wide collection of depictions of "Hell" in Japanese art from the 12th century to the 19th century. The sigle-volume collection focuses primarily on works designated as Japanese National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties and features the various depictions of "Hell" by prominent artists such as Kazunobu Kano, Nhichosai, Yoshitoshi Tsukioka and Kyosai Kawanabe. This volume also features the 19th century woodblock-printed edition of Ojoyoshu(The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land) written by the medieval Buddhist monk Genshin (942-1017) and is accompanied by modern bilingual text. Written in 985, this influential Buddhist text is often compared with Dante's La Divina Commedia (La DIvine Comedie/The Divine Comedy). Its brutal scenes of underworld realms display the suffering and cruelty one might endure as a consequence of harmful acts committed in life or the judgement by the Ten Kings of Hell. These ideas of "Hell" in Ojoyoshu have played an enduring role in inspiring Japanese Buddhist paintings and other subsequent texts, particularly from the medieval period onward, and are vividly portrayed in the painting featured in this volume. Essays from historians of both Japanese art and Buddhism are also included in bilingual text.
592 pages, JP Oversized
Published October 20, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 18, 2018
This is quite simply one of the most fascinating books I have ever read or seen.
I had become curious about the concept of hell in other cultures and came across this book as a result. It is not only enlightening concerning Japanese belief in the afterlife but also particularly in Buddhist writings of the after life.
It was surprising because all I had ever heard of Buddhism was reincarnation; but according to the ancient writings recorded in this book, there is a fiery furnace and exquisite suffering to endure before given another chance. However, the most minute sins are punished so I wonder how anyone can hope to escape returning to punishment.
Buddhism, at least the strain practiced in traditional Japan is quite elaborate and complex in its descriptions of hell. Like Dante's Inferno, there are several layers, but far more intricate and many, many more levels.
There is the realm of the angry demons. This is where evil spirits constantly battle with heavenly beings.
Then there is the realm of human beings. There are hell chambers for every conceivable sin. To name a few: there is the hell of repetitions, the hell of lamentations, the hell of greater lamentations, hell for priests and so many more.
The Buddhist scripture describe each realm in graphic detail, explaining the sins (greed, adultery, hurting animals, abusing authority, stealing etc...) and the specific tortures in each level the condemned person is sentenced to and for how long.
The scripture spares no detail as to every gruesome agony someone endures. Killing animals incurs torture, killing humans, another type of torture, telling a lie incurs another horrible torture.
But the writing is only half of the book. Japanese artists throughout the ages have painted large, ultra-detailed depictions of each and every type of torture. The most profound to me are the people diving head long into flames.
In fact, fire is the main feature of every chamber of hell and figures prominently in the paintings. These paintings are not only on scrolls or canvas but also triptychs and furniture, such as dressers.
Finally, there is a tradition Japanese male jacket with full length prints of paintings of people tortured. I do not know why someone would wear such a thing, but I bet it is a conversation starter. At least in American it would. Maybe Japanese form of etiquette doesn't permit frank discussion of hellish attire.
In short, if one wants to learn about the nether world in Japanese Buddhist beliefs as will as witness a visual account. This book is an excellent choice.
For those interested in buying the book, it is over 500 hundred pages long, but most of it is full page paintings of entire works and also close up details. All the images are in color.
I had become curious about the concept of hell in other cultures and came across this book as a result. It is not only enlightening concerning Japanese belief in the afterlife but also particularly in Buddhist writings of the after life.
It was surprising because all I had ever heard of Buddhism was reincarnation; but according to the ancient writings recorded in this book, there is a fiery furnace and exquisite suffering to endure before given another chance. However, the most minute sins are punished so I wonder how anyone can hope to escape returning to punishment.
Buddhism, at least the strain practiced in traditional Japan is quite elaborate and complex in its descriptions of hell. Like Dante's Inferno, there are several layers, but far more intricate and many, many more levels.
There is the realm of the angry demons. This is where evil spirits constantly battle with heavenly beings.
Then there is the realm of human beings. There are hell chambers for every conceivable sin. To name a few: there is the hell of repetitions, the hell of lamentations, the hell of greater lamentations, hell for priests and so many more.
The Buddhist scripture describe each realm in graphic detail, explaining the sins (greed, adultery, hurting animals, abusing authority, stealing etc...) and the specific tortures in each level the condemned person is sentenced to and for how long.
The scripture spares no detail as to every gruesome agony someone endures. Killing animals incurs torture, killing humans, another type of torture, telling a lie incurs another horrible torture.
But the writing is only half of the book. Japanese artists throughout the ages have painted large, ultra-detailed depictions of each and every type of torture. The most profound to me are the people diving head long into flames.
In fact, fire is the main feature of every chamber of hell and figures prominently in the paintings. These paintings are not only on scrolls or canvas but also triptychs and furniture, such as dressers.
Finally, there is a tradition Japanese male jacket with full length prints of paintings of people tortured. I do not know why someone would wear such a thing, but I bet it is a conversation starter. At least in American it would. Maybe Japanese form of etiquette doesn't permit frank discussion of hellish attire.
In short, if one wants to learn about the nether world in Japanese Buddhist beliefs as will as witness a visual account. This book is an excellent choice.
For those interested in buying the book, it is over 500 hundred pages long, but most of it is full page paintings of entire works and also close up details. All the images are in color.
April 20, 2022
Hell in Japanese Art is a cool book about Japanese culture that is rarely, if ever, discussed, with beautiful artworks worth pouring over for hours. Its descriptions of the different hells and what happens to the people in them are horrific in their straightforward descriptions.
That being said, while I liked the book a lot, it's clearly aimed at an audience that appreciates Japanese culture on a deep level, rather than someone who doesn't sit on enough knowledge or interest in getting that deep into said culture.
As someone who isn't that deep in that culture, I can still recommend it to people who are interested. If this sounds cool to you, you will like it, but if you're into the culture, this is a must-read.
That being said, while I liked the book a lot, it's clearly aimed at an audience that appreciates Japanese culture on a deep level, rather than someone who doesn't sit on enough knowledge or interest in getting that deep into said culture.
As someone who isn't that deep in that culture, I can still recommend it to people who are interested. If this sounds cool to you, you will like it, but if you're into the culture, this is a must-read.
November 25, 2024
An absolutely beautiful book filled to brim with beautiful art.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews