Sacredness, mythologism and symbolism of screens, their relationship with painting and screening in Chinese landscape design

Abstract

Aim. To explore the specifics of such traditional Chinese and Japanese interior elements as screens, types of screens, identify the relationship between the plots of screens and traditional painting, demonstrate with specific examples how the reception of screens in the form of greenery has found its place in traditional Chinese landscaping. This will allow a deeper understanding of the specific sacred, mythological and symbolic nature of the screen, its many significance not only as a piece of furniture, but also the hidden meaning of traditional techniques of Chinese landscape design.Methodology. Used the scientific methods of historic analyze and comparative analyze. Results. The article argues that from the very beginning, the Chinese screen was not intended as a piece of furniture for living space. Chinese civilization is closely associated with sacred beliefs, philosophical teachings, and mythology. It is noted that it is radically different from European civilization, which is based on the domination of monotheism and the theory of human domination over nature on the rights of the main creation of God. Instead, Chinese and Japanese culture was based on the deification of the universe and the recognition of nature as the ideal of a harmonious world. Therefore, man was given a secondary place in this theory. The deification of the forces of nature gave rise to numerous myths about beings who rule the forces of nature and inhabit nature. A separate type of ritual sacred screens, which were decorated with religious inscriptions, is presented. The motives of the images on the screens in the sacred space are considered, which in this case they have a limited number of picturesque plots on the sash - these are images of nature and landscapes. The screen in the sacred sense becomes a “bridge” between man and the surrounding space, a symbolic image of harmony and order of the universe. It was determined that the invention of screens was determined both by the functional needs of internal space rapid transformation and sacred-mythological content: the screen confirmed the thesis of the variability of the universe and space, enshrined in Taoism and Buddhism, and its breaking on a straight trajectory. Subsequently, the use of screens that can perform several functions at once – to block the path of evil spirits, to create the effect of constant variability of landscape paintings and create the effect of infinite space was widespread in traditional Chinese landscape design.Scientific novelty. It is proved that such a traditional attribute of Chinese and Japanese culture as a screen had a powerful sacred-mythological meaning. Since painting and calligraphy belonged to the highest level of art in China, the traditions of Chinese painting also influenced the painting of Chinese screens and were later borrowed by Japan at an early stage. The traditional method of Chinese landscape design, when the space of a private garden was deliberately blocked by “green screens”, making it impossible to view the area from a distance, is given as proof of the transformation of the screen reception.Practical significance. The study deepens the knowledge of traditional Chinese and Japanese screens, which in Europe were perceived as an exotic element of interior. A comparison of traditional Chinese and Japanese screens with screens in Chinoiserie-style paintings and with “Chinese” analogues made in Europe proves the impossibility of making a screen according to the relevant canons without understanding the hidden meaning of the screen. The paradox is that it is impossible to make a screen on the Chinese or Japanese model, if you understand it only as a purely functional element of the interior. It is determined that its purpose played an important role in the image of the screen, as the temple screens differed from the screens in the emperor’s palace, and the imperial screens – from the screens of the nobility. Screen paintings embody traditional canonical genres of painting, so understanding the specifics of screens at the same time helps to understand better the traditional painting genres. The article notes that a screen has become an element so highly adaptable that it has not only found its rightful place in buildings of various purposes, but also formed an oin from the canonical techniques of Chinese landscape design. Given the current interest in Chinese landscape traditions outside of China, this will facilitate the application of these techniques in modern “oriental garden” architecture.