Kitayama bunka　北山文化

KEY WORD :　art history / general terms

Lit. north mountain culture. The culture of the early Muromachi period *Muromachi jidai 室町時代, specifically during the rule of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu 足利義満 (1358-1408), from 1367(8) to 1408. It is named for the area of Kitayama 北山 (north of Kyoto), to which Yoshimitsu retired in 1395 and where he built his famous Golden Pavilion, Kinkakuji 金閣寺. This villa became an important cultural center. Yoshimitsu encouraged the development of the arts, notably *nou 能 drama and linked verse renga 連歌. The Ami family *Amiha 阿弥派, Nouami 能阿弥 (1397-1471), Geiami 芸阿弥 (1431-85) and Souami 相阿弥 (1455-1525) became advisors and curators *douboushuu 同朋衆 of the Shogun's art collection. They produced a catalogue of the Chinese paintings in the collection and wrote the first art criticism in Japan *KUNDAIKAN SOUCHOUKI 君台観左右帳記. In addition they were painters who based their style on the Southern Song painters Ma Yuan (Jp: Ba En 馬遠) and Xia Gui (Jp: Ka Kei 夏珪). Some sources begin this period with the establishment of the Kinkakuji in 1397 and end it in 1441 with the death of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori 足利義教 (1394-1441). During the period, Chinese contacts were increased and Zen 禅 Buddhism gained influence, strongly affecting aesthetic culture.

REFERENCES:

*Higashiyama bunka 東山文化, *chanoyu 茶湯

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