Aka-e - Japanese Colour Magic

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3 years ago (Last updated: 2 years ago)

Aka-e are Japanese woodblock prints where red is the dominating colour. Red prints were believed to protect against smallpox and were used as talismans.

The idea is based on the old tale that says, if a smallpox patient is dressed in red the disease will be mild. The demon (or god) they believed to cause the disease, Hōsō-Kami, would like the red and be inclined to treat its wearer kindly. Red was thus applied in other ways as well. As light, as rouge, as sacred paper strips, a lot of things. Red prints were just one more way. According to Japanese folklore, red expels demons and illness. (Below, an Aka-e from the 1730s by Okumura Masanobu)

The next print is by Kuniyoshi; it is deliberately made to create a smallpox talisman. Such prints can be called hōsō-e, which literally means “smallpox picture”.

Smallpox prints were considered even more powerful if they depicted certain beings, such as Tametomo, a heroic samurai, Daruma and an owl, or someone called Shôki, who was a demon queller, originally from China, where he was called Zhong Kui or Chung Kwei.

The next picture shows Shôki appearing in a dream [Muchû Shôki shutsugen no zu chûban], a print by Hasegawa Sadanobu, from about 1840. The picture is not entirely red, but the main motive is.

The smallpox prints were burned or thrown in a river when the sick person had recovered. For that reason, few of these prints have been preserved.

(This article is based on material previously published in Meriondho Leo.)

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Comments

They're cultural practicing people and they're till date.

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3 years ago

Yes, and they are different from all other people. Their culture has evolved in its own way, despite influences from outside.

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3 years ago

Wow nice to know some new type of culture and it's paintings which are quite watch worthy.

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3 years ago

It is a real Japanese color magic truly. It is very interesting and educative. It opens my sight to external world really. Keep doing the good job.

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3 years ago

Open your eyes to an external world! I'm glad to hear that. That's one reason for looking at art from an alien culture. To expand one's views.

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3 years ago

Yes, we keep learning on daily basis! It opens my sight to what is happening there. "I'm not an island of knowledge, I learn on daily basis"

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3 years ago

Even here in the Philippines, red color is believed to shoo away supernatural entities that's believed to harm a person. Old folks here really have a lot of superstitious beliefs.

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3 years ago

I didn't know that particular belief existed in the Philippines, but the whole East Asia is full of superstition. More than anywhere else, I think.

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3 years ago

このがアニメじゃない。次はゆれいと魔人から書きってるください

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3 years ago

いいえ、これはアニメではありません。浮世絵です。 ゆれいと魔人! たぶん。

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3 years ago

サイトのメンバがカッパを大好きだろう

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3 years ago

はい、カッパになります。 あなたがとてもきれいに尋ねたので。

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3 years ago

嬉しい

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3 years ago