The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-04
JAPANESE FLOWER ARTIsrs
Ou- school Has IBeen In Existenr- 10,
thirteen Centuries.

Thirteen Centuries.
In uo other country hut Japan b, Ia
art ~ flower arrangement laugh, a..
special accomplishment 10y ualn'sl ~
tiers and according To- fixed rules Al
lished hy IN" various schools. Their ava
been different authorities on n" D. ia
To be- followed in this importan. d.-.,.-...
tion In Japanese household. ACCORD
ing Ia a writer IN tho JGPan hagllirs.
bat none has displaced tho orIc'uL
school. which had its inception IN "a family
named Ono. generally known ~ lk"nDnn,
in the seventh century.
Prince Shot0ku was really tho ona W.
whom tho idea o-' -,nated. He irstr,IotsSi
Ono-no lmoko. mister OF Stat, u
formulate "a seg .ulcs for flower ar
rangernent. 1moAo was \ man Of lairn
ing and culture and had enjoyed tho ad-
vantage OF foreign travel. having twics
made N voyage To China He took for his
model Mount Sunni. India. associated xith
tho Hori Islands OF Sofuku. and from
thess Developed what ~ known "a the
rikkwa. or upright grouping OF fiowers.
80 much admired at tho present time
and Of W hich through forty thres gulsra-
tons Of this notable family u artists tho
same essential elements have bean pre-
served. and ono might almost say rev
srenred.
Ono-no Imoko went into retireSnsnt. b.
came a Buddhist priest and founded tho
Rokkakudo. or hexA@onal ternpis, AZ
Kioto. where he onahrined tho image u
Kwannon. or goddass Of mercy. Of whom
the Prince had bssen a votary during al
his life. Later tho flower enthusiast
Established the temple OF Shinnaxan.
where he daily devoted himself To his
chosen art. Offering tbs pleasing results
Of his endeavors To the departed spirit
OF his beloved Prince.
His influence became widespread. and
successors in his family from generation
TO generation have been proud tn con-
tinue in tho pursuit OF flower arrange
msnt and do honor To the name OF 30
worthy an ancestor. one Seno. who stands
twelfth in the line. being considered To
have been the most skilled expert among
all the tevotfssss Of the art He II was
who introduced many new and beAnti-
full adjuncts and was 80 highly appre-
ciated by the people Of his time "a u
have had bestowed upon him the title
81 High PRIEST of Rikkwa' for strai ght
flower arrangement. He simplif'ed the
method Of rikkwn and originated what
il now known ~ the Ikehana system Of
grouping. which IL supposed tn typify
the existenoe of the soul in the body. and
which he used to that end in instr,ictins
the people In this prizsd refinement u
their customs
Through its priestly advocates flower ar
hsaiy
hecam. 81 closely associated with Buddhis-
tic .xprcsr!uns ~ to be r.,garried a. ons II
tn. essential Communications for thu
tok onoIra. or raised dais forming the
decorative feature Of a Japansae room
when religious painting ~ OF images were
shown When the power Of the fujiwarl
family was nt its zenith and the various
members Wed with one another i'm perfsCt
ing the elegance and beauty Of their homes
even those who dislik I'd any sefnhllnCe ~
buddhism and its practices ConforIned -
their manner Of flower arrGr gsrn"-.. ~
powerfully did lts charm appeal 70 ,..'-'I
and during the davs OF the sshik aga Nho.
guns il was considered an iraispeu ''l'
drawing room decoration. and upon sE'r
occasions a. the fn.e-s If armour aLs"-
Tut ely Niece, sgirv IN Js.nt OF etiquette
Rival schools VA tho art aronil"d S'lch
jealousy among IN" enthus'ias,si ~ -
rausn the ~ ghth Shpg'ln 81 tn" Ashi, al;n
family ioshIruas'a. u lsS''ie a d"rli.-'-tion
10 tho cff's't that the mo fafnlIy NiLS 20 be
the authority or highest school
n flower arrangement. and yassin. am
impaired through the stormy days Of Dim
he art received further promotion at IN"
hands Of Emperor Miguno-o. who pr"
'ented a hRn.-oue flower vase. orna-
ncnted with dragon handles and still
( ep' ~ i great treasure. 10 tho head Of
he Ono family TX enobo.
Aft.rwaru he was 40 honorc6 M tn be
allowed To visit tho Imperial Palace, and
ater r'-'s,ived permission from tho I'm
Ieror 10 hold the festival Of tho flower
OF Tanahatn (July). which
had been previously celebrated nc ,hs
Dalnce. ut his own houss. Further favors
rom the throne came In tho form Of che
gift OF a screen from Searyoden Palaoe.
% be- used on the above occasion. all being
high honorss and greatly enhancing this
Of the art and itB famous repre-
,entaty,sJ.
The Tok ugawn Shog,Ins were NO laB
patrons Of this evidence OF culture than
heir predecessors had been and now
schools continued to spring up and tts
promotion became such that all OF the
upper Glasses wore SIX lied in tho art and
poor indeed was one Who wns denisd the
advantage Of some training in this accom-
liishTHent. Tho present day finds it still
me of tho chief features in the attainmantn
v cultured Jnpancrss young women Of
,olshed e-iucasion