Japanese Color Space : Hue

## (1) Ao-i <-> Aka-i : (Blue <-> Red) : Hue

In the HSV(B) color model, this area is 色相(シキソウ)[ShikiSou]: Hue. Usually, this area is called 色(いろ)[Iro]:color simply.

### **色相：Hue**

In the HSV(B) color model, one of the three characteristics used to describe a color. Hue is the attribute that most readily distinguishes one color from other colors. It depends on the frequency of a light wave in the visible spectrum.

##### **Hue**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hue

色(いろ/シキ)[Iro/Shiki]:color has a lot of meaning because it concerns with Buddhism, such as 色即是空(シキソクゼクウ)[Shiki Soku Ze Kuu]: 色 = 空. But, let's skip it now.

### **Contrast of Hue area**

#### **虹(にじ)[Niji]：rainbow.**

This is a graduation of 虹(にじ)[Niji]：rainbow.

虹(にじ[Niji]) was originally read with ぬじ[Nuji] which came from voiced ぬし(主[Nushi]: master, boss, owner, hasband, lover, my dear, you, guardian spirit, genius of nature such as river, lake, pond, sea, mountain). The guardian spirit of the water place in Japan was usually a dragon painted green or blue like a long big snake or a rapid clear river.

虹[hóng] in Chinese has similar images.

##### **虹:Hong**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong\_(rainbow-dragon)

> a two-headed dragon in Chinese mythology, comparable with rainbow serpent legends in diverse cultures and mythologies.
>
>

The rainbow is usually graduated in seven color titles of 赤(あか)[Aka]:red, 橙(だいだい)[Daidai]:orange, 黄(き)[Ki]:yellow, 緑/翠(みどり)[Midori]:green, 青/蒼(あお)[Ao]:blue, 紫(むらさき)[Murasaki]:purple.

They are name of colors, except basic Aka-i/A(w)o-i.

Actually, there are a lot of color names in Japanese, for dyeing and painting since long ago. They usually comes from the name of something, such as fruits, flowers, plants, stones, and so on.

##### **Traditional Colors of Japan**

http://irocore.com/

This site has 450 traditional color samples and notes in English.

#### **玉虫(たまむし)[Tama-Mushi]:Jewel Beetle/Buprestidae**

One of the national treasures in Japan is 玉虫厨子(たまむしのずし[Tama-Mushi no ZuShi]:Tamamushi Shrine, Jewel Beetle Shrine) decorated with iridescent beetlewings and goldworks in 7th century of 飛鳥[Asuka] period.

Most of the decorations of the Jewel Beetle Shrine were lost as time passed by and sense of values changed. Today, an iridescent beetle-wing means equivocal weasel-word.

##### **Buprestidae**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buprestidae

##### **玉虫厨子[Tamamushi Shrine]**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamamushi\_Shrine

> a miniature shrine owned by the Hōryū-ji temple complex of Nara, Japan. Its date of construction is unknown, but estimated to be around the middle of the seventh century. Decorated with rare examples of Asuka-period paintings, it provides important clues to the architecture of the time and has been designated a National Treasure.
>
>

##### **法隆寺:Hōryū-ji**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dry%C5%AB-ji

> a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji (法隆学問寺), or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery.
>
>

##### **飛鳥時代: Asuka period**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asuka\_period

> a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after the Asuka region, about 25 km south of the modern city of Nara.
>
>

In ancient times, やまと[Yamato] was written with 倭[Wa/wō] when they knew Chinese words or writing way.

倭[Wa/wō] was simply the old name of Japanese Islands or the Japanese people in old Chinese. It is not known for sure the reason why they named 倭.

In Japanese, 倭(やまと[Yamato]) had two meanings. The one was Japan or Japanese on the international context, and the another was the area of やまと[Yamato] basin (the Nara Prefecture today) or the やまと[Yamato] Imperial Court (polity) who ruled Yamato basin and nearby area on the domestic context.

やまと[Yamato] is also written with 大和[DaiWa]: literally "the great harmony".

A mora sounds sequence "is also written with" some different Kanji characters blocks. That is the most strange character of Japanese Language and one of the rhetoric of Japanese poetry and comic talks.

For example, "**Wa**" of "Wa no Kuni: Country of Wa" can be written with 吾/我(I, my, me), 輪(ring, car, turn), 環(ring, sphere, around, surround), 鐶(metal ring), 哇(spit, laugh, cheer, cry, noisy lusty onomatopoeia), 倭(Japan, Japanese), 蛙(frog, loud), 萵(green vegetable), 話/䛡(talk, tell, chat, story), 窪(hollow, cavity, low enclosed space), 踒(sprain, fracture), 䰀(beautiful hair), and 和.

和[hé/hè,hú,huó,huò] in Chinese has so many meaning and working that I can't show all. The typical ones are; even, and, with, as well as, sum, to join in (the singing), calm down, compromise.

https://zh.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%92%8C

和[Wa] or 大和(やまと[Yamato]) in Japanese was usually used instead of 倭[Wa] on the contrast to 韓/唐[Kara]: Korean, Chinese, foreign.

Ex. paper: 唐紙 <-> 和紙, stringed instrument:唐琴 <-> 大和琴

During the 飛鳥[Asuka] period, Buddhism was officially introduced from 百濟(くだら[Kudara]:Baekje) and it had great influence on Japan.

##### **百濟:Baekje**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekje

> a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
>
>

In ancient times, many foreigners had come from overseas continually and settled in Japanese Islands. They had brought their continental customs, culture, thought, technology and civilization in the ancient Japanese Islands.

Buddhism was one of them, and had been gradually mixed with native ethnic belief in natural divinities and ancestral spirits, or ancient indigenous animism, called 神道[Shintou]:literally, the way of divinities.

##### **神道:Shintou**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto

> the ethnic religion of Japan that focuses on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.
>
>

First of all, old Japanese accepted Mahāyāna Buddhism as Flower Garland school or Esoteric Buddhism of 大日如来([DaiNichi NyoRai]: Mahā Vairocana Buddha), also known as 毘盧遮那仏[Birushana-butsu].

##### **大日如来:Vairocana**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vairocana

> a celestial buddha who is often interpreted, in texts like the Flower Garland Sutra, as the Dharma Body of the historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness.
>
>

During the 奈良[Nara] period, the court often sent envoys to Tang China and adopted Chinese culture and civilization eagerly to establish the centralized government. One of the big enterprises was building many state-supported provincial temples and the headquarter temple, 東大寺[TouDaiJi] as the guardian of the state.

##### **奈良時代:Nara period**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nara\_period

> the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kanmu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784, before moving to Heian-kyō, or Kyoto, a decade later in 794.
>
>

##### **東大寺:Tōdai-ji**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Ddai-ji

> a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden) houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu (大仏). The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism.
>
>

It was a dreamy paradise adorned with beautiful vari-colored fragrant flowers, sublime music birds singing, glorious shiny gold, brilliant gems, majestic comfortable clothes, splendid magnificent palaces guarded by powerful strong heroes, in dignified amazing light of luminous Great Buddha. The old temples were full of colors and decorative when they were built.

A lot of Buddhas, Bodhisattva, Vidyaraja, Deva in the Flower Garland school and Esoteric Buddhism had high compatibility with a lot of divinities in 神道[Shintou]. Along with popularization of Buddhism, the idea of avatars (original reality and virtual-reality) developed and the major ones were mapped one by one.

#### **襲(かさね)の色目(いろめ)[Kasane no Iro-me]: Color Combinations of Layering**

Since 飛鳥[Asuka] period, the official ranks of the Imperial court were shown by different colors of their formal dress and cap.

The first system, 冠位十二階:Twelve Level Cap and Rank System was established by 聖徳太子[ShouToku TaiShi]. Each rank color indicated the six Confucian virtues: 徳[Toku]:virtue, 仁[Jin]:benevolence, 礼[Rei]:propriety, 信[Shin]:sincerity, 義:justice, and 智[Chi]:knowledge.

##### **聖徳太子:Prince Shōtoku**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince\_Sh%C5%8Dtoku

> a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko.
>
>

He is the first important key person for prospering both Buddhism and Confucianism in Japan.

##### **十七条憲法:Seventeen-article constitution**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeen-article\_constitution

> according to the Nihon Shoki of 720, a document authored by Prince Shōtoku in 604. It was adopted in the reign of Empress Suiko. The emphasis of the document is not so much on the basic laws by which the state was to be governed, such as one may expect from a modern constitution, but rather it was a highly Buddhist and Confucian document that focused on the morals and virtues that were to be expected of government officials and the emperor's subjects to ensure a smooth running of the state, where the emperor was to be regarded as the highest authority. It is one of the earliest constitutions in history.
>
>

##### **孔子:Confucius**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius

> 551 BC – 479 BC. Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period (or the Eastern Zhou Period) of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. His followers founded thier school, 儒家([Rújiā]:Ruism, Confucianism) and took active part during the next Warring States period.
>
>

##### **儒家([Rújiā]:Ruism, Confucianism)**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

> described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or simply a way of life. Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE), who considered himself a retransmitter of the values of the Zhou dynasty golden age of several centuries before.
>
>

Zhou = ゾウ = 周.

##### **春秋時代([Chūnqiū Shídài]:Spring and Autumn period)**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring\_and\_Autumn\_period

##### **戰國時代([Zhànguó shídài]:Warring States period)**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring\_States\_period

The important concept of Confucianism is 礼楽[li-yue]: order and harmony. 詩:Poetry is important too.

> 礼[lǐ]:ritual rite, ceremony, greeting, gift, courtesy, etiquette, manners, good form
>
>

> 楽[lè/yuè]: joy, enjoy, enjoyable, happy, glad, restful, music
>
>

Li (禮/礼) is a classical Chinese word which finds its most extensive use in Confucian and post-Confucian Chinese philosophy. Li is variously translated as "rite" or "reason," "ratio" in the pure sense of Vedic ṛta ("right," "order") when referring to the cosmic law, but when referring to its realisation in the context of human individual and social behavior it has also been translated as "custom," "mores," and "rules," among other terms.
Confucians thought that they were general education for gentlemen. They regarded liberal arts as important.

> 子曰、興於詩、立於禮、成於樂。
>
>

> -『論語』泰伯
>
>

> *Confucius said, “You must be inspired by poem, realize your duty by the courtesy and complete yourself by music.”* - translated by http://blog.mage8.com/rongo-08-08
>
>

##### **論語[Lúnyǔ]:Analects of Confucius**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analects

> a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher 孔子[Kǒngzǐ]:Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to have been compiled and written by Confucius' followers.
>
>

Other schools of the Hundred Schools of Thought in old China criticized 礼楽[li-yue] of Confucianism the most, because they are likely to lose substances, to become a matter of formality, to become corrupt, to become extravagant. But, the court in Japan dared to apply 礼楽 and 詩 to their government system.

The old officials in the court of 平安京(ヘイアンキョウ[HeiAnKyou]: literally "tranquility and peace capital" in Wikipedia) usually wore layers of clothing made with thin semi-transparent silk. Some of them were lined clothes of different colors. The right side was usually made of 綾 (あや [Aya] : twilled silk) or 平絹 (ひらぎぬ [Hira-Ginu]: plain silk) for winter wear, and made of airy 紗 (シャ [sha]: silk gauze) for summer wear.

##### **平安京:Heian-kyō**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian-ky%C5%8D

> one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180.
>
>

##### **平安時代:Heian period**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian\_period

> the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185.[1] The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height. The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature.
>
>

The female court attires competed the color combinations of the facing, the sleeve opening, the bottom edge of the dress layers. The male officers also competed the coloring of their hunting clothes as much as their skills of archery.

##### **襲の色目: Color Combinations of Layering**

All season: http://www.ikiya.jp/kasane/all.html

Spring: http://www.ikiya.jp/kasane/haru.html

Summer: http://www.ikiya.jp/kasane/natu.html

Automn: http://www.ikiya.jp/kasane/aki.html

Winter: http://www.ikiya.jp/kasane/huyu.html

##### **The Dresses of peace and safety - Traditional court dress of Japan -**

http://www.kariginu.jp/kikata/eng1.htm

A message from the admin of KIYOU court dress research institute(in English).

He thinks that みやび[Miyabi] in the 平安(へいあん[HeiAn]:literally, peace and safety) period is important aesthetic sense of Japanese culture as much as わび[Wabi] and イキ[Iki], and shows beautiful traditional design motifs of the dresses as the symbol of みやび[Miyabi].

I also think that みやび[Miyabi] had a big impact to later Japanese culture. The concept of layering or lining of different colors is typical sense of みやび[Miyabi]. That is a beautiful harmony with difference.

This concept was integrated into Japanese language, seamless using different linguistic parts such as Chinese words, characters, sounds, Mantras in Sanskrit, Japanese Kana mora sounds and letters, Latin/Roman alphabets and syllabic English-like sounds, and now emotion marks in the Internet age.

Japanese language is みやび[Miyabi] itself.

The different colors and patterns of inside and outside on the lining thin semi-transparent silks could generate another mixed complex color and pattern according to their movement at random. Remarkably almost all colors and patterns were available for the casual hunting clothes with free from the dress-code in the court, except prohibited colors and taboo colors, as a sporty style in the field under the sun.

The idea of random generation of matching grew up the idea of 奥行[Oku-Yuki] area, あふ[Afu] and あはれ[Ahare]. They are concerned with not only liberal arts but also martial arts, such as swordsmanship and 武士道[BuShi Dou]:the way of Samurai.

### **Important verbs concerned with Hue area in old Japanese**

#### **いろ**(色/彩/綺/弄)-ふ[Iro-fu]：

> to be beautiful color, paint beautifully, devise, contrive, concern, interfere, interpose, tamper, touch.
>
>

#### **にほ**(匂)-ふ[Niho-fu]：

> blossom, be dyed, be fragrant, glitter nice
>
>

Today, the primary meaning of this verb is smell.

Its similar meaning in Chinese is 香[xiāng]. This is read with か[Ka]/コウ[Kou] in Japanese.

**匂** is 国字(こくじ[KokuJi]): an ideogram created in Japan. Old Japanese made their own ideograms to mimic Chinese ideograms. It means, smell (good), glossy and beautiful, taste, atmosphere, blade pattern of Japanese sword.
**匕**[bǐ] within 勹[bāo] is a spoon or a knife. **勹** is wrap.

#### **しの**(偲)-ぶ[Shino-bu]：

> admire, appreciate, adore, be affected, be attached to, miss, long for, remember, recall
>
>

偲[cāi/sī] in Chinese means, versatility, many-talented, intelligent, intellectual, encourage. 偲 was classical words as 切切[qièqiè]偲偲[sīsī] (encourage each other to improve their thought, study, mentality, personality, diligently, earnestly, seriously, sincerely, through friendly rivalry) in 論語 [RonGo].

That's Kuina and Zoro, or Mihawk and Zoro. In Buddhism, it is 善知識(ぜんちしき[ZenChiShiki, Kalyāṇa-mittatā]: good friends, true friends). Zoro is so classical, traditional and conservative that he is popular among the elderly.

One of the reasons why Japanese sound symbolism has many words formed by 2 \* 2 moras reduplication came from Chinese, such as 切切. 切切 in Japanese is 切々[Setsu-Setsu]、せっせ[Sesse], くれぐれ[Kure-Gure].

#### **すさ**(遊/荒)-ぶ[Susa-bu]：

> play, pleasure, enjoy, entertainment, amusement, recreation, diversion, pastime, hobby, fun, rough, violent, ruin
>
>

Mihawk is likely to say, " passe‐temps."

They are "**いろはにほへと　ちりぬるを**(諸行無常)". Mihawk at the first duel with Zoro is this area. His "......" are colorful and imaginary at a loss for words like a rainbow. He is also here while playing a tag, jumping loops, spinning a tops, with Luffy.

### **みやび[Miyabi]：Poetry concerned with Hue area in old Japanese**

The typical Waka poem of みやび is;

> ちはやぶる　神代(かみよ)も聞(き)かず　竜田川(たつたがは)
>
>

> Chi-Haya-bu-ru / Kami-yo mo Ki-ka-zu / Tatsu-ta-Gaha
>
>

> からくれなゐに　水(みず)くくるとは
>
>

> Kara-Kurenawi ni Mizu Kuku-ru to ha
>
>

> - 古今集　秋下5　No.294 在原業平朝臣
>
>

> *We never heard of such a miracle before,*
>
>

> *even in the great brave oracle age.*
>
>

> *How wonderful of Dragon Hunting River!*
>
>

> *to flood the Deep Red from overseas...*
>
>

That's admirable!!! ZUBAN!!! (SWASH!!!)

That's fun!!! ZU BA BA BA BA BA!! (SLASH!!)

But, this interpretation and translation are too wild. Usually, mild, like this;

https://www.shigureden.or.jp/about/database\_03.html?id=17

This poetry looks like 錦の御旗(にしき の みはた[Nishiki no Mi-Hata]: the flag of Imperial court army, Imperial standard made of gold brocade).

錦の御旗 was composed with glorious gold center circle on the gorgeous golden orange brocade in those days. It sounds very G.

Now the flag of Japan is designed with the red center circle on the white. The reason why this pattern is regard as the flag of Japan, is not clear and there are various views. One of them is that it came from the 源平合戦(\*げんぺいがっせん[GenPei Gassen]: the Gen-Pei war) in the late Heian period, in the 12th century.

(\*) The Jisho/Juei Rebellion(治承・寿永の乱) is often referred to as the "Genpei Gassen" (or "Genpai no tatakai" (battle between the Taira and Minamoto clans).

At the Gen-Pei war, 平氏(へいし[HeiShi]:Taira clan) flied the Imperial standard flag as a Imperial court army, and 源氏(げんじ[GenJi]:Minamoto clan) flied their flag, the red center circle on the white. Both clans showed the flag, "That's the sun! We are the true son of the sun!"

Then, Minamoto clan won and opened their own government at 鎌倉(かまくら[Kamakura]) in their own area, north east of the court, as 征夷大将軍(せいいたいしょうぐん[SeiI TaiShouGun], the general of the army to conquer the east). The first ShouGun was called 鎌倉殿(かまくらどの[Kamakura-Dono]; the load of Kamakura, Mr. Kamakura).

The red and the white, this lucky happy bright clear vivid contrast grows up the poetry of をかし in Heian to いき in Edo.

**Next:** Japanese Color Space : Saturation **Back:** Japanese Color Space **Home:** Mihawk in Japanese Wiki