[Illustration: "Little Miss Cherry-blossom."]
While it is generally recognized that flower arrangement affords an
excellent opportunity for the display of good taste and artistic judgment,
we by no means consider it, as in Japan, an art distinct in itself.
In Japan the art of flower arrangement is as highly regarded as music,
poetry, or painting; and in order that one may become expert therein, it
is deemed necessary to devote quite as much attention, time, and study
to this as to any other form of art. We look upon flower arrangement
in general as merely the result of individual taste, but a Japanese
regards it from a very different point of view. He is governed, in this
accomplishment, by numerous and well-defined rules which can only be
acquired by long and patient study. It would be impossible, without
this knowledge, to compose an arrangement of flowers which would meet
with the approval of competent critics. It would, in fact, be quite as
hopeless as for a musician to compose great masterpieces of music without
previous training and careful study. The art of flower arrangement is
not only practised by women and girls, but by men as well, for it is
an accomplishment indispensable for all who would make any pretence to
learning and culture.
During a conversation between a Japanese friend and myself, I once
remarked that a certain young lady was not very pretty. "You are quite
right," he answered, "but she is very clever at flower arrangement."
[Illustration: Arrangement of Bamboo, Plum, and Pine. Symbolic of good
luck and everlasting happiness.]
There are six or seven schools of flower arrangement, and while they
differ more or less as to details, the fundamental principles are alike
in all.
In spite of the fact that flowers are so inseparably associated with
everything Japanese, it would be a mistake to assume that Japan is a
land of flowers for wild, as well as garden flowers, are far more profuse
in many sections of this country. Japan is, however, rich in cultivated
flowers that are grown in great profusion in garden and nursery in the
suburbs of all the cities.
Flower sellers, carrying their fragrant burdens in huge baskets, are met
with everywhere, and they are patronized by the poor as well as by the
rich, for the prices are low enough to bring them within the reach of
all. Although there are many varieties of flowers, few, comparatively,
are used in flower arrangement for the Japanese limit their choice to
those with which they are most familiar and such as are most closely
associated with the different months or seasons, seldom or never using
rare or unknown flowers.
The reason given for this is that a thorough knowledge of the character
of the flowers and the conditions under which they grow is indispensable,
in order that a proper and effective use of them may be made.
The following may be mentioned as the popular flowers of Japan, and most
closely associated by the Japanese with the different seasons of the year:
The first to appear is the plum blossom, which is hailed with delight as
the harbinger of spring, and enjoys, therefore, the greatest popularity.
The plum is closely followed by the cherry blossom, which almost rivals
the former as a favorite.
The next, and the last of the spring flowers, is the Wistaria. Summer's
flowers include the peony, iris, and the lotus; while autumn claims one
of the chief favorites, the chrysanthemum, and also the morning-glory.
[Illustration: Corner of Iris Garden.]
Winter has no flowers, but here the poetic imagination of the Japanese
fills the void; for when trees and landscape are whitened with snow,
he converts this, in his picturesque fancy, into "winter flowers," and
this exquisite love and appreciation of all that nature affords in her
various phases, is a strongly developed trait, common to all classes of
Japan.
[Illustration: Lotus Flowers at Kamakura.]
Certain flowers are considered lucky and others unlucky—the latter
including all such as are supposed to possess poisonous qualities. I
found, for instance, that one of the wild flowers, a beautiful scarlet
lily, known as the Shibuta-no-hanna, which I greatly admired, was regarded
with disfavor and was never used for decoration or flower arrangements,
for the reason that it was a flower of ill omen.
On the other hand, a favorite arrangement, formed of a combination of
pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms, is symbolic of good luck and everlasting
happiness. It is frequently used on festive occasions and figures
conspicuously in the New Year's decorations that are arranged over gate
and doorway.
The first glimpse that I obtained of a flower arrangement scene in
Japan was presented to me under conditions that made a most pleasing
and lasting impression.
[Illustration: Flower Basket with Chrysanthemum Arrangement.]
The little daughter of one of my neighbors in Tokio, who gloried in the
name of Kosakurasan, little Miss Cherryblossom, had kindly consented to
pose for a picture upon which I was engaged. During the several sittings
that I received from this little lady of eight she told me much of her
short but eventful life. She attended school, and explained that aside
from the regular instructions she received, her parents had engaged a
very accomplished young lady to give her sisters and herself a lesson
in flower arrangement once a week at home.
[Illustration: A Peony Show.]
I was much interested to know more about this floral study and expressed
a desire to be present on one of these occasions.
[Illustration: Kiku Haran and Zuromodoki in Hanging Bamboo Vase.]
A few days later little Miss Cherry-blossom appeared at my studio-door
with a large bunch of chrysanthemums in her arms and an invitation from
her mother to be present at a lesson which the teacher was about to give.
I accompanied my little friend, and arriving at her home, was ushered
into a room where I found the teacher and pupils deeply absorbed in
their interesting study. I watched the proceedings with great interest,
and though I failed to comprehend much of what the teacher endeavored
to impart to her pupils, it gave me great pleasure to observe the
interesting group. These bright-eyed, prettily dressed little Japanese
maidens, earnestly engaged in their interesting occupation and surrounded
by quantities of flowers, formed such a charming and delightful scene,
that I decided on the spot to make it the subject for a picture.
Later on I carried out this idea, and the illustration which appears
on p. 211, gives an impression of the result. I engaged a famous old
professor to arrange the chrysanthemums as they appear in the picture.
The old man came to my studio bringing the flowers which he had carefully
selected, and spent over an hour in making the arrangement. Several times,
when it was almost completed, he pulled it to pieces and began again,
exclaiming that it was not good enough. "It would pass," he said, "for
ordinary purposes;" but since it was to serve as a model to be copied
into the picture, nothing but absolute perfection would satisfy him.
This old professor was famous in his art and enjoyed great distinction
and consideration—as much so as any famous poet or painter.
Aside from his occupation as a teacher, he was frequently engaged by
wealthy people and by proprietors of tea-houses to make arrangements of
flowers for dinner-parties and other festive occasions. Many methods
are known and employed for keeping cut flowers fresh; and some of the
famous professors of this art claim to possess the secret of certain
ingredients, which, added to the water containing the flowers, have
a stimulating effect and greatly prolong their life. The successful
application of this process, known as mizuage, requires much experience,
certain plants requiring a strong and others a weak solution.
[Illustration: Early Plum Blossoms at Sungita.]
One enthusiastic exponent of this art declared to me that many years
ago, at a flower arrangement competition, given by a famous Daimio, he
had received the first prize for an arrangement of bamboo, which, to
the surprise of everyone, remained fresh and unfaded for twenty-seven
days. This had been accomplished—without the use of water—by injecting
a certain tonic into an opening which he had bored at the top of the
bamboo stalk.
On another occasion, when he had arranged a combination of bamboo and
morning-glory, he had carefully wrapped strips of paper around each of
the flowers early in the morning before they had opened. Later in the
afternoon, and just before this flower arrangement was to be shown to a
company of guests, he had removed these paper wraps, and, by pouring a
certain liquid into the water, had caused the flowers slowly to unfold
before the eyes of the delighted spectators.
Entertainments of this character, where guests are invited to view various
arrangements of flowers made especially for the occasion, are often
given. Sometimes a guest is invited to make an extemporary arrangement,
the flowers and everything necessary being provided for the purpose.
On one occasion, on a visit to the girls' high school in Kioto, I found a
class of twenty or thirty girls receiving a lesson in flower arrangement.
The professor, an old and distinguished-looking man, was seated before a
low stand with a heap of flowers and shrubs at his side, and as Japanese
houses are not provided with tables and chairs, the pupils and master
were seated on the matted floor.
The teacher selected a few sprays from the heap and after carefully
trimming off the decayed leaves and twigs, proceeded to arrange the
blossoms in a vase standing before him. The lines given to the branches
and stems of flowers were not always natural, but the character was given
by much twisting and bending, as well as in the manner in which they
were fastened in the vase; the stems of the flowers being held firmly in
place by two short sticks of wood, wedged in tightly across the neck of
the vase. In some instances a forked twig serves the same purpose. The
chief feature of Japanese flower arrangement is simplicity, and usually
but few flowers are required. The object of this device, therefore, is
to give to the stems a firm position and enable them to rise erect out
of the centre of the vase. Sometimes small metal crabs, or tortoises,
are utilized as wedges.
[Illustration: Corner of Japanese Nursery.]
[Illustration: Kohenai, Iris and Chrysanthemum in Bamboo Vase.]
As the professor arranged the flowers, he carefully explained his
method to a group of five or six girls who were seated opposite to him.
He impressed upon them the fact that flower arrangements are linear
in character: being, in most instances, based on three lines rising
gracefully from the neck of the vase. The centre or principal line
should be the longest, the second one-half, and the third one-fourth
the length of the first. He cautioned them against allowing these three
stem-lines to cross one another in a way to form angles, nor should they
be permitted to run in parallel lines. Other arrangements are based on
five and seven lines and sometimes as many as nine or eleven, but these
are uncommon and are rarely seen.
During the lesson the professor imparted much instructive information to
his pupils. Among other things he told them that in the art of flower
arrangement the student must be guided by nature and a careful study
and observation of the character and habits of the flowers employed.
Everything unnatural and inappropriate must be strictly avoided. Flowers
of different seasons should never be arranged together, and no flower,
however beautiful, should have a place in such arrangement out of its
proper season.
[Illustration: A Lesson in Flower Arrangement.]
Symmetry in flower arrangement should be avoided, and under no
circumstances should both sides of a composition correspond or match.
(This principle, it may be said, is observed in all forms of Japanese
art.) It would be in very bad taste, for instance, to allow two vines
to hang symmetrically from either side of a suspended vase, or even for
a flower of one color to be placed between two of another color.
One of the fundamental rules of this art is that all flower arrangements
should fit into a triangle, either vertical or horizontal, and that
in itself serves more or less as a restriction against symmetrical
compositions. Great attention should be given also to the manner in
which the stems rise out of the water, as they should present a strong
and vigorous appearance, and hold, in fact, the same relation to the
flowers that the trunk of a tree bears to the branches and foliage
overhead. Plants that grow erect should be given an upright direction
in floral arrangements, while such, for instance, as grow overhanging
the banks of streams or cliffs should be arranged in a hanging position.
The professor demonstrated all this with numerous examples which he made
and then distributed to the pupils.
Each girl, upon receiving a finished example, made a low bow to the
master; and retiring to the other end of the room, proceeded to take
the flowers apart and rearrange them as before.
[Illustration: Suspended Bamboo Vase in the Form of a Boat, Containing
an Arrangement of Iris.]
After having accomplished this to the best of her ability, she returned
with it to the teacher's desk, when he pointed out to her any defects
it might contain.
The Japanese divide plants and flowers, without any regard to scientific
facts, into the male and female sex. Trees, mountains, and streams are
likewise classified as their fancy wills. This division of flowers and
plants into sexes forms an important consideration in the art of flower
arrangement. In a composition in which delicate plants and slender vines
are used in connection with stems of trees, the latter represent the male
element and should always form the centre or backbone of the arrangement
and serve as a support for the former, the female element.
[Illustration: Morning-Glory and Shion Arrangement, in Imitation Well
Buckets.]
The various vessels used for holding the flowers form a very important
feature in the art of flower arrangement, and a great many varieties
are utilized for this purpose. Certain arrangements require long-necked
vessels of earthenware or bronze, while broad and shallow ones are used
for others. A great variety of baskets, known as flower baskets, are
also used. These vary in shape and size, and some are suspended, while
others are placed upon the ground. They always contain an inner vessel
for holding water.
Another form of vessel very extensively used is one made of a cylinder of
bamboo. This is generally formed from a section cut near the root, where
the form is irregular and the joints are close together. These bamboo
tubes are from one to two feet in height and from three to six inches in
diameter, and sometimes have holes cut in the sides for inserting flowers.
Bamboo vases in the forms of boats are often hung in Japanese rooms.
Imitation well-buckets, made of lacquered wood or porcelain, are also
employed for holding flowers. Always used in pairs, they are generally
suspended over a pulley by a silk rope, and make a very effective and
pleasing decoration for a room.
One of the most important results of the study of this floral art has been
in the direction of simplicity. It has created a love and an appreciation
for the beauty of a single flower—for in its color and form, in its
graceful stem and well-formed leaves, the votaries of this art find far
more enjoyment than in confused masses of many colored flowers.
While there is, no doubt, much in Japanese flower arrangement that is
unintelligible to us and would fail to appeal to the uninitiated, there
is also much that would be understood and admired everywhere by persons
of good taste. It is indeed a wonder that our attention has not been
more generally drawn to this interesting study, so suggestive of a new
and promising field of artistic possibilities.
Flower arrangement in Japan, like music, painting, and architecture, is
in harmony with the peculiar and unique civilization of that country, and
could not, therefore, be taken literally and grafted on to a civilization
so radically different as our own. The principle, however, might be
adopted and developed on lines in harmony with our arts and to the
enrichment of our civilization. As an art it is full of possibilities,
and would not only bring us into closer communion, and into a better
understanding with nature and the floral world, but would also exercise
a most æsthetic influence and add an unknown charm to our daily lives.
[Illustration: Visit to the Chrysanthemum Show.]