While writing my story A Fall into a Ditch Makes You Wiser, I had to figure out how to balance two fictional worlds that take place in two very different time periods of Japanese history: The Heian Period and the Edo Period. While these two periods are never really mentioned in the two shows, I've been helped out by the kimono worn, the type of buildings, and the hairstyles to come up with these two periods. In Bleach, I do believe the Edo period is mentioned in the first season but only briefly, and in Inuyasha it is made very apparent by the Kariginu and the Juni-hitoe worn by the men and women that it is the Heian period.
The Heian period is very much like the Western European's Italian Renaissance, for this was a time for art and poetry to flourish in Japan. Trade was abundant, doors were opened to China, Korea, and other major Asian countries, and ambassadors were swapped between these countries to bring in Chinese classics, writing, and language. It's when the first novel ever written by a woman was created. It was a cosmopolitan society with high-fashion that was carefully scrutinized and a thick emphasis on the beauty of one's calligraphy to give them self-worth among fellow courtiers. This era was named for the capital city at the time, Heian-Kyo, or Kyoto as we know it today. This was the Paris of Japan in terms of fashion, the Wallstreet for ingenious scholars, and the Woodstock in terms sexual liberation; all in one.
The Heian period is very much like the Western European's Italian Renaissance, for this was a time for art and poetry to flourish in Japan. Trade was abundant, doors were opened to China, Korea, and other major Asian countries, and ambassadors were swapped between these countries to bring in Chinese classics, writing, and language. It's when the first novel ever written by a woman was created. It was a cosmopolitan society with high-fashion that was carefully scrutinized and a thick emphasis on the beauty of one's calligraphy to give them self-worth among fellow courtiers. This era was named for the capital city at the time, Heian-Kyo, or Kyoto as we know it today. This was the Paris of Japan in terms of fashion, the Wallstreet for ingenious scholars, and the Woodstock in terms sexual liberation; all in one.
Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese influence peaked during this period. While there was an Imperial Family at this time, headed by his August Majesty (i.e. the Emperor), the real power lied withing the hands of the Fujiwara clan. This is paralleled in Italy, almost, with the Medici family. This clan also appears in my story through the Naito clan. The Naito clan is believed to have two separate clans that both stem directly from the Fujiwara. One of the Naito have a very similar, if not identical, family crest. This is the family with which my protagonist ladies hail.
Fictional side-track:
How I set it up, is that there are four directions utilizing specific power in my story. Each direction is headed by the most powerful family of each land and dubbed Lord of the (insert direction here). The North is virtually never mentioned, but it seems neutral due to many wealthy, noble Easterners attaining summer palaces in the Northern mountains. The West is the mightiest in terms of economy and vast amounts of land. The East is stronger in terms of manpower and armies, as well as suitable farming land. The South is a hostile, large area nestled beneath the West and East, that was provoked into war by the West for reasons I will not mention here so as not to spoil anything. The West, after years of battling the south, looked to the East for help. But in a particularly bad battle, even the East is of not help. Bad blood is sparked between the East and the West and they become sworn enemies only two years before the main story line. All while remaining enemies with the South.
But during my story, one of the Naito ladies journeys back to her homeland in the West (the Naito were set out to be slaughtered by the South, and only one branch within the family escaped to the East). There the Lord of the West tries to cajole her into staying with him and bequeaths upon her insane amounts of luxury and goods. This includes a beautiful room in his large Shinden-zukuri.
I gave the East and an Edo makeover, while permitting the Heian-styled everything to be a mere fashion statement in the West. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how I combined the two shows and time periods into one.
End of fictional side-track.
Fictional side-track:
How I set it up, is that there are four directions utilizing specific power in my story. Each direction is headed by the most powerful family of each land and dubbed Lord of the (insert direction here). The North is virtually never mentioned, but it seems neutral due to many wealthy, noble Easterners attaining summer palaces in the Northern mountains. The West is the mightiest in terms of economy and vast amounts of land. The East is stronger in terms of manpower and armies, as well as suitable farming land. The South is a hostile, large area nestled beneath the West and East, that was provoked into war by the West for reasons I will not mention here so as not to spoil anything. The West, after years of battling the south, looked to the East for help. But in a particularly bad battle, even the East is of not help. Bad blood is sparked between the East and the West and they become sworn enemies only two years before the main story line. All while remaining enemies with the South.
But during my story, one of the Naito ladies journeys back to her homeland in the West (the Naito were set out to be slaughtered by the South, and only one branch within the family escaped to the East). There the Lord of the West tries to cajole her into staying with him and bequeaths upon her insane amounts of luxury and goods. This includes a beautiful room in his large Shinden-zukuri.
I gave the East and an Edo makeover, while permitting the Heian-styled everything to be a mere fashion statement in the West. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how I combined the two shows and time periods into one.
End of fictional side-track.
A Shinden-zukuri was an architectural style home that flourished during the Heian period. No shinden-zukuri have survived to present day, but blueprints and art for them and of them have, and many reconstructions have been built to get a feel for them. These houses were massive estates really designed only for nobility. They all faced south, which I believe has something to due with the Chinese influence of feng-sui (balance), though I don't pretend to understand it at the moment (It's on my to-do list, give me a break).
These homes consisted of multiple buildings that were mostly connected by covered corridors and bridges. All were single-story -unlike peasant homes that were quite lofty and pointy in appearance for storage purposes, raised off the ground by pillars of wood, and had wooden planks throughout. Tatami was not used all over homes really until after this period, seeming as during this period they moved it around quite often for sleeping and for seating purposes. The roofs were all planked, and tiles were almost never used, except for around the ridges. The better models would have been planked with cypress shingles.
The crappy part about not having an surviving shinden-zukuri, is that no body knows what the different buildings and rooms were used for. Naturally this gives me much artistic freedom within my writing for the Lord of the West's estate.
These homes consisted of multiple buildings that were mostly connected by covered corridors and bridges. All were single-story -unlike peasant homes that were quite lofty and pointy in appearance for storage purposes, raised off the ground by pillars of wood, and had wooden planks throughout. Tatami was not used all over homes really until after this period, seeming as during this period they moved it around quite often for sleeping and for seating purposes. The roofs were all planked, and tiles were almost never used, except for around the ridges. The better models would have been planked with cypress shingles.
The crappy part about not having an surviving shinden-zukuri, is that no body knows what the different buildings and rooms were used for. Naturally this gives me much artistic freedom within my writing for the Lord of the West's estate.
It's crazy though, how upon researching what exactly a Shinden-zukuri was, that the idea of North, West, South, East having different, specific styles appeared as historical fact. It was 100% coincidence, I assure you, but it was thrilling to discover. The Shinden was the main building of these homes and the pictures above are the main buildings of their respective estates. This was where the Lord of the house and his wives and children slept and lived. Everything else on the estate surrounded it. Symbolic for how important the lords were to their provinces, and how everything revolved around their care-taking and important decisions.
For a better idea:
For a better idea:
Bibliography:
"Shounen Onmyouji [Seimei No Mago]." Shounen Onmyouji [Seimei No Mago]. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
"Naito Family History." Naito Name Meaning & at Ancestry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Filipovitch, A.J. " URSI 110--The City." URSI 110--The City. N.p., 24 May 2006. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
"Heian Period." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Feb. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.
Bryant, Anthony J. "Shinden-zukuri Estatesof the Heian Period." Untitled Document. Indiana University, 2001. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
"Shounen Onmyouji [Seimei No Mago]." Shounen Onmyouji [Seimei No Mago]. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
"Naito Family History." Naito Name Meaning & at Ancestry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Filipovitch, A.J. " URSI 110--The City." URSI 110--The City. N.p., 24 May 2006. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
"Heian Period." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Feb. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.
Bryant, Anthony J. "Shinden-zukuri Estatesof the Heian Period." Untitled Document. Indiana University, 2001. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.