Suntory Museum of Art "The Shape of Confucianism: A Book of the Mind -Confucianism in Japan Art-"

Confucianism is an ethical philosophy that refers to the teachings advocated by Confucius (552/551~479 BC) in China in the 6th century BC and the interpretation of his successors. The idea advocated by Confucius is that the goal is to approach a saint by practicing and practicing the moral view based on the five senses (benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith), and the ideal image of a human being who rules the world with virtue is ideal. This kind of thinking is said to have been introduced to Japan in the 4th century, earlier than Buddhism, and was enjoyed as a study in ancient imperial courts to learn what a ruler should be.
In the Middle Ages, Confucianism was also important in Zen Buddhist temples because the Song Dynasty introduced Zhuzi (a new Confucian philosophy established by Zhu Xi of the Southern Song Dynasty) to Japan, and Zen monks eagerly studied it. From the early modern period onward, the Edo shogunate, which was based on the principle of civil rule, actively encouraged Confucianism and developed the Yushima Cathedral as its base. Throughout the Edo period, Confucianism was adopted and widely spread throughout Japan, from samurai families to people and children, regardless of status.
For example, while the large-scale "Imperial Charts" and "Twenty-Four Filial Drawings" were produced to represent the ideal monarch and decorate the spaces of rulers, the same idea is also alive in the ukiyo-e prints and patterns of personal crafts held by ordinary people. These works show the ideals of the mind sought by the people of that time, that is, the ideas that serve as a reference, and bring fresh awareness to us today. We hope that this exhibition will be an opportunity to reflect on the rich messages that reside in masterpieces of Japan art, just like the "Onko Chishin" (Knowing the New through Sieving) in the Analects.

* In order to protect the work, the exhibition will be changed during the exhibition period.