The Significance of Arts and Architecture in Culture

Yui, Jetro and Nick

Japanese Architecture

Shinto Shrine　靖国神社

Background Information

• June 1869• Dedicated to the soldiers who died fighting• List of names over 2,466,000 enshrined men

and women• Yasukuni is a shrine to house the actual souls

of the dead as kami, or "spirits/souls”.

• Intermediate level because the shrine is made based on deep level culture that is important to the Japanese.

• Who shows it? Politicians in Japan • What does it mean? What does it tell you? The visits are to pay respect to the soldiers killed in war.• What deep level aspect could it be its source? Value, Belief • How might it cause conflict? The Chinese do not understand the importance of the visits

to the shrine.

Medieval and Renaissance Art

•Raised Threshold•Naga on roofs

Thai Traditional Buildings

• Intermediate level culture because it has a meaning in. It is derived from deep level beliefs of Thai culture.

• Thai superstition- raised thresholds prevent evil spirits from creeping in at night and disrupting the sleep of the inhabitants.

• Also where the angels of the house dwells

• They are also found in Temples• Shows how Thais are very superstitious • Believes a lot in spirits and how it

controls the well being of the people.

Threshold

• Thai people- threshold should not be stepped on since it is a sacred place.

• Foreigners who do not understand might offend the Thais by doing so, since they do not share the same beliefs in their native land.

• To foreigners, it may just seem functional as the structure or to keep babies from falling out

Threshold (cont.)

• Intermediate level because Symbolizes the Naga

• To foreigners: highly distinctive look and add to the graceful appearance of the Thai houses

• To Thais: the Naga is a mythical creature that protected the Buddha. Therefore, it should protect the inhabitants of the house/temples as well. It also represents the practice of Theravada Buddhism in the area.

Curved Roof Ends

• Theravada Buddhism assimilated Brahmanism.

• Lots of beliefs related to Thai mythology and beliefs of gods involve the naga, such as ladder gods used to descent to earth and return back to heaven.

• Cannot find counter example, but Gargoyles in European art can be pretty similar in that they add to the appearance as well as it is suppose to protect evil spirits.