the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第16章
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continuity。 And you； carried along by the current； wander thus for miles
with the tide of pleasure…seekers； till； late at night； when at last you turn
reluctantly homeward； you feel as one does when wakened from some too
delightful dream。
Or instead of night； suppose it day and the place a temple。 With
those who are entering you enter too through the outer gateway into the
courtyard。 At the farther end rises a building the like of which for
richness of effect you have probably never beheld or even imagined。 In
front of you a flight of white stone steps leads up to a terrace whose
parapet； also of stone； is diapered for half its height and open latticework
the rest。 This piazza gives entrance to a building or set of buildings
whose every detail challenges the eye。 Twelve pillars of snow…white wood
sheathed in part with bronze； arranged in four rows； make； as it were； the
bones of the structure。 The space between the centre columns lies open。
The other triplets are webbed in the middle and connected； on the sides
and front； by grilles of wood and bronze forming on the outside a couple
of embrasures on either hand the entrance in which stand the guardian Nio；
two colossal demons； Gog and Magog。 Instead of capitals ；a frieze
bristling with Chinese lions protects the top of the pillars。 Above this in
place of entablature rises tier upon tier of decoration； each tier projecting
beyond the one beneath； and the topmost of all terminating in a balcony
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which encircles the whole second story。 The parapet of this balcony is
one mass of ornament； and its cornice another row of lions； brown instead
of white。 The second story is no less crowded with carving。 Twelve
pillars make its ribs； the spaces between being filled with elaborate
woodwork； while on top rest more friezes； more cornices； clustered with
excrescences of all colors and kinds； and guarded by lions innumerable。
To begin to tell the details of so multi…faceted a gem were artistically
impossible。 It is a jewel of a thousand rays； yet whose beauties blend into
one as the prismatic tints combine to white。 And then； after the first
dazzle of admiration； when the spirit of curiosity urges you to penetrate
the centre aisle； lo and behold it is but a gate！ The dupe of unexpected
splendor； you have been paying court to the means of approach。 It is
only a portal after all。 For as you pass through； you catch a glimpse of a
building beyond more gorgeous still。 Like in general to the first； unlike it
in detail； resembling it only as the mistress may the maid。 But who shall
convince of charm by enumerating the features of a face！ From the tiles of
its terrace to the encrusted gables that drape it as with some rich
bejewelled mantle falling about it in the most graceful of folds； it is the
very eastern princess of a building standing in the majesty of her court to
give you audience。
A pebbly path； a low flight of stone steps； a pause to leave your shoes
without the sill； and you tread in the twilight of reverence upon the moss…
like mats within。 The richness of its outer ornament； so impressive at
first； is； you discover； but prelude to the lavish luxury of its interior。
Lacquer； bronze； pigments； deck its ceiling and its sides in such profusion
that it seems to you as if art had expanded； in the congenial atmosphere；
into a tropical luxuriance of decoration； and grew here as naturally on
temples as in the jungle creepers do on trees。 Yet all is but setting to
what the place contains； objects of bigotry and virtue that appeal to the
artistic as much as to the religious instincts of the devout。 More sacred
still are the things treasured in the sanctum of the priests。 There you will
find gems of art for whose sake only the most abnormal impersonality can
prevent you from breaking the tenth commandment。 Of the value set upon
them you can form a distant approximation from the exceeding richness
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and the amazing number of the silk cloths and lacquered boxes in which
they are so religiously kept。 As you gaze thus； amid the soul…satisfying
repose of the spot； at some masterpiece from the brush of Motonobu； you
find yourself wondering； in a fanciful sort of way； whether Buddhist
contemplation is not after all only another name for the contemplation of
the beautiful； since devotees to the one are ex officio such votaries of the
other。
Dissimilar as are these two glimpses of Japanese existence； in one
point the bustling street and the hushed temple are alike；in the nameless
grace that beautifies both。
This spirit is even more remarkable for its all…pervasiveness than for
its inherent excellence。 Both objectively and subjectively its catholicity
is remarkable。 It imbues everything； and affects everybody。 So
universally is it applied to the daily affairs of life that there may be said to
be no mechanical arts in Japan simply because all such have been raised to
the position of fine arts。 The lowest artisan is essentially an artist。
Modern French nomenclature on the subject； in spite of the satire to which
the more prosaic Anglo…Saxon has subjected it； is peculiarly applicable
there。 To call a Japanese cook； for instance； an artist would be but the
barest acknowledgment of fact； for Japanese food is far more beautiful to
look at than agreeable to eat； while Tokio tailors are certainly masters of
drapery； if they are sublimely oblivious to the natural modelings of the
male or female form。
On the other hand； art is sown； like the use of tobacco； broadcast
among the people。 It is the birthright of the Far East； the talent it never
hides。 Throughout the length and breadth of the land； and from the
highest prince to the humblest peasant； art reigns supreme。
Now such a prevalence of artistic feeling implies of itself
impersonality in the people。 At first sight it might seem as if science did
the same； and that in this respect the one hemisphere offset the other； and
that consequently both should be equally impersonal。 But in the first
place； our masses are not imbued with the scientific spirit； as theirs are
with artistic sensibility。 Who would expect of a mason an impersonal
interest in the principles of the arch； or of a plumber a non…financial
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devotion to hydraulics？ Certainly one would be wrong in crediting the
masses in general or European waiters in particular with much abstract
love of mathematics； for example。 In the second place； there is an
essential difference in the attitude of the two subjects upon personality。
Emotionally； science appeals to nobody； art to everybody。 Now the
emotions constitute the larger part of that complex bundle of ideas which
we know as self。 A thought which is not tinged to some extent with
feeling is not only not personal； properly speaking； it is not even
distinctively human； but cosmical。 In its lofty superiority to man； science
is unpersonal rather than impersonal。 Art； on the other hand； is a familiar
spirit。 Through the windows of the senses she finds her way into the
very soul of man； and makes for herself a home there。 But it is to his
humanity； not to his individuality； that she whispers； for she speaks in that
universal tongue which all can understand。
Examples are not wanting to substantiate theory。 It is no mere
coincidence that the two most impersonal nations of Europe and Asia
respectively； the French and the Japanese； are at the same time the most
artistic。 Even politeness； which； as we have seen； distinguishes both； is
itself but a form of art；the social art of living agreeably with one's
fellows。
This impersonality comes out with all the more prominence when we
pass from the consideration of art in itself to the spirit which actuates that
art； and especially when we compare their spirit with our own。 The
mainsprings of Far Eastern art may be said to be three： Nature； Religion；
and Humor。 Incongruous collection that they are； all three witness to the
same trait。 For the first typifies concrete impersonality； the second
abstract impersonality； while the province of the last is to ridicule
personality generally。 Of the trio the first is altogether the most
important。 Indeed； to a Far Oriental； so fundamental a part of himself is
his love of Nature that before we view its mirrored image it will be well to
look the emotion itself in the face。 The Far Oriental lives in a long day…
dream of beauty。 He muses rather than reasons； and all musing； so the
word itself confesses； springs from the inspiration of a Muse。 But this
Muse appears not to him； as to the Greeks； after the fashion of a woman；
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nor even more prosaically after the likeness of a man。 Unnatural though it
seem to us； his inspiration seeks no human symbol。 His Muse is not kin
to mankind。 She is
