Confucianism is a social ethic taught by Confucius and his disciples in China in the sixth century BC that developed into a worldview, political ideology, philosophy, and scholarly tradition. Transmitted to Japan in the sixth century, it was initially received mainly at the imperial court and Buddhist temples, but from the Edo period on spread throughout society at large. With its broad penetration from the ruling class to the common people, Confucianism had a far-reaching impact on the arts as well, from didactic paintings of Chinese emperors to ukiyo-e. This exhibition focuses on Japanese art rooted in Confucianism, introducing an abundant body of works by artists who had studied and adopted Confucianism.
*There will be an exhibition change during the course of exhibition.