Institution

Check back every few months to see what is new. Because textiles are sensitive to sunlight, banners and garments must be returned to the temperature-controlled vault every few months. Special exhibits on loan may be displayed, such as the Baba-Keck Display of Japanese Tea Ceremony artifacts in the Rudy Room. Donations to the Asian Art Collection must be approved by the Acquisition Committee and Assistance League of Long Beach Board of Directors.

Temporary display of Japanese firemen's clothing from Edo period. 

Chinese Ancestor Scroll on display  in the Breslauer Chapter Room.

Chinese Ancestor Scroll close up of head of household

Chinese Ancestor Scroll close up of the wife

Chinese Ancestor Scroll close up of an unmarried daughter

Close up of a woman on her Ancestor Scroll

Chinese banner of Qu-li-in, now displayed in the Green Room.

A collection of obis to wrap around a Japanese kimono

Be sure to look at the Tale of Genji portfolio in the Rudy room.

A collection of Japanese Tea Ceremony artifacts are on loan in the Rudy room.

Every few months, the Howard and Asian Art Display Committee members change the display cases to showcase a variety of textiles or artifacts. Enjoy the photos of current and former special exhibits.Click on the first photo to begin the slide show.

What's New

The Howard and Asian Art Collection is a museum-quality collection of over 2,500 Asian artifacts. It is displayed in the Cherese Mari Laulhere Philanthropic Center of Assistance League of Long Beach. The collection originated in 1948 with the receipt of the Howard Trust and has since continued to grow with private donations to the Asian Art Collection. Consisting primarily of Chinese and Japanese artifacts, the two collections together contain examples of ceramics, textiles, woodblock prints, lacquer ware, brass and bronze works, wood and ivory carvings, and furniture. The collection serves as one of eleven philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Long Beach and is supported by individual, foundation, and corporate donations as well as proceeds from our Thrift and Vintage Shop. Tours are conducted by trained member docents for seventh-grade students in the Long Beach Unified School District and to community groups upon request.

The best way to experience this part of the tour is to have your phone open to this section as you walk around and look closely at each piece of furniture...As you enter the Breslauer Chapter room, on the left stands a small Chinese padouk wood, two-piece jewelry cabinet. Three-clawed walking dragons are carved on the front doors, and on the sides are phoenixes among clouds. The cabriolet legs are carved with griffin designs. Carved above the lintel is a three-clawed walking dragon with a small dragonfish at each side.  Behind the dragon doors, the upper part has eighteen drawers--just right for a lady-of-the-court’s jewels. Two more drawers open on the outside beneath the dragon doors... Of special interest is the Qing Chinese blackwood banquet table and 12 chairs originally made for the German ambassador to the kingdom of Hawaii. With its three leaves, it is 11 feet long. The Howards loved to serve dinner to their friends at this magnificent dining table. The legs, corners, and edges of the table are intricately carved in a floral motif. The side chairs have two carved dragons facing each other on the back.  The two armchairs have three figures in a garden carved on the back...Next, another of the padouk pieces, the china hutch contains sets of Canton famille rose porcelain dinnerware. Notice the writhing dragons on top and the asymmetry of the shelves. On the interior, the back is carved with plum blossoms and bamboo. The off-set, serpentine top shelves have two songbirds carved at the edges. The lower section has two drawers with carved handles of front-facing ferocious monstrous heads surrounded by clouds. Like the jewelry cabinet, griffins are carved on the cabriolet legs...Our newest addition to the decor of this room is the ink-on-paper ancestor scroll. This one is unique because it shows five generations of ancestors.  Respect for elders and reverence for their ancestors is very important in Chinese culture...In the 1860s, four German-Swiss artisans spent three years carving the seventeen-foot American mantle and fireplace and the two cabinets along the west wall for the mayor of New York City, Charles Godfrey Gunther.  The craftsmen used Hungarian walnut wood, both elegant and expensive, but difficult to carve. At some later date, Alfred Dolge, a wealthy entrepreneur who manufactured piano parts, purchased the mayor’s furniture for the 12,000 square foot home he built west of Albany, New York. Mr. Dolge’s business philosophy was unusual because he believed that the workers should benefit from the profits as much as the business owner.  He even created pensions for his workers.  The capitalist bankers in his area were unhappy with his ideas. After a scandalous financial upheaval and forced bankruptcy, Mr. Dolge eventually moved his family, and the furniture, to California to work for Mr. Henry Huntington.  After Mr. Dolge’s death in 1922, Mr. and Mrs. Howard purchased these remarkable pieces for their Long Beach home... The mantle and fireplace depict scenes of hunting and fishing. The central carving at the top is of hunting dogs closing in on a deer. At the top of each side is a Native American on a pedestal, one hunting with a spear and the other with a string of fish.  In the center of the upper portion, a large mirror is decorated on each side with an owl and trophies of the hunt below.  At the top of the mirror is a sweet cherub watching over all who gather here. Just below the central mantel ledge, the heads of two dogs and a lion protrude. In the lower portion of the fireplace, a hunter with a gun stands on the left and a fisherman holds a net and fish (missing) on the right. Both are wearing plumed hats and clothing typical of the 17th century. Griffins and symbols of the hunt and harvest are shown around the edges of the arch of the fireplace. Such an elaborate piece of furniture makes a dramatic statement about its owners and the artisans who created it... To the right of the fireplace is the Chinese high-backed padouk monkey chair carved with two monkeys (symbols of mischief and trickery) climbing a tree to get to the peaches (symbols of immortality). Notice that the arms of the chair are carved as dragon faces with ivory eyes and pearls in their mouths. This chair also has griffins on its cabriolet legs...The 19th century Chinese Coromandel lacquered wooden screen features inlaid mother of pearl and ivory. Hawks and small birds stand on flowering branches in the four panels. The wood was carved before as many as thirty coats of lacquer were applied.  The lacquer techniques were developed during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The name refers to the Coromandel Coast in India where screens and other furnishings from China were loaded onto ships carrying goods to Europe...The top of the late Qing Chinese blackwood buffet has three sections carved in openwork design of dragons facing a sun. The back of the central area is intricately carved openwork in designs of pine trees, ginkgo leaves, gourd vines, bamboo, and ling chih or lingzhi (fungus)--symbols of longevity and immortality.  The frame at the front of the center section includes birds and plum blossoms. Two side doors are ornately carved in a grape design and below the doors are open areas. The lower chest has five drawers and four cabinet doors carved with vines, pomegranates, fungus, peonies, and butterflies--symbols of longevity and happiness. Three horizontal carved panels are inset into elaborately carved frames to decorate each side. Eight ball and claw feet support this piece of furniture. This appears to be a custom-made piece filled with symbols of the good things of life—happiness, immortality, and numerous children...Tall Breakfronts...·      The central carvings at the top of the two breakfronts are identical and depict two scantily clad men with a dog ready for a hunting expedition.  Directly below the hunters are helmets and breastplates of armor, battleaxes, and shields. Another similarity is that the doors on the lower section of each breakfront have identical carvings of heads with long tongues extended, similar to doorknockers. Jesters’ heads are carved in the triangular sections above the arched doors.  The locked drawer in the center of each piece is carved with two hunting dogs facing each other. The head of a lion serves as a drawer pull on each side of this center section. Accessed with a secret lever, the decorated areas on both sides of the bottom section open to allow access...·      To the left of the window stands the south breakfront. At the top of the left side stands a young man reading a book. The upper left pillar is carved with the tools of writing and the head of William Shakespeare. On the lower left pillar, the head of the mythological god, Pan, and his flute are carved. At the top of the right side is another figure holding a geometry compass. The upper right pillar has musical instruments and the face of Ludwig van Beethoven. The right lower pillar has tragedy’s mask, crossed swords, a mace, and skull. Is that the skull of Hamlet’s “Alas, Poor Yorick?”... ·      The north breakfront to the right of the window is the same as the other breakfront in most areas but has different side carvings.  At the top left side is a young man holding an object that is now missing. The upper left pillar has tools for navigation and sailing including spyglasses, logbooks, sextants, a globe, and the head of Christopher Columbus. On the lower left pillar, paint brushes, a palette, easel, and other artists’ tools are carved. At the top right side is a young man holding a chisel and hammer. The upper right pillar has tools for mechanical drawing including a compass, folding ruler, triangle, scroll, ruler, pen, and the head of Leonardo da Vinci. The lower right pillar contains calipers, centering tripod, scroll, dividers (compass), ship’s figurehead and shipwright’s mallet...·      The tall breakfronts feature likenesses of some of the most creative and daring men in history, complete with symbols of their crafts. The exquisite detail in such difficult wood attests to the talent of the original German-Swiss immigrants who traveled to America for this project. If the wood could speak, what would it say about the artisans who created these amazing sculptures? Do the cabinets wonder why the lower pillars do not match the person depicted above, but match the person on the opposite side?  Was it the artisans’ plan to make viewers look closely, or were the cabinets reassembled incorrectly after the trip to California?  We may never know...Next, against the west wall are four padouk dragon chairs. Each arm is sculpted as a dragon with a pearl of wisdom in its mouth. The backs of the chairs have openwork sculpture of a three-clawed dragon, but two also have a phoenix included, most likely for women.  The seats of two chairs have carved dragons and one chair is plain. However, the fourth chair has Chinese characters that translate to “wishes for good fortune, prosperity, and longevity to express well wishes for a happy and fulfilling life,” according to Le Tran, our translator...The top of the padouk square table is carved with a central design of a dragon surrounded by a cloud and thunder design.  The outside apron is carved with grape vines and grapes that meander down the cabriolet legs...The framed skirts above the table and two chairs were worn by Qing Han Chinese women in the late 1800s. The elaborate embroidery most likely was done by bound-foot women preparing clothing for celebrations...Other furniture...Foyer...The first piece of furniture that you notice when you enter the Cherise Mari Laulhere Philanthropic Center is a large, round blackwood gaming table with a plain top under glass.  The wide outer rim is carved in high relief in designs of several different species of flowers. This is a custom-made piece from the 19th century Qing dynasty...Two Chinese chairs in the northeast corner of the foyer sit beside a large Japanese bronze temple vase. Look closely on the vase at detailed birds and phoenixes in high relief...Board Room...Near one of the board room entrances stands a Chinese piece with three open shelves and two drawers below. Openwork sculpture of bamboo stalks and leaves decorate the sides, while carvings of berries, grapes, and leaves enhance the drawers...Tucked in a corner of the board room, this desk and chair set was donated to the Asian Art Collection.  According to the donors, the desk is carved from the trunk of a single gum tree. However, a gum tree, or eucalyptus, is very difficult to carve because it cracks easily.  Finding out more about this red lacquer desk and chair will be interesting...Main Office...In the main workroom outside the executive director’s office, the top of a rectangular side table is adorned with mother of pearl plum blossoms surrounding an inset piece of pink marble.  The apron around the table features openwork carving of birds among blossoms inlaid with mother of pearl... Outside the president’s office is a Korean Tansu chest with brass fittings. It has a large lock and hasp and two handles on the front.  This was Mrs. Howard’s only Korean furniture and was from the late Yi dynasty (late 19thcentury)...Above the Korean chest is a Vienna eight-day regulator clock with a hand-carved English walnut case.  It has a beautifully engraved matching pendulum, weights, and dial.  Circa 1870-1880.  The clock was presented to Assistance League of Long Beach on April 27, 1970, by Las Hermanas Auxiliary in celebration of the auxiliary’s tenth anniversary...A special thanks to Assistance League of Long Beach chapter members Ruth Boorkman, Ann Exley, Lorraine Miller Collins, and others for the extensive research they did in the early years of the Howard and Asian Art Collection.

Mrs. Howard’s uniquely carved furniture fills the hallways and rooms in the philanthropic center. On the Chinese cabinets and chairs, look for flowers, phoenixes, dragons, and even monkeys. On the American cupboards, look for Shakespeare, Beethoven, Columbus, and Da Vinci...In addition to the furniture from Mrs. Howard, over the years members and friends have donated other pieces which are listed as the Asian Art Collection...Most pieces in the Breslauer Chapter Room were made during the late Qing dynasty (mid-to-late 19th century) and are fine examples of Chinese carving. Because of deforestation, even as early as the Ming dynasty (1300-1600), China had to import the best woods from other countries. Some of our pieces are made from one of the most popular woods, Burmese or East Indian rosewood, also known as padouk wood. Most of the Howard pieces are carved from one of the forms of this prestigious wood. Another wood that was preferred even to the highest grade of padouk is called tzu-t’an which translates to purple sandalwood or blackwood. The blackwood is so dark that it is purplish in color and is the most dense and heavy of Chinese hardwoods, very much like western mahogany...If furniture had ears, the three one-of-a-kind American pieces would have interesting stories to tell. Originally built in the 1860s for Charles Godfrey Gunther, the Mayor of New York City from 1864-1866, they were purchased by Alfred Dolge in 1895 for his new mansion in upstate New York. He brought them all to California after his financial catastrophe and forced bankruptcy in Dolgeville.  The Howards bought the pieces from his estate in 1922...Just as Mrs. Howard and the other owners used this furniture in their homes for practical purposes as well as aesthetic enrichment, we can appreciate the elegance and artistry of each piece today...The best way to learn about the furniture is to walk around and look at it closely as you read or listen to the information in the Backstory section...  Click on the first photo to enjoy the slide show.

Furniture

These prized crickets are cared for like tiny athletes. They have doctors, special diets and dishes. Cages can be simple or elaborate and made of bamboo, wood, ivory, bone, gourds, or even gold... Before a fight, crickets are weighed to determine whether they will compete as lightweights or heavyweights. Next they are placed in a small container that is split in half by a removable divider. The referee signals the start and slides out the ring divider. The owners poke their crickets with a reed to goad them to fight. The contestants lunge and swipe their mandibles at each other, but in just seconds one falters and cannot keep his grip and backs off, becoming the loser. They do not fight to the finish, just long enough to show they are stronger than their competitor...“If the moonlight could be heard,.. It would sound like the song of a cricket...” For more information on crickets and cricket fighting, please refer to the links at the end of the page. On the NPR website, type in "Cricket Fighting" in the search bar. The narration does not match the text, but both are interesting...

Competitions to determine which cricket can sing the loudest or fight the longest have been a tradition for centuries in Asian countries. Valuable crickets were housed in stylish cages and treated like royalty. Superior male crickets, with large, well-shaped heads, big mandibles and fighting spirits, are coveted and expensive in China and Japan. Fighting and singing cricket contests are traditions dating back more than a thousand years and are taken very seriously. Millions of dollars are spent on cricket sales and care each year. Betting on the fiercest fighters or the loudest singers, while illegal, is big business...Click on the picture of the dark brown cricket cage to start the slide show...

Cricket Champions

Beginning in the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), administrators of civil service exams sought to find the best candidates for the vast bureaucracy that governed China.  Scholars first took local tests; if they passed, they moved on to the three-day exams in the capital.  For the one percent of test takers who passed the earlier exams, the final challenge was to pass the exams in the imperial palace itself. The exams evolved over the centuries but always included memorizing the classics of Chinese literature, especially Confucianism.  Beginning in the Tang dynasty (618 – 906 CE), students had to demonstrate proficiency in writing and calligraphy, formal essay writing techniques, classic literature, mathematics, legal and government matters, poetry, and clear and coherent speaking.  Each dynasty thereafter added extra layers of difficulty but expanded the number of participants to meet the greater demands of the growing Chinese government...The tests in the provinces took three days.  Scholars would be searched and, if found with materials to cheat, would be expelled and not allowed to take a test again. Each testing cubicle had three boards to be arranged as a chair and desk or bed, as needed. The cubicle remained open so that proctors could observe the test-takers’ behavior.  Once the results were announced, those who passed were invited to a special banquet to celebrate; those who failed would try again next time.  The average age of those passing the second level was 30, and  for the third level, 40...This system of promotion through examination of abilities, or meritocracy, served to reduce the bribery and graft in government circles.  It also placed enormous value on education, a view still important in China. The system also created a compliant section of society because a fundamental principal of Confucianism was a sense of duty.  However, the uniformity of the exam system encouraged memorization and conformity, rather than imaginative or creative thinking.  As industrialization and scientific advances spread throughout the western nations, China fell behind because of their emphasis on classical education.  As a result, after one thousand years of tradition, in 1905, the Qing leaders abolished the civil service exams, and since then, China has excelled in technology and science...

From 1391 to 1911, a scholar’s status in the meritocracy of the Imperial Court was shown in the rank badges, also known as mandarin squares, or insignia squares, worn on his jacket. A male civil servant earned his badge by passing grueling tests. All three names indicate the embroidered or woven squares worn by civil and military officials who worked hard to earn this recognition. Rank badges are still some of the finest embroideries of gold thread on silk ever done anywhere in the world.  We are lucky to have these beautiful works of embroidered art.  Few of these exist anymore because most imperial rank badges were burned when the revolutionary communist government came into power in 1949 under Mao Zedong.  Because of the communist revolution in China, possessing articles from the old imperial regime could have resulted in death...·      Nine civil ranks and nine military ranks existed in the ancient imperial rank badge system...·      Each civil rank was represented by a particular bird...·      To earn the first civil rank, a man had to pass an exhaustive exam. If he passed, he and his family could wear the paradise flycatcher badge of the lowest ninth rank. To rise to higher ranks, he had to pass more difficult tests...·      For military badges, the man had to pass strenuous physical tests. He and his family would then wear badges with embroidered animals...·      Both civil and military badges contain other symbols...Do you see a symbol that is in all of them?·      The sun is a symbol for the Chinese emperor who was believed to have a mandate from heaven...·      The bird and animal symbols all face the sun symbol to honor the emperor...·      Insignias belonging to men face to the left; those worn by women face to the right. When a man and his wife sat next to each other, the birds or animals faced each other...Please click on the first photo to view the slide show...

Chinese Rank Badges

What was involved in the actual foot-binding? The process started between the ages of five and seven years when a girl’s bones were still flexible. Mothers broke the toes on both feet and pushed them under the sole of the foot, leaving the big toe untouched, and forming a triangle. The arch was bent back on itself. Bindings were wrapped around the feet and changed regularly to prevent infection. Girls were encouraged to walk long distances to break their arches. After two or three years of excruciating pain, the process was complete...Although it is no longer practiced today, the mystery of female foot-binding and why such torture could have lasted so long is still debated. Theories abound. Many modern scholars attribute the longevity of foot-binding to a combination of social, political, legal, economic, ideological, and cultural forces. It persisted even when several Manchu emperors of the Qing dynasty (1636-1912) banned it. A man's pleasure in a woman's small feet and swaying gait is always in the background of any discussion. Most writers repeat the conventional rationale that it kept a girl from having to toil in the fields and gave her a better life as a “house girl.” Others say the practice is historically rooted in Confucianism's stress on filial duty. Another theory is that the Han Chinese in the Song dynasty (960-1279) used it to differentiate themselves as being culturally superior to their Mongol invaders... One of the latest theories is based on a 2017 study by Bossen and Gates. They interviewed about 1800 elderly Chinese women, the last generation to have bound feet. Bossen and Gates maintain that few girls ended up enjoying a life of leisure and argue that female child labor was one of the negative results of a patriarchal society. Women with unbound feet worked with men in the fields or on fishing boats while girls and women with bound feet sat still at home embroidering, making yarn, weaving cloth, and producing other goods for income like mats, shoes, and fishing nets. The researchers found that foot-binding declined in every region they studied as soon as manufactured cloth and imports became available, thus undercutting the economic value of handwork... Some cultural historians speculate that women bonded through this shared experience. Wang Ping in Aching for Beauty found an example of this in a secret language called nu shu (women's writing.) Women wrote messages on nu shu fans or embroidered letters on handkerchiefs complaining about the suffering caused by the male-dominated society.  This system of communication was used by women for several centuries in a small rural area of Hunan Province. This little-known history of nu shu was described by Lisa See in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, a novel that illustrates the complex support system the secret language provided to these foot-bound women in the 1800s...Few practices have garnered as much attention in women’s history as the subject of Chinese foot-binding. Paradoxically, it maimed the feet of millions of young girls, yet it lasted one thousand years. It often caused death, yet men were thought to find it attractive. It was honored for centuries, yet the practice became a source of ridicule in modern times. The debate reached a high point in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Chinese literati, missionaries, and reformers led ideological campaigns against it. At the same time, the agricultural tradition was losing ground to jobs for women in the textile factories in the cities. These jobs required natural feet. Finally in 1912, the Nationalist government, followed by the Communists in 1949, made foot-binding illegal, by which time it had largely disappeared...

Foot-binding was the custom of tightly binding the feet of very young girls to change the foot size and shape. Her “golden lilies” were believed to make her more attractive to a wealthy husband...Foot-binding is said to have been inspired by a 10th century court dancer named Yao Niang who bound her feet into the shape of a crescent moon. She impressed Emperor Li Yu by dancing on her toes inside a six-foot golden lotus decorated with ribbons and gemstones. In addition to altering the shape of the foot, the practice produced a particular swaying gait caused by the need to take very short steps. Bound feet in tiny, embroidered slippers were considered attractive... Gradually, wealthy court ladies began binding their feet, making it a Han status symbol that eventually spread throughout Han society. Foot-binding lasted over a period of more than one thousand years. Some early evidence comes from the tomb of Lady Huang Sheng who died in 1243. Her feet were tiny and misshapen, wrapped in gauze, and placed inside special “lotus shoes..."It was believed that a small foot represented the height of female virtue, as well as elegance.  For families with daughters, foot size became an important bargaining point for marriage. The most desirable bride possessed a three-inch foot, known as a “golden lily.”  Four-inch feet—a silver lotus—were acceptable, but five inches or longer were disparaged as “iron lotuses.” The daughters with small feet could marry wealthy men, while those with large feet were likely to work in the fields or at other manual labor... To turn a natural foot into a golden lily required two to three years of excruciating pain and left a girl in danger of falls or infection throughout her life...Click on the first photo to view the slideshow of Chinese slippers...

Chinese Foot-Binding

Dress in the Qing Imperial Court...There was never a doubt about a person's status and rank in the Qing Imperial Court—the clothes said it all. When the Manchu Qing rulers ousted the Han Ming dynasty in 1644, the new government outlined the only acceptable court dress. This was intended to clarify everyone's rank and status.  Eventually the Qing even codified it in The Illustrated Catalogue of Ritual Paraphernalia, so that all Han as well as Manchu officials would conform to the emperor's wishes...Color became the major indicator of status. Yellow, considered the most auspicious color, was reserved for the emperor and his royal family. Blue, the official Manchurian Qing dynasty color, could be worn by minor princes or noblemen, as could brown. Blue-black fabric was for court officials... Clothing for conducting government business included the well-known jifu, or dragon robe, featured here in blue. Because the Manchu had a horse-riding tradition, this robe had a side-fastening jacket and featured horse-shoe cuffs, which were originally designed to cover a rider's hands in bad weather. The robe showed symbols of water and waves at the base, then symbols of the land with a central mountain, and finally cloud symbols of the heavens above, which combine to signify the emperor's total authority over the whole universe. The five-clawed dragon, universal symbol of the emperor, featured prominently. High ranking officials had eight five-clawed dragons visible, with a ninth dragon hidden inside a front flap...  A jifu robe was worn with a collar, a hat, a long string of court beads, and an outer coat displaying a rank badge. This badge was an embroidered square worn on the back and front. Civil and military ranks were each divided into nine levels, with birds denoting a civil rank and real or mythological animals indicating a military rank. Civil ranks were awarded to scholars following grueling exams based on Confucianism and the classics of Chinese literature.  Military ranks were awarded after tests on military subjects and skills. The Qing Manchu rulers adopted this system of governance by meritocracy that had existed in China since 1391...  Proper attire was also regulated by season. The dates, and even the exact hours, for changing from one season to the other were strictly outlined. Winter robes would be lined or edged with fur and padded. Summer robes would be lined with silk or made of gauze and worn over cool jackets of bamboo. A black summer gauze outer robe with rank badge can be seen in the John Fielder and Donita Van Horik Display Case outside the Breslauer Room... Women's Clothing...Women were seldom involved in court proceedings, so few examples remain of a woman's dragon robe jifu. However, women did wear the same rank badge as their husband or father, and rare examples of these are in the Howard collection. They wore the rank badge on an outer coat or a fringed vest called a xiape. A popular custom grew of placing the bird or animal insignia mirroring her husband’s, so that that they would be facing each other when they were seated together at official functions... Affluent women wore a combination of a side-or-front fastening robe over a wrap-around pleated apron skirt. These robes were decorated lavishly with embroidery. By the time of Empress Dowager Cixi, toward the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912, the vogue among noblewomen was for bold, floral designs.  Robes were embellished further with sleeve bands embroidered with flowers, butterflies, or figural scenes. The silk skirts were likewise beautifully embroidered on the front aprons and even on the inside of the narrowest of pleats. Examples of three of these skirts are framed and hanging in the Breslauer Room and another one is in the president’s office...Decorative Techniques...Decoration comprises much of the aesthetic value of Chinese imperial court clothing, and great attention was paid to achieving perfectly woven silk fabric and exquisitely stitched embroidery. One of the special techniques of weaving was known as kesi or cut silk. It created the appearance of cut threads in blocks of colors on the robes. Embroidery featured special techniques, too. The so-called “forbidden stitch" was said to be so fine that it would cause blindness. Of course, we have no evidence of this, but this seed stitch or Peking knot was often used for detailing in small areas. Another special technique was called couching, where gold-wrapped silk thread would be laid on top of the fabric and held in place by over-stitching...

Dress in the Qing Imperial Court...Dragon Robes... A member of the Imperial Court may have worn this blue silk robe in the late 1800’s during the Qing Dynasty. Eight dragons, symbols of the emperor’s power, are woven or embroidered on the outside of the robe, while a ninth dragon is inside to protect his heart. The dragons are known as imperial dragons because they have five claws. Such five-clawed dragons could only be worn by the imperial family and members of the imperial court...Dragon robes are rich in symbolism.  The most significant features are symbols for the parts of the universe ruled over by the Chinese emperor under his mandate from heaven.  The striped area at the hem represented his rule over the oceans and its waves.  Above that came the land with its mountains, and the sky with its clouds.  Taken together, these were also symbols of the permanent unity and prosperity of the empire.  Other symbols abound, including one with a meaning opposite to that in the west:  the bat.  While in the west the bat symbolizes misfortune, in China bats are symbols for happiness and good fortune...At one time the court’s demand for new robes of all types kept 100,000 weavers working on 7,000 looms.  Thousands of embroiderers were needed to further embellish the robes.  Of these, dragon robes were the most elaborate.  It is estimated that two and a half years of labor were required for one dragon robe...Fine silks were worn by imperial court members since the early Han dynasty (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.). Long before that, the thin fibers of the mulberry silkworm’s cocoon had been discovered and woven into fabric. Early evidence has been found in China of silk production that dates as far back as 3630 B.C.E., during the Neolithic period. Silk production rapidly spread all over China, and lengths of silk eventually became China's most successful trading commodity along the Silk Road. Even the name of the Silk Road is derived from the lucrative trade in silk that dominated its network of overland trade routes between China, India, and Europe. Today, China remains the largest producer and exporter of silk in the world... The blue dragon robe on display can only hint at what Margaret Howard collected. In the category of Chinese clothing alone there are 41 robes, 20 jackets, 40 skirts, 98 sleeve bands, and 22 collars, all silk and beautifully embroidered. Most of the silk pieces in the collection date from the late 19th century to the end of the Ching dynasty in 1912. Since textiles can be damaged when exposed to light, only a few can be exhibited at one time and then for no more than six months. After that, they are rotated back into the temperature-controlled vault. In the photographs are examples from each of these categories...Click on the first photo to view the slide show.

Chinese Imperial Clothing

Making Woodblock Prints...Making these woodblock prints was the work of a whole team of artisans.The process began with an artist and involved carvers, printers, and papermakers. Following the designs and colors in the picture submitted by the artist, master carvers precisely carved up to 15 individual blocks, one for each color in the picture. On each block, the carver chiseled away the wood around the areas intended for one color. The printer then applied ink onto those raised areas and, lining up the paper to match the carver’s registration marks, pressed the paper firmly down onto the block.The printer repeated these steps using the woodblocks carved for each color of the picture until the entire print was completed, an exacting and time-consuming process. The beautiful result was prints with no overlapping colors or lines...The number of identical prints that can be made from one set of blocks is limited. Eventually the areas start to show significant wear. Over time the colors become so saturated into the wood that producing clear details is nearly impossible. Therefore, woodblock prints vary in quality during a long production run. The six triptychs on display are remarkable for their perfect details and vibrant colors...Ukiyo-e prints...The woodblock prints on exhibit are just a sample of the over 150 ukiyo-e woodblock prints in the Howard Collection. Margaret Howard collected so many because they were very popular at the time. They afforded the first glimpse many people had of the newly opened Japan. The French impressionists collected and studied them, incorporating into their own pictures many of the Japanese qualities: asymmetry, broad areas of color and pattern, expressive stylized lines, abstraction, and emphasis on the flatness of the picture plane. It was the day of “japonisme...”Woodblock prints had been known in Japan since at least the eighth century, but around 1680 publishers realized that profits could be made selling popular prints to the newly affluent urban commoners. These woodblock prints acquired the name of ukiyo-e prints, referring to the “floating world” (ukiyo) of the entertainment districts of the major cities. Eventually the meaning grew to include fashionable pleasures in general, and the prints reflected these pleasures: prints of Kabuki theater actors, beautiful women, landscapes, nature, and current events... Toyohara (Yoshi) Chikanobu...Five of these six woodblock prints were designed by the artist Toyohara (Yoshi) Chikanobu (1838-1912). Born into the samurai class, Chikanobu was both an artist and a samurai. He was trained in calligraphy, painting and literature, as well as military skills. He got caught up in the dissolution of the Shogun’s rule during the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ended samurai rule and put power in the hands of the emperor. Chikanobu fought in the samurai rebellion against the imperial army and only escaped serious punishment because of his youthful reputation as an artist. He resumed his artistic career in 1871 at the age of 33 and began to produce a huge body of work that would merge social history with self-expression...His works depict changes during the late 19th century when Japan’s “closed door” was opened, and western ideas began to spread throughout Japanese society. Ordinary Japanese people knew nothing about the royal family, but because the government wanted to create a national identity, artists were encouraged to portray the lives of the rich and famous--and that included royalty. Chikanobu probably never saw the emperor’s family, but he depicted many of their activities and public appearances. The emperor, along with his new imperial army, wore western style military uniforms. Many women chose to wear English Victorian clothes. These changes to modern dress were frequently pictured in his work. Later in his career Chikanobu became nostalgic and produced pictures of more traditional subjects and beautiful landscapes...Chikanobu’s work was very popular, and he made a very good living. He broke with tradition by depicting current events. His special signature was his amazing sense of style and his intense spirit. He took traditional ideas and molded them with his own unique inspiration to create highly original pieces that were fresh, complex, colorful, and detailed. He continued to produce woodblock prints until his death in 1912...Japanese artists still make woodblock prints using the same methods. To watch a modern video showing artisans making woodblock prints, visit: YouTube “The Great Wave by Hokusai: Great Art Explained" by following the link below...

It is difficult to imagine that these Japanese pictures weren’t made yesterday on a modern printing press or painted by hand, but these colorful and detailed prints were made with carved blocks of wood, one for each color, in the late 1800s. Each of these framed pictures is composed of three woodblock prints that show one continuous scene called a triptych. Five of these tryptichs were designed by Toyohara Chikanobu. The sixth one,  “Bakufu Crossing the River on Shoulders,” was designed by Shogetsu Toshu in 1889...Click on the first image to enlarge the pictures and open the slide show...

Japanese Woodblock Prints

One of the most unique aspects of Japanese ceramics is the high esteem in which the tradition has been held for centuries, due in part to the continued influence of the tea ceremony and its many ceramic implements. Even today, ceramics remain at the forefront of Japan's artistic culture. This art is so revered in Japan that major ceramic artists have been given the title “Living National Treasure” to honor their excellence in traditional crafts...Many steps and decisions go into making ceramics: what kind of clay to use, whether to hand form, mold, or use a potter's wheel; how long to fire the raw pottery in the kiln; and what decorative elements to include at various stages. There are three basic categories of ceramics: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. These are differentiated primarily by the firing temperature required in the kiln to harden each type of clay. The collection includes examples of all three, most dating from the late 1800s. Beautiful ceramics have been produced using all of these clay types, and all three continue to be used today for their unique characteristics...[1] Earthenware is pottery made from a natural clay that has been fired at low temperatures. With one firing in the kiln, it is opaque, slightly porous, and coarser to the touch than stoneware and porcelain. When a transparent glaze is spread on the surface and a second firing done, it can be made glossy and waterproof. Terra cotta is a common example...[2] Stoneware is pottery made from heavier clay than either earthenware or porcelain. It doesn't have any stone in it, but gets its name from its dense, stone-like quality.  Its excellent reputation for dinnerware is built on its durability, a result of firing at high temperatures. Unlike earthenware, it does not need to be glazed to be waterproof, but glazing is used to add color and decoration...[3] Porcelain is made from a white clay containing kaolin. When fired at very high temperatures, kaolin clay produces a smooth, hard, and semi-translucent ceramic that resonates when struck. It is typically used for fine china. Porcelain was fully perfected in 13th century China, and when Marco Polo saw it, he named it porcellana, an Italian nickname for the cowry shell’s smooth, white surface. Like the cowry, thin porcelain has an eggshell glow when held up to the light. Japanese kaolin clay deposits were only discovered in the early 16th century which marks the beginning of the Japanese porcelain market. Clay body type is only one way to identify pottery. Japanese pottery is also discussed in terms of its geographic origin and the period in which it was produced. Additionally, some pottery is recognized by an artist's family name, or by a characteristic technique used, or still others by the port from which it was shipped, as in the famous case of Imari/Arita. These details are what make collecting Japanese ceramics so interesting. Examples from eight different kilns are on display in the Kathrine and James Lingle Display Case near the office: Bizen, Raku, Mishima, Satsuma, Imari, Kutani, Kakiemon, and Hirado. The bottom shelves of the last two cases will have rotating exhibits...Bizen:  Its famous kiln is a Designated Japan Heritage Site of the sixth century...Bizen, also called Imbe, has been made continuously in the small town of Imbe in Bizen province since at least the sixth century. The Bizen kiln has been recognized as one of the Six Ancient Kilns for having passed down techniques from medieval times to today. Its wares look very raw and natural. Bizen ware has a dark gray stoneware clay body that turns brick-red, brown, or deep bronze. The surface can be matte or shiny glazed, with splashes of greenish or yellow glaze on some. Its unusually supple clay fostered its use for decorative pottery forms including sake bottles, tea ceremony implements, and even utilitarian tiles. The taller sake bottle on display has Chinese writing on it, possibly to make it look older and more valuable...Raku:  This age-old technique is still practiced in Japan and now around the world...Raku got its name from a famous historical event. In 1588 a Korean family in Japan introduced a type of glazed earthenware covered with a lead glaze and fired at a comparatively low temperature. When they started making tea bowls, the samurai ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi awarded them a gold seal engraved with the word raku, meaning felicity. Raku made in Kyoto is among the most famous of all Japanese wares. The classic tea bowl shape is hand-molded, usually with wide, straight sides set on a narrow base. The wall of the bowl is thick so that it does not become too hot to handle. The first glazes were dark brown; other colors came into use later. The characteristic results of the Japanese way of producing raku ware come from firing in the kiln at a low temperature, removing the object from the oven while hot, and cooling it in the open air... Mishima:  The rough and uneven technique used to make Mishima epitomizes wabi sabi...Mishima ware is defined as “a brownish glazed earthenware marked with white lines.”  Originating in China in the Tang dynasty (618-907), the design is incised or cut in the vessel after one firing. The deep-cut lines are filled in with diluted white clay (slip), glazed, and the vessel fired again.  It is called Mishima because the designs the Korean Yi dynasty used in its tea ceremony reminded the Japanese of pre-Gregorian lunar calendar designs that came from the Mishima shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.  The large bowl is signed by Takahashi Dohachi, but there have been at least seven generations with that name beginning in 1740.  It would be interesting to know which one created this masterpiece... Satsuma:  Not intended for practical use, it is collected as a unique form of art...The Satsuma kiln was started in the early 16th century by Korean potters making simple earthenware tea ceremony implements with a heavy, dark glaze. This Ko-Satsuma lasted until around 1800 when a totally new Satsuma earthenware product was introduced. Called Kyo-Satsuma, it featured colorful enameling on a cream-colored ground with a crackled transparent glaze. It was decorated with brocade textile designs and gilt, and became very popular. Beginning in the 1850s, artists developed more complex designs and extravagant enameling and gilding to appeal to the tastes of Europeans. Sales must have been good because historians suggest that Satsuma wares financed the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Satsuma daimyo led the military alliance that restored power to the Meiji emperor in 1868. Sales peaked around 1885, but by the late 1980s only a few factories remained in production... Collectors seek Satsuma for its exquisitely painted decoration, which is usually of intricate and minute Japanese figures and landscapes as on the bowl with the figures in a garden.  Another decorative method seen in Satsuma is French moriage, or raised enamel, which adds a luxurious, third dimension to the surface. A good example is on the gold platter—the white flowers in the center are in moriage. Since there is no top glaze, the finished artistic effect is markedly different from overglazed porcelain with its smooth protective layer. Although typical Satsuma is earthenware, some porcelain bodies like the small incense burner were also decorated by Satsuma artists... Imari:  Arita kilns were the first to produce porcelain from newly discovered kaolin clay...Porcelain created in the Arita kilns was shipped from the port of Imari which caused the two terms to be used interchangeably. Shipments of early Imari ware were mostly painted blue on white in imitation of Chinese ceramics, but the style popularly known today as Imari was born when Korean craftsmen discovered kaolin porcelain clay in Arita in the early 1600s. Porcelain requires very high temperatures, and the potters developed an advanced type of continuous step-chamber kiln which made increased production possible. The strict monopoly policies of the Saga daimyo lord also protected them. Porcelain manufacturing soon became a major Arita industry with many independent kilns. In the 1640s, at the suggestion of Dutch traders, a design of brocade textile patterns inside compartments, together with pictorial motifs, was adopted.  This “old Imari” had sumptuous colors of rust-red, blue, green, and gold, with designs that covered the vessel completely. The effect was striking. The Dutch East India Company shipped this style of Arita ware in crates marked “Imari,” and by the mid 17th century, Imari was the leading export porcelain from Japan... Notice the variety of different styles, not only in the Lingle case, but also in the LaJuana Rudy Room. Of special note, the rabbit bowl, with its dragons and phoenixes, may have been a wedding present to assure the new couple of good fortune and many children.  Perhaps the turtle bowl was also a gift since its crane, pine, and plum blossoms are symbols of happiness, good fortune, and longevity...Kutani:  Bold designs and opulent enameling distinguish the Kutani kiln...Old Kutani began production in 1656 in a kiln in Kutani, a small town in the Kaga mountains. The kiln used an underglazed porcelain body with the new multi-colored enamel overglaze. Unique in form, glazes, and decoration, Old Kutani is considered one of the best enameled ceramics made anywhere. When “porcelain fever" swept Japan in the 19th century, the general designation Kutani was applied to a wide range of wares produced in kilns that sprang up all over the valleys of Kaga province. Driven by an insatiable home market, new investors opened small workshops, and Kaga kilns had two advantages. They were very near kaolin porcelain clay deposits and close enough to Arita to obtain technical training. A revival of the Old Kutani styles came in the 1820s when a new kiln was opened. By the 1890's technical advances and Western-style pigments made Kutani ware a major export item... Our collection contains a unique variety of Kutani styles, from the charming folk figures of Ebisu and Daikoku pounding rice to the elaborate “Three Warriors” bowl. The incense burner below the hanging scroll looks nothing like the other two; however, appraisers have identified them all as Kutani...Kakiemon:   This family kiln produced Japan’s first enamel overglazing on porcelain...In 1656, Sakaida Kakiemon was one of the first Japanese potters to master the technical difficulties of enamel overglazing on porcelain. Nobody knows for sure how he did it, but one story is that he learned the secret from a chance meeting with a Chinese person in Nagasaki. His method was to apply an underglaze to the porcelain body and fire the piece once. He then painted his decoration on it with enamel pigments and fired the piece for a second time. This allowed the pigments to melt, bond, and turn translucent as the colors also changed, making the now “enameled” piece almost luminous. His decoration was in a purely Japanese style, with large areas of white ground with delicate flowering plants and fruits in soft red, yellow, blue, and turquoise green. It was exported to Europe by the Dutch East India Company and became so popular that European porcelain factories copied it. Notice the precise lines and exquisite colors on the bowl with two Japanese women on the front and flower blossoms on the back...  In 1971 the Japanese government designated the historic craft technique Kakiemon devised an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and a double climbing kiln in Arita used to fire Kakiemon has been designated a National Historic Site. Sakaida Kakiemon XIV was named a Living National Treasure and his son, Sakaida Kakiemon XV became the new head of the business in 2014... Hirado:  The fragile blue and white porcelain openwork is becoming increasingly rare...Hirado is another of those wares better known by its port of Hirado instead of its Mikiwachi kiln, located in Sasebo City on the island of Hirado. It is believed that the kilns were established by a Korean potter named Ko Seki brought back by the daimyo lord of Hirado after the Imjin war in 1598. This war was also known as the “Porcelain War," since the many Korean potters who were brought back to Japan at that time had a major impact on Japanese wares. In 1751, the kilns were under the patronage of Matsura, Prince of Hirado. Succeeding generations used it for their exclusive use, producing some of the finest porcelains ever made in Japan... The Hirado kiln made the pure white, as well as the blue-and-white, wares for which they were famous until 1843, when Matsura patronage was lost and replaced by export contracts with the Dutch East India Company. Typically, the extremely white porcelain was painted with a delicate underglaze blue of landscapes or figures. They also used relief decoration and some colored glazes, in particular dark brown. Hirado porcelain clay has a finer grain than most porcelains, which allowed for very thin and complicated openwork pieces, several of which are highlights of the collection...     Chinese Ceramics...The Howard and Asian Art Collection has several pieces of Chinese ceramics in the Elynna and Henry Schaffner Display Case. In the first section on the left are several vases of fine Chinese porcelain with bright coloring.  Further to the right, are examples of six small celadon bowls grouped together, and a seventh, Margaret Howard’s favorite celadon piece, under her portrait. Celadon is a particular shade of green, like celery, that has been popular in Asian ceramics throughout the ages.  The Schaffner case also has selections from our set of famille rose fine china.  More of that pattern can be seen in one of the cabinets in the Breslauer Family Foundation Chapter Room... Korean Ceramics...Currently, there are only two pieces of Korean ceramics in the collection.  Korean styles and Korean potters had significant influence on Japanese ceramics. Look at the two Korean celadon porcelain bowls in the first section of the Lois and James Pott Display Case in the hallway...

The collection contains over 250 pieces of Asian ceramics. This Japanese porcelain “rabbit bowl" decorated with bright colored glazes and distinctive designs is known as Imari ware throughout the world. It was shipped from Imari but made in Arita, and the two names are interchangeable. Although Imari ware is perhaps the most well-known of Japanese ceramics, the Howard and Asian Art Collection is so rich in examples from other Japanese schools that this tour will concentrate on Japanese ceramics. However, several Chinese objects in the nearby Elynna and Henry Schaffner Display Case and a few pieces of Korean pottery in the hallway Lois and James Pott case are included...If you stand in the foyer and look at the whole Kathrine and James Lingle Display Case featuring a selection of the Japanese collection, two markedly different styles are immediately apparent. Those on the left seem very rough and rustic, while others on the right are brightly colored and elegant. The first style relates to nature, with the hand of the potter and the marks of his tools evident. Simple glazed and unglazed stoneware stems from Chinese and Korean traditions, typified by Bizen ware. A second style is typified by raku glazed earthenware and exhibits the tea-ceremony aesthetics of wabi-sabi, meaning “simplicity in daily living” and “appreciation of imperfection.” The third, more refined style, shows the early influence of Chinese porcelain styles. Succeeding generations created porcelain with distinctly Japanese characteristics. A good example of this is found in Imari style porcelain. Generally, Japanese people prefer the simpler styles and westerners the more ornate, like the Kutani and Hirado styles on the far right...Please click on the first photo to view the slide show.

Asian Ceramics

Origins of the Japanese Tea Ceremony...“Let the tea be simple and your hospitality heartfelt." Sen no Rikyu, Japanese Tea Master and Poet (1522-1591)...With this basic philosophy, Sen no Rikyu redefined the extravagant tea ceremony of his day and established the tea ceremony still practiced today in Japan and, increasingly, worldwide. He perfected a true art form called Sado, the way of tea. Rikyu's enduring goal for a tea ceremony is for guests to become so immersed in Sado's spirit of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility that they gain a calm perspective on a busy life...By Rikyu's time, prosperous merchants and wealthy aristocrats had taken over the ritual tea ceremony from Zen Buddhist temples and turned it into lavish affairs. They entertained each other showing off their elegant tea implements, many specially imported from China. The extravagant tea ceremony Rikyu reacted to most strongly was an event that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a military dictator who united Japan, hosted in 1587. He entertained 800 samurai, showing off the most expensive tea implements and offering the best possible meals. Then, to distinguish this important event, he created a tearoom covered entirely in gold... In reaction to this extravagance, Rikyu established his own tea school. He designed a special tea garden which had water flowing into a bowl where samurai would wash their hands and symbolically purify their spirits. He created an exceptionally small tea house to stress the simplicity and intimacy of a small space. He intentionally gave it a very small door so that samurai had to duck their heads upon entering, teaching humility, and reducing the differences in rank and status. They had to leave their two swords outside, preparing them to experience tranquility. Using one tea bowl among them during a formal tea ceremony transcended social distinctions and fostered human connections. His tea school eventually became a kind of finishing school for samurai from the provinces... Rikyu’s philosophy was that one should “treasure every encounter" and view the tea ceremony moment as being “once in a lifetime." Rikyu stressed the concepts of wabi (simplicity in daily living) and sabi (appreciation of imperfection.) From the careful movements of the host to the deliberately imperfect tea bowls, every moment of the tea ceremony reflects these ideals... The Steps of a Tea Ceremony...Both formal and informal tea ceremonies are practiced in Japan. A formal matcha tea ceremony can last four hours, generally starting at noon.  A meal and two servings of koicha thick tea are prepared. One bowl is shared by the participants who rotate and wipe the edge of the bowl according to accepted procedure... An informal ceremony generally lasts 45 minutes, even though the training required to conduct it is just as extensive, and one serving of the lighter usucha tea is prepared in a separate bowl for each guest...These are the steps of an informal usucha tea ceremony:1)    The host prepares the room with seasonal flowers and implements. 2)    The guests arrive through the garden and wash their hands to cleanse themselves symbolically of the outside world. They then step through a small door, exhibiting humility and respect toward the host...3)    Kneeling on his heels, the host cleans the tea implements with slow, graceful movements. He boils water in a wide-mouthed iron pot...4)    The host takes a silk cloth representing his spirit from his kimono sash, inspects it, folds and unfolds it, and uses it to handle the hot iron pot lid...5)    Matcha is spooned into a tea bowl. Several ladles of hot water are added and the usucha is whisked to a froth...6)    A prepared bowl is served to each guest who rotates the bowl to admire it, and after bowing to the host, sips the tea. The last sip is customarily taken with a loud slurp to indicate to the host that the bowl is empty, rather than breaking the spirit of the moment with words...7)    Sweets are served to complement the bitterness of the matcha tea...8)    After the guests return the bowls to the host, the tea implements are cleaned, and the ceremony ends...Tetsubin Cast Iron Tea Kettles...Although the three tetsubin cast iron tea kettles on display might make it seem that they are used in a traditional matcha tea ceremony, they are not. In fact, they are only used to boil water for a different style of tea, a loose-leaf green tea called sencha. The tetsubin developed its traditional shape along with the growing use of sencha. This style of tea was introduced from China in the 17th century and quickly became popular for sharing informal cups of tea with family and friends. Drinking sencha became a symbol of revolt against the ruling classes who could afford powdered matcha and Sado’s expensive tea implements. Over time it became its own tea ritual called Senchado. Both Sado and Senchado tea ceremonies can be enjoyed in Japan today...Two poems by Rikyu...When you take a sipOf the water drops that fallInto the stone bowlYou will feel that all the dustOf your mind is washed away...When you hear the splash                                              From the bowl of powder TeaThere within it liesClear reflected in its depthsBlue of sky and grey of sea.

In addition to the cold-water container pictured here, look for the beautiful tea bowls and elegant tea caddies used to hold loose green matcha tea. A traditional tea ceremony encourages participants to relax and enjoy the peaceful serenity of the occasion...According to one unverified legend, the history of tea began in China. In 2737 BCE, tea leaves from a nearby tree fell into Emperor Shen Nung’s boiled drinking water. No one knows if that is true, but he is often credited with the discovery of this important beverage. Tea was popular in China long before other countries knew of it.  During the Tang dynasty, (618-906 AD) tea became the national drink of China.  During the eighth century, Lu Yu wrote an entire book about tea, The Tea Classic, or Ch’a Ching.  Soon thereafter, Buddhist monks who had traveled to China introduced tea to the people of Japan.  Drinking tea, especially on ceremonial occasions, has become an important part of Japanese culture...The introduction of a special kind of tea fostered the development of the Japanese tea ceremony. In the 12th century, the Buddhist priest Eisai (1141-1215) brought a special kind of tea from China that is known in Japan as matcha. This tea uses only the green buds from sprouting green tea bushes, which are then dried and ground into a fine powder.  Matcha can be served two ways. Koicha is a thick, almost paste-like preparation used in formal tea ceremonies. Usucha is a much lighter, powdered version and is used in most typical tea ceremonies. Matcha tea tastes somewhat bitter, so kaiseki sweets are traditionally served to complement the bitterness...Click on the picture of the green water carrier to watch the slide show.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Samurai Armor...Flexible armor was made primarily of small scales of metal fastened together. They were lacquered to prevent rust, fastened to each other by cords to make horizontal sections, and then combined vertically by silk cords to allow the various sections covering legs and arms to hang suspended. Originally samurai armor was completely constructed of flexible plates, but solid plates were eventually added to cover the chest and back when spears were added to the samurai weaponry. These were further modernized as firearms became more prevalent. Some were decorated lavishly, but most were embellished with finely worked metal and leather pieces. The clan symbols were added to identify a samurai’s allegiance to his lord daimyo, a loyalty that required death over defeat. This was part of a simple set of shared values and came to be called bushido, “the way of the warrior...”The Kabuto helmet is one of the most readily identifiable pieces of armor that a samurai wore. Riveted plates form the helmet bowl. At the top is a gilt rimmed hole. Its purpose is unclear. Many suggestions have been made, such as its use for burning incense in battle, but the probability is that it was simply easier to cut out the overlapping plates at that point rather than having to join them. Helmets also featured prominent crests on either side, frequently with imitations of horns as seen here. Additional decorative details could be added between them to indicate rank...Usually the face was left unprotected, although half-masks were sometimes worn and full masks even less frequently. Some masks are part of the equipment as they serve to anchor the helmet. If it had belonged to a young samurai only 14 years old, the ferocity of the mask would also have helped to conceal his inexperience...Samurai Weapons...Surprisingly, the main weapon of the samurai was not his sword. All samurai carried two swords and used them to good effect, but in battle they did not rely solely on them. The armor’s flexibility was designed primarily to facilitate use of the deadly longbow from horseback. The longbow had to be held high to clear the horse’s head while the samurai twisted his body, loading and re-loading arrows from the quiver on his back. All of this could never have been done in solid armor! Early chronicles refer to the samurai role as “the way of horse and bow.” Only when the arrows were gone did the samurai dismount and become a swordsman...The two swords that have traditionally come to define a samurai were a long steel katana sword of incredible sharpness and a short sword, or wakizashi, both carried at his left side. These two swords were worn at all times with few exceptions. Since only a samurai was allowed to wear weapons, these two swords were a clear indication of his status as a member of the samurai class...Samurai Women...What about the samurai women…were they warriors, too? Yes and no. They were trained in martial arts to use a small dagger to protect their personal honor even if it meant death. The dagger was kept in its case and tucked inside the obi. It was not hidden since it also served to declare their position, much as the two swords did for samurai men. Upper-class women also were trained to use the naginata (a long-poled weapon with an arched blade at the end) for a last-ditch defense of the home. This weapon provided greater reach than a sword and give it greater defensive capabilities. The naginata became the symbol of samurai women. Archery came into play only in castle defense. Although women seldom fought in battle, at times women armed with naginata patrolled the inner compounds. If the men were away, the wife may have commanded the castle’s soldiers. A few noble women did become onna-bugeisha, female warriors, and their stories became legends...The role of women in the samurai class was generally one of subservience to men. Both Confucianism and the warrior values of bushido required male dominance over women. To maintain the social balance, a woman was expected to yield to her father and to her husband in all matters. With that in mind, 13th century laws did allow women equal rights of inheritance with their brothers. With husbands almost constantly away in combat, these early laws allowed women to control finances, bequeath property, manage servants, raise their children with proper samurai upbringings, and defend their homes in time of war. Their other duties also included preparing the troops for war by organizing provisions and weapons...Samurai class women were as educated as samurai men. They were taught to read, write, dance, and perform the rigorous tea ceremony. A samurai wife was a highly respected companion to her husband. The role of women changed, however, when the Shogun Tokugawa unified Japan under his rule at the beginning of the Edo period (1600–1868). Their samurai husbands were no longer fighting wars but were working as bureaucrats. Now the upper-class wives were expected to stay at home and concentrate on the children’s education. Older ideals of fearless devotion and selflessness were replaced by quiet, passive obedience. The society became so regulated that only men were allowed to own property. Women were forbidden to travel without being accompanied by a man. There was a reappearance of the old custom of shaved eyebrows replaced by black smudges on the forehead, and married women blackened their teeth to identify their marital status. A woman’s role came to be viewed strictly in terms of child-bearing. Women were no longer seen as equal companions. Marriage-age daughters were often used as pawns in power struggles to broker deals, further reducing the influence women once held...In 1945, women were given the right to vote in general elections and have continued to make strides toward equality. Today, many Japanese families have more balanced relationships.  Nearly 40% of women work outside the home, and many fathers help with raising children...

Samurai status was more a matter of class rather than of occupation. Whether male or female, if a person were born into a samurai family clan, he or she was automatically part of the ruling class, even if they had never picked up a sword. Some samurai men became scholars, monks, or administrators. Some samurai women joined Buddhist convents. They all had various duties, yet all were expected to train for their military role...Samurai warriors were part of the hereditary military class that ruled Japan for 700 years from 1185 until 1868. They emerged after feudal landowners formed family clans for safety against roaming bandits. They needed warriors and hired their strongest men as samurai, meaning “those who serve.” Regional clans developed over time into a hereditary samurai class under a local leader called a daimyo and a military dictator called a shogun. Their military superiority relegated the emperor to a position of figurehead. This situation lasted until the Meiji emperor was restored to power in 1868. After heated resistance, samurai warriors were replaced by the imperial national Japanese army. The end of samurai rule coincided with the opening of Japan to trade with the modern world...A samurai warrior would have worn a flexible suit of armor into battle. Its design was developed over the 700 years of samurai rule. This armor’s flexibility, which allowed free movement, was probably as important in battle as its protection. Japanese armor looks very different from the plate armor worn for 400 years by their medieval contemporaries, the knights in Europe. While European armor was designed for knights to fight with lances and shields from horseback, Japanese armor was designed as a response to using completely different weapons...Click on the first image to enlarge the photos and see the slide show.

Japanese Samurai

First pair: Taller Chinese Emperor and Empress... These tall, graceful figures are beautiful in their imposing height, the result of the large elephant tusks employed to make them. The carving is detailed both front and back. Their imperial dress is classic Qing dynasty and, as in all things Chinese, layers of meaning in the symbolism are woven into the garments...The emperor is wearing a short jacket with medallions of five-clawed dragons, always the symbol of the Chinese emperor. This custom derives from the myth that the dragon is the lord of the heavens and the most important creature in Chinese mythology. Therefore, it is only suitable that the dragon be the symbol of the emperor, his counterpart on earth...This emperor's hat happens to be missing the traditional spike on the top, visible on the other nearby carved emperor's hat. Traces of the missing spike are visible on the hat, so although clearly once there, the spike has been lost over time...The empress is striking in her elaborate hairstyle and long embroidered cloak. Her hair is topped with a headdress featuring two cranes symbolizing longevity. Her gown is decorated with an important symbol, the mythological phoenix, traditionally used to represent the empress. The phoenix was the ruler of the birds in the same way that the dragon was the king of animals, thus making the phoenix an appropriate symbol for her.  In addition, it symbolizes beauty, goodness, peace, and prosperity, considered attributes of a good empress...The empress’ hairstyle, dating to the mid-Qing dynasty, was modeled on that of the Manchurian court women. The upper part was called the “high-rising coil." The end of the long tress of hair hanging down the back was trimmed into the shape of a tail and was called a “swallow's tail."  This inimitable hairstyle can be seen in all its complexity in one of the photographs... Second pair: Chinese Emperor and Empress Backed by a Mirror…In almost all respects these two figures in the proscribed imperial court dress are identical to the first taller pair, with a few interesting details visible on the reverse sides in the mirror. Here, the tall spike on the top of the emperor’s hat is immediately evident. It is a very important symbol used to define the emperor’s role in China. It represents something like a “lightning rod” connection between the emperor and the mythological gods in heaven. From this connection comes his “mandate from heaven” to rule over the seas, the earth, and the heavens. As the story goes, if he performs his ceremonial duties well, all will go well in the country; if he does not, he alone is to blame. We also see his power symbolized on the hem of his garment, where the waves represent the seas, the central mountain represents the earth, and the dragons flying among the clouds represent the heavens. Why is he wearing a necklace? It is an imperial court necklace only worn by members of the imperial court on ceremonial occasions. The meanings of the attached shorter strands are curious. The two short strands of beads on his left shoulder symbolize the emperor’s father and father’s mother. On his right shoulder is a single strand representing the emperor’s mother...Looking at his back in the mirror, you can see that the emperor wears his hair braided down his back. This is called a queue. It was a requirement for all Han Chinese men beginning in 1644 when China came under the Manchurian rule of the Qing dynasty. His queue is hiding a single strand of beads on the imperial court necklace. This loose strand was meant to swing back and forth as he walked to keep the evil spirits away...The elegant empress is holding a ceremonial Ruyi scepter which in life would have been made of jade. It was the primary symbol of her wealth and importance as empress. The hem of her gown shows the emperor’s symbols of the seas, the earth, and the sky, as does all formal dress for members of the imperial court. Her outer cloak is especially magnificent in its carved details. She also wears a phoenix on the front of her gown, but on the back are carved the eight symbols of Taoism (also spelled Daoism.)  Each one refers to the magical attributes of one of the Taoist Eight Immortals. Their appearance here reflects the veneration of the Ching court toward the ideals of Taoism...Chinese Uses for Ivory...One unique use of ivory was a tradition in imperial courts for many centuries. The hu, usually pictured as a long, narrow, curved, or flat, piece of ivory, sometimes carved on one side, was used to indicate the power of high court officials. It appeared around 250 BCE when it became fashionable for high court officials to carry memorandum tablets of ivory. First worn as hanging pendants from girdles, the ivory tablets eventually became longer over time and were carried almost as scepters. The tradition of using the hu to denote rank persisted until the fall of the Ming dynasty in 1644. You can see this illustrated in the photograph of an ancient prime minister painted holding a hu, like a scepter...Over the centuries the Chinese found many luxurious uses for ivory: figures, brush holders, table screens, and snuff bottles. Artists made perfume boxes, and mirror cases for court ladies as well as utilitarian objects like chopsticks, Mah-Jong sets, combs, and seals. After the fall of the Ching dynasty in 1912, however, production switched from fulfilling imperial needs to making items like ivory canes and card cases for foreign residents and tourists. A flourishing market developed as the country progressed and, until outlawed, China was one of the world's largest markets for elephant ivory...Elephant Ivory Today...Many efforts have been made around the world to curb the slaughter of elephants for their tusks. In 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) classified the African elephant as an endangered species and banned the ivory trade. The numbers are alarming. The population of African elephants was 10 million in 1900, dropped to 1.3 million by 1979, and stood at 415,000 by 2015. Despite African conservation efforts, poaching remains a significant problem. The elephant population continues to decline, and in three countries the shrinkage rate of herds is faster than the replacement rate...International reaction has been strong. Most countries have signed on to the CITES ivory trade agreement and are taking steps to enforce it through their own regulations. China has made all buying and selling of ivory and ivory products illegal. In the United States under Federal law, new ivory cannot be imported, exported, or sold across state lines. Antique ivory can be sold with proper documentation proving that the item is an antique that is at least 100 years old. The latest federal regulations for elephant and walrus ivory can be checked on the website of the US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service...

These emperor and empress figures are hand-carved from elephant tusks. Using special carving tools, the artists were able to duplicate intricate details of the ceremonial clothing and accessories. Since 1989, importing ivory has been outlawed…Ivory…. the mere word conjures up thoughts of rare and costly beauty. Carved from elephant tusks, ivory's many cultural uses have made it highly prized since pre-historic times. Early carved examples found in Chinese tombs date well before 1000 BCE, and there are fine examples from every subsequent dynasty through the Qing (1644-1912). Like gold, ivory has always epitomized luxury and wealth in China and around the world…Four examples of standing ivory figures dating to around 1900 are on display. The first pair of unusually large figures is to the left of Mrs. Howard in section four of the Schaffner case. The second pair further to the left in section two is backed by a mirror to allow closer inspection of the reverse sides. All four are exceptional for their finely carved details. They depict Chinese emperors and empresses dressed in Qing imperial attire. Although carved ivory is usually left natural, in various periods in China it has been lacquered or stained with colors such as the black stain on our displayed pieces…Below the mirrored figures on the second shelf are other examples of carved ivory from the Asian Art Collection, including a finely carved piece showing stairs going up from street life to family life to a scholar's study. On the third shelf is an Imperial Court necklace from the Howard Collection like the one the carved emperor is wearing…Click on the first picture to begin the slide show…

Chinese Carved Ivory

Margaret Negley Hare was born in Pennsylvania in 1866 to Thomas Horton and Agnes Johnson Hare. The family resided in Hamilton, Missouri, where her father was a photographer of some standing. At age eighteen “Maggie” married but was soon widowed. She married a second time, but that marriage ended in divorce. Around this time, she traveled to Marshall, Oregon, where she taught school. After fifteen years she decided to go to Hawaii. The reason for this adventurous decision is unknown. But travel she did—a single Victorian woman on a steamship to Hawaii. In 1899, Margaret, then thirty-three, married Walter Howard in the Central Union Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. “The church was tastefully dressed in holiday attire, and the bride was a queenly figure in a trailing robe of yellow brocaded silk with a bouquet of roses,” according to the local newspaper. The guests included the leading families of Honolulu. Following the wedding, the couple drove to Walter’s home, formerly known as the Rome Cottage at 1071 Beretania Street. They took a glorified honeymoon—a three-month trip around the world. While visiting China, Japan and Korea, their lifelong interest in Asian art was awakened...Walter Lincoln Howard was born in Rhode Island on Valentine’s Day, 1863, to George Washington Adams Howard and Frances Borden. He attended country schools until he was fifteen and then went to work in his father’s sawmill. When his younger brother was old enough to take his place, Walter borrowed money to attend a teacher preparatory school. He graduated with honors and was immediately made principal of a local elementary school. He remained there until his debts were paid and he was accepted at Brown University in Rhode Island. About this time, he contracted diphtheria and realized that for his health a milder climate was necessary. This led him to Eastman College in the state of Washington where he again excelled academically. After graduation he became principal of the Olympia Collegiate Institute. Unfortunately, the damp climate of Washington did not improve his health. In 1890 he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. Soon he was employed by the plantation agents Castle &amp; Cooke. He advanced quickly in the business and received five promotions in the first two and a half years. His nights were spent working as a bookkeeper at Oahu College. Walter had some interesting advice on how to succeed in business— “Have good penmanship and knowledge of typing and stenography...”The couple had no children of their own but legally adopted Chan Fa and Lan Qan. Margaret’s nephew Henry Harold Hare also grew up in their home. These children were not forgotten and shared equally in the future estate. Margaret was an active member of society, working as a life member of the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society and as a member of the Eastern Star. In 1910 passports were issued to the Howards, and they resumed traveling to Asia. The Howard Collection is a result of these voyages. Walter and Margaret traveled to Hong Kong in 1911. According to an interview with her nephew, Henry Hare, they moved to California in 1912. Thereafter, Margaret made eight trips to Asia, during which she purchased collections of rare art objects. At this time, she opened a store in Long Beach, where she was listed as the sole proprietor. Clearly Margaret took her role as shop keeper and collector seriously. In 1915 she had a combination store and exhibit at the Pan Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. She purchased several art displays from the Chinese government at the end of the fair...Walter returned to Hawaii for two years with Margaret’s nephew Henry Hare. When he rejoined Margaret in Long Beach, they purchased the Jotham Bixby property on the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue. Margaret thought the place “needed a coat of paint, but that it is not uninteresting to let it remain as it is, showing to those who pass by that it is really a pioneer dwelling of Long Beach and proud, rather than ashamed, to be recognized as such.” Rooms of the house were filled with their remarkable collection of Asian art, one of the largest west of Chicago, and the house soon became a popular gathering place for students and Asian art enthusiasts...Margaret closed the store in 1930 when her health began to fail, but she and Walter continued their interest in Asian culture. While Walter was not a collector, he was a serious student of Asian art. He and Margaret gave lavish Chinese dinner parties that were the talk of the town. Their guests were encouraged to wear Chinese robes and dine amidst the art collection that filled the Howard home...After Walter’s death in 1940, it was clear Margaret wanted to keep the collection intact. In her will, she directed that the treasures “she has been so many years collecting, be so placed and preserved that they will be educational and give pleasure to persons interested in such matters..."

The story of the Howard Collection is really the tale of two people who developed a love of Asian art that was to last a lifetime...A woman ahead of her time…Margaret Hare was born in 1866, one year after the end of the Civil War. Fate took her to Hawaii where she met and married Walter Howard. In the early 1900s, Walter and Margaret began taking trips to Asia and collecting the art which was to become our Howard Collection. They moved to Long Beach in 1912 and opened the Oriental Palace on Ocean Boulevard, where they sold their art objects and displayed one of the best collections of Asian art west of Chicago... At her death, Margaret’s wish was to keep the collection intact and to “give pleasure to people interested in such matters.” Today Assistance League of Long Beach honors her wish and carefully cares for the collection, sharing it with adults and seventh grade students studying Asian history and culture...Be sure to click on the images to open the slide show and see the full-sized photos...

Howard and Asian Art Collection

What's New

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context